For a business to succeed, it must know everything about its potential and existing consumers and the market in which it operates. Systematic market research is essential to have this data. Market research is crucial for successes such as new product development and providing the insights necessary to build trust and guide significant marketing decisions.

Sometimes, to develop a company’s brand image and awareness, it is essential for companies to engage with their consumers on a cultural level. With globalization, companies must understand the cultural atmosphere in different environments and make changes to their business strategy, operations, and brand awareness to adapt to cultural differences.

These changes can be best understood with examples from the largest American food giant, “McDonald’s,” in Australia and India.

Conducting Research: One reason for McDonald’s success in both countries is their excellent market research. Market research is an ongoing process that helps marketers analyze the marketing environment and define the product-market fit and marketing strategies. Thorough research is critical to creating the right mix to gain customer loyalty. McDonald’s, through its market research, felt the need to engage with local culture and not isolate a particular community. They identified consumer needs and integrated themselves into both communities so well that they were no longer perceived as an American brand.

In Australia, television advertisements successfully gave McDonald’s an Australian makeover. They started by giving McDonald’s an Australian nickname, “Macca’s,” and promoted this image through TV ads. “100% Aussie Beef Burger,” “Brekkie Wraps,” “Macca’s Steak,” are some of their ways to reflect the Australian local image. Macca’s introduced the “Create Your Taste” menu, where customers could create their unique burgers, which even started well for those seeking healthier fast food options.

McDonald’s Chief Marketing Officer (US headquarters) talked about McDonald’s customer-centric transformation and stated:

“We are listening more and assuming less, asking questions, and getting answers.” With over 900 stores in Australia and over a million customers visiting them daily, Aussie Macca’s is well-positioned to conduct necessary market research and understand changing consumer needs and make appropriate changes to product offerings.

When we look at India, a multicultural country, McDonald’s faced a significant challenge. Cultural restrictions on certain meats, such as beef (cows are considered sacred and worshipped) and pork (Muslims do not eat pork), and the fact that most Indians are vegetarians, made introducing cheeseburgers (beef) to the public a challenge. Their famous and best-selling product in Western countries could not hold the same position in the Indian market.

McDonald’s seemed to have done their research well and embraced the challenge by creating an extensive range of socially acceptable products for the Indian people. For vegetarian consumers, “McAloo Tikki” (spicy fried potato patty), Veg Pops as an alternative to chicken nuggets, and for chicken lovers, the “Big Mac” was replaced with the “Maharaja Mac” chicken burger along with increased chicken and fish options. In their research, McDonald’s considered local demographics, income levels, and customer preferences, which was the primary reason for their success in a multicultural country.

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One reason for McDonald’s global success is their precise market research, along with creating innovative ways to integrate with the local image and deliver what the brand promises to consumers. The brand is recognizable across all age groups due to its brand image. Today, McDonald’s has about 400 branches in India and approximately 930 branches in Australia. For the fast-food industry to thrive, especially in current times when health and fitness awareness is rising, it is essential to make changes that cater to changing consumer needs. McDonald’s success in these countries and globally was due to systematic market research, which established them as a leader in the fast-food industry.