Day 5 of Malaysia Movement Control Order (MCO)

Day 5 of Malaysia Movement Control Order (MCO)

A lot has changed since we started to stay home under the MCO. The most shocking news yesterday was the 4 new death cases announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH), making the cumulative death of Covid-19 in Malaysia to hit 8. Despite more than a hundred patients have been discharged, there are still many being treated in isolation and in the intensive care unit (ICU) as reported.

Every day I received SMS from the government to stay at home, maintain good hygiene and request for the Tabligh to surrender for a medical check. Some stubborn people still out there and yet to report to the hospital. These are the people who are causing us to stay at home, economy standstill and more seriously, putting everyone in contact at risk! The worse is when I read about news of these people keeping secret of their participation at the gathering and causing the entire hospital to close down for disinfection. This kind of person is so selfish. Religion and moral doesn't teach us to tell lie and cause harm to others. I personally classify them as a criminal during the pandemic time. Heavy prosecution is a MUST!

So far, the government is trying their very best to contain the virus. All the front liners are doing a great job to protect us all. Even the army has been deployed early this morning to assist the police. The situation is not what some people have been sharing on Whatsapp and social media. Everyone is trying their best to help to save our country. We encounter the officers at the morning market. There are very polite asking everyone to quickly buy what is needed and go home. They were controlling the entrance and exit so that everyone can maintain a distance. I see law and order carried out effectively here. So please stop forwarding news that doesn't come from the officials and you don't even know the origin source. We have enough trouble, don't create more issues by spreading fake news!

Even our favorite McDonald's responding to the government MCO with maximum precautions taken. Well done, McDonald's.

Customers will have to queue outside the restaurant and temperature has to be taken before allowed to enter

The kiosks were being sanitized after every order.

Dedicated markings on the floor for customers to wait for their order.

McD staffs @ Taman Sri Gombak, keep up the good work!

As of now, all my friends and family are doing fine and trying to make full use of the time given at home with love ones. Since we just started the MCO a few days ago, we should continue to monitor our health, just in case we have exposed to any contacts at work before 18th March.

Choe says, take care!

SHOCKING! Technical Problem at McDonald's (Berjaya Times Square)

This is my first time in my life to see a technical problem at McDonald's causing them to offer only Spicy Chicken, Nuggets, Porridge and Rice. According to the staff and the notice printed on all the point-of-sales machine, they are experiencing a technical problem causing them unable to offer everything except the few stated products.

All the screen went blank - nothing you can order except chicken, nuggets, rice, and porridge

Can you imagine going to McDonald's but not able to buy any burgers and my favourite 'Happy Meal'?

What could have gone wrong that causes such problem for an International franchise business?

So, without technology, does that means we cannot operate our business anymore?

What say you about this?

Nasi Lemak Burger in McDonald's Singapore

Yes, this is for real!

McDonald's is introducing the Nasi Lemak Burger for a limited time to celebrate Singapore's National Day and in conjunction with the Singapore Food Festival 2017. Not just the nasi lemak, there will be Chendol McFlurry too and these limited time menu starts on 13th July, tomorrow.

Image source:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/image/9025050/16x9/670/377/6d3d354f9028b94536620c6b47e92509/qm/mcdonald-s-locally-inspired-menu.jpg 

According to Channel Newsasia, the Nasi Lemak Burger consist of coconut-flavoured chicken thigh patty, fried egg, caramelised onions and cucumber slices topped with sambal sauce served between semolina buns.

What say you?

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/mcdonald-s-introduces-nasi-lemak-burger-chendol-mcflurry-to-9025038

Product Placement 2: Kingsmen The Secret Service (2015)

It is getting more popular for major brands to use movies as their channel of advertisement. The strategy is very simple - it uses product placement which immerse in the story, character lifestyle and the functionality of their products so that the audiences learn and accept the brands and products subconsciously. The intention is the reach the mass market through subliminal perception and create a general positive predisposition of like towards the brands and the products. In the past, product placement has been use as the background of selective perception but the recent movies has seen the brands and company taking a more proactive approach of getting into the 'figure' of the scene.

Here is another example of some Product Placement used in the movie - Kingsmen The Secret Service (2015):

#1: Adidas

#2: McDonald's - Happy Meal and Big Mac being mentioned in the conversation too!

#3: Bremont - a British watch maker developed three "limited edition models" for this movie.

#4: Lenovo - laptop

So, when you are watching a movie, you are also being exposed to "Subliminal Perception" too. Enjoy!

Previous Post on Product Placement: Transformers, Age of Extinction

McDonald's Happy Meal - Paul Frank Go Bananas with Julius

McDonald's is now targeting on more market segments,  The 'Paul Frank Go Bananas with Julius' Happy Meal promotion starts on 14th November 2013 until 11th December 2013, the last series for the year 2013. There are magnets, watch, luggage tag, figure, calendar, notebook, stationary kit and bracelet for the fans to collect.

Julius Magnets

Paul Frank is a California-based lifestyle product company, specialising in fashion apparel and accessories. With such collaboration, it shows that McDonald's is taking a step further in growing its Happy Meal market; extending the product to the lifestyle fashion young adults customers. Meanwhile, it helps to promote Paul Frank as a young and attractive apparel brands to the growing Asian children and young-adults market.

We can SIMPLY SAY that fast food restaurant like McDonald's is no more selling food and beverages, and serving it fast..but also retail merchandising (toys and accessories). Businesses are evolving!!!

McDonald's Happy Meal Versus Minions

Are you a fan of McDonald's Happy Meal or the Minions in the movie, Despicable Me? The recent craze in Malaysia recently saw the increase in demand for the Happy Meal with the free Minion toy series. Is this a coincident or merely another effective marketing strategy?

We can analyse this emerging phenomena by applying the diffusion and adoption process of consumer (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2010). McDonald's has increases the adoption process of their newly launched toy series for the Happy Meal, embarking on the opportunity from the highly publicised movie, Despicable Me 2. How they did it? Let's look at the possible elements of consumer diffusion process being managed by the world's most popular fast food brand:

1. The Innovation
As usual, the toys that comes with Happy Meal will have playable special features or movements. This would different the toys with other retail version of the toys by major producers.

2. Channel of Communications

At the introductory stage of the new Happy Meal toys series, McDonald's has been shouting about their offerings using integrated channels such as mass advertisement and on social network. This helps to create awareness and building up the momentum of buying even before the commencement of sales; especially triggering the needs to possess, not just satisfying physiological needs, but social needs, self-esteem and self-actualisation (Maslow's hierarchy of needs)

3. Social System

With the current social system, many consumers are influence by the need of possession (materialism personality traits). Hence, a toy in Happy Meal has always been promoted to the parents with children where they not just get to eat and drink, but to play! This become a norm to many as an value added consumption process, especially when the Minions are Free! Well, not just children who likes free toys, but all ages, that's our social system here.

4. Time

The prolong time of releasing the Minions with various models in batches build up the demand from extensive Word-of-Mouth, especially when news and on social media started to cover this craze for Minions.

Of course there are many different views on this marketing phenomena, and the above is just one of my very personal view. Let's wait until the next Tsunami of Happy Meal next time, we shall learn more!

Cheers!