Citigate Dewe Rogerson, the incumbent agency for the past 20 years, will not be taking part.
Linda Ming, senior communications manager for McDonald’s Singapore said: “McDonald’s Singapore has put up its PR business for a pitch, after an almost 20-year partnership with Citigate Dewe Rogerson. Through the years, its contribution to the business has been significant: from brand-building, product launches, issues management, to CSR. Both parties have amicably decided to move on.”
“It was a painful decision not to pitch,” said Elaine Lim, managing director of Citigate Singapore.
“McDonald’s is a prestigious account, but business considerations override sentiment.”
The fast food chain is known to position its brand locally in a wholesome and family-centric manner. In 2007, it launched ‘Red Pea: Play, exercise, art’, an entertainment programme for families that focused on the role mothers play in the wellbeing of their families.
The ‘moms panel’ featured five Singaporean mothers from different backgrounds, who were consulted on the development of menus and the changes they felt were needed to create healthier diets for kids. The Ronald McDonald’s Children’s Charity is also a feature of the restaurant chain’s CSR programme. Since its inception in 1989, the local charity has handed S$3.3 million (US$2.3 million) in grants to help sick children from needy families.
Last year, the fast food brand extended its partnership with KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital by opening up Family Room, a 12-bedroom unit offering a place to stay overnight for families tending to sick children.
Previously, in 2001, McDonald’s became the first fast food chain to open at the hospital and boosted its menu there with healthier offerings such as low-fat milk, Coke Light, soup and salad.
