The Mc Rewards Probably Don't Outweigh The Mc Risks

Your article "McRisky" (Cover Story, Oct. 21) would have been more aptly titled "McMarketing." If one makes the questionable assumption that McDonald's can overcome the significant operational problems of making a 180-degree turn from standardization to customization, it will find itself wading through a radical shift in terms of its marketing strategy.

The essence of McDonald's marketing challenge over the next few years will be effective positioning. McDonald's, like many other fast-food operations, has made the invalid assumption that positioning is what you do to a product. Positioning is what you do to the mind of the consumer in terms of perceptions and images. Mickey D's has had some success at objective positioning, i.e., positioning itself according to physical attri butes of features such as its Big Mac, convenient locations, and right color scheme. But they have forgotten a basic marketing fundamental -- no company sells products. What a company sells is the benefits that those products deliver. For example, McDonald's does not sell hamburgers, pizzas, or salad. What it sells is convenience, price/value, variety, and health. The organization's marketing strategy needs to reflect this.