Zitat McDonald's free coffee promo opens new front in java war
BRENDA BOUW
The Canadian Press
April 20, 2009 at 3:24 PM EDT
The coffee wars are heating up across Canada with McDonald's offering free java for two weeks as high-end chain Starbucks closes locations, iconic Tim Hortons struggles with falling profit and Country Style repositions itself under a new owner.
McDonald's said Monday it will give away a small coffee to its customers during breakfast hours at its 1,400 locations across Canada until May 3, and you don't have to buy anything to get one.
McDonald's Canada president John Betts said the promotion is an attempt to lure in customers “and those who haven't been visiting for a little bit.”
The move is shot at Tim Hortons, which is a coffee leader with about 2,800 stores across the country, and high-end brand Starbucks, which is closing some of its 500 locations across Canada as its suffers from overexpansion and a drop in consumer spending in the recession.
Starbucks is also offering free coffee on Wednesday, which is Earth Day, to people who bring their own mug to the store.
“It's a jump ball for market share,” analyst Michael Krestell of M Partners Inc. said of the McDonald's promotion and the current coffee landscape in Canada.
“In addition to going after the higher price of Starbucks coffee, it's a direct shot at Tim's. There's no better way to announce your presence than by offering something for free.”
To some, the McDonald's promotion may be even more enticing that Tim's annual “Roll up the Rim” promotion, which offered prizes from cars and TVs to free coffee and pastries.
Recently Country Style did what industry watchers called a “promo hijack,” by giving free coffee for a week in early March to Tim's customers who got the “Sorry Try Again” message on their cups.
Mr. Krestell said the McDonald's two-week free coffee promotion is also an interesting marketing strategy.
“If you can get someone to try your product every day for two weeks it becomes an acquired taste,” he said.
“To get them into a routine you have the potential to break from of a previous habit. It's no coincidence.”
Wendy Evans, head of retail consultancy Evans and Co. Consultants Inc. called the McDonald's move “clever.”
“I think there's a whole segment of the population that has just left McDonald's. This could certainly be a draw for them to try it again,” she said.
was wie nennen die bei McD das schwarz gefaerbte spuehlwasser??
also mit Kaffee hat die Bruehe noch nicht einmal im weitesten sinne zu tun haben.
gruss Fred
Wer schon in Kanada ist und den Starbucks Kaffe lieber mag: Nur heute gibt es freien Kaffe, wenn man sein eigenen Kaffebecher mitbringt.... Wir haben es ausprobiert und es funktioniert.
Heisses Wasser, Spüli, Bürste, Handtuch, Waschschale, Abtropfbrett oder alternative den Dischwasher mit..... nee, nee das geht nicht am Earthday. Man sollte diesen Tag in den Sommer verlegen, dann kann man sich einen Trinkbehaelter aus großen Blättern falten, oder direkt aus der hohlen Hand schlürfen. Aaaaauie...das war ja heißer Kaffee......
Zitat von DiplIngHeisses Wasser, Spüli, Bürste, Handtuch, Waschschale, Abtropfbrett oder alternative den Dischwasher mit..... nee, nee das geht nicht am Earthday. Man sollte diesen Tag in den Sommer verlegen, dann kann man sich einen Trinkbehaelter aus großen Blättern falten, oder direkt aus der hohlen Hand schlürfen. Aaaaauie...das war ja heißer Kaffee......
Nö, heißes Wasser, zweimal schwenken, ausgießen und fertig.