McDonalds doesn’t want brand recognition - really?

I must be a horribly cynical person, because I find the statement from Steve Easterbrook, McDonald’s chief for Northern Europe, that one thing they are not seeking from their sponsorship of the Olympics and World Cup is brand awareness, rather hard to believe. “For us, it is more a way of connecting back with our franchisees, who run most of our restaurants, and showing them the influence we have,” he says. “It also generates enthusiasm within the business. Most of our staff love football and most of our customers love football, so there is a very ‘sweet spot’ for us there, it is a glue that holds us all together.”

Which could sound awfully like brand awareness….

The London Olympics is an event where there is no trackside branding or shirt logos of any commercial type. However, McDonald’s will be the only branded food out outlet of any type within the Olympic Park, Media Village or Athletes Village at London 2012. And the firm estimates it will deliver “maybe one in five” of all meals in these areas, as part of what games organisers Locog has called “the largest peacetime catering operation”.

Which is not going to do their brand awareness any harm!