Petteri Pyyny
3 Jun 2004 14:48
Fast-food giant McDonald's has announced that they will start offering free music downloads from Sony's Sony Connect music service for American customers who purchase Big Mac Extra Value meals. The promotion is set to last between six and ten weeks in States. Company also plans to roll out the campaign in Europe later this year.
The annoucement comes after the deal was first rumoured back in March and confirms that McDonald's is taking seriously the latest trends in popular culture. More importantly, the move is, according to analysts, a clear sign that McDonald's is trying to break free from its "kids only" image that has been highlighted by the long strategic relationship McDonald's has had with Disney. McDonald's made its first ever loss last year and is trying to get slightly older consumers back to its restaurants and tapping into a trend that is popular with people in their late 20s and early 30s looks like a good start.
Bundling seems to be the key for music services to gather new users -- everybody knows about the disappointing deal that iTunes had with Pepsi. It is interesting to see what are the keys for online music services to try to gain ground in new market areas, such as Europe and Asia later this year.
Source: Reuters via News.com