McDonalds Hungry For Hip-Hop

McDonald’s is seeking to use Hip-Hop to promote their Big Mac sandwich and have offered money to rappers who include the sandwich’s name in a hit record by summer. Magazine Advertising Age reported that McDonald’s has hired marketing firm Maven Strategies to help get the sandwich name checked into upcoming songs. Maven Strategies is also […]

McDonald’s is

seeking to use Hip-Hop to promote their Big Mac sandwich and have offered money

to rappers who include the sandwich’s name in a hit record by summer.

Magazine Advertising Age

reported that McDonald’s has hired marketing firm Maven Strategies to help get

the sandwich name checked into upcoming songs.

Maven Strategies is also

hoping to time the release of the record that names the sandwich around a broader

marketing campaign McDonald’s hopes to launch.

McDonald’s will have

final say over the content of the song that includes the name, but Tony Rome,

CEO of Maven Strategies, said that McDonald’s is willing to allow the

artists to determine how to incorporate the sandwich into their songs.

“The main thing is

to allow the artists to do what they do best,” Rome told Advertising Age.

“We’re letting them creatively bring to life the product in their

song.”

Artists will not receive

any money upfront, but instead, McDonald’s is offering $1 to $5 every time the

song is played on the radio.

“The risk involved

for upfront payment is all eliminated,” Rome continued. “If an artist

isn’t able to deliver [a hit], there’s no out-of-pocket cost to

the client. You pay for performance.”

Maven Strategies performed

well last year, after landing the Seagram’s Gin into five rap songs, from

such acts as Kanye West, Twista, Franchise Boys and Petey Pablo.

“Hip-hop

represents a large share of what pop culture is today,” Rome continued.

“Hip-hop’s endorsement of different brands give them a cool factor

and representation among youth. They gain credibility by being mentioned in

songs.”