McDonald's partners with Weight Watchers. Will consumers buy into the new trend?

Some unlikely partners are jumping into bed together in Australasia. In New Zealand, McDonald’s has fluttered its golden arches and seduced Weight Watchers: three meals marked with the WW logo will go on sale in the fast food giant’s outlets. McDonald’s in Australia has already won over the Heart Foundation - three years ago its ‘tick of approval’ was stamped on seven meals served at its restaurants.

But McDonald’s is not alone. In a radical move from its core market, pizza delivery firm Domino’s in Sydney has joined forces with TV series The Biggest Loser to launch its Good Choice range. Approximately US$2 million has been invested in TVCs, print, outdoor, online and local store marketing.

At face value, it’s hard to be anything but cynical about these unlikely matches. What exactly are brands looking to get out of these relationships and how can they convince consumers this realignment should be taken seriously?

In a press statement, McDonald’s New Zealand managing director Mark Hawthorne says the company was able to include some of its customers’ favourite items because of the many changes McDonald’s has made over the past seven years. “I know customers have responded well to more choice on our menu such as salads, seared chicken, and high fibre tortilla wraps. But it’s work we’ve done on our core menu that has made it possible for us to meet Weight Watchers strict requirements,” he says.

Scott Clark, CEO of Tonic, points out that, like other food firms, what both Dominos and McDonald’s are doing is trying to recast themselves as part of the solution rather than be demonised as the root of the obesity problem. “It is a well-travelled route and one that can be admired as long as there is follow through and it reflects their values, not just a way to make headlines.”

Tim Riches, chief growth officer, Asia-Pacific, at FutureBrand reinforces this. “On topics like health and wellness - environmental sustainability is another - the market climate is changing in terms of regulation and mainstream public opinion, and any brand that considers itself a leader has to play a part in that change process. The threat is to be left behind, looking like the bad guy that people feel increasingly guilty about buying.”

But Riches adds that it’s a balancing act for brands between relevance and credibility. “Relevance in responding to the changing values of the communities. Credibility in terms of their response being sincere and realistic, given the nature of the product. In my view, McDonald’s has demonstrated this rather successfully over the last decade or so.”

Clark points to Nestlé as a brand that has got things right. The firm recently added Arc Worldwide Sydney to its shopper-marketing roster in Australia. Arc is tasked with boosting Nestlé’s perception as a health and wellness company. It aims to achieve this by first launching three cross-category shopper-marketing campaigns across a selected range of products.

“The entire company is on a mission to recast itself as a nutrition, health and wellness company,” says Clark. “It is at the heart of everything it does, not just window dressing. Fundamental changes and a shift in positioning are supported right across the business - from workers on the manufacturing line to the marketing code of practice to the CEO’s messages to the investor community.”

Rather than changing, perhaps these brands are simply adding to their values. Clark concludes: “It’s OK for a brand known for “bringing you enjoyment in your diet” to expand that to saying it’s also “committed to offering healthier choices”. The two values are not mutually exclusive”.

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This article was originally published in the 25 March 2010 issue of Media.