Black Quarter Pounder –An innovative move from McDonalds

Camilla Schmidt | 08 December 2008 | Objects

As a limited-time promotion, two McDonald’s stores in fashionable, upscale Tokyo neighborhoods were closed, remodeled in black and reopened as an “unbranded” brand.

The temporary “pop-up” shops wich are set up to sell the Quarter Pounder in Tokyo, don’t exhibit the fast food giant’s name, logo or any other McDonald’s signifier. The menu is narrowed down to two choices; a Quarter Pounder with cheese meal or a double Quarter Pounder with cheese meal. With black minimalistic décor and black Le Corbusier sofas in their interiors, the shops are looking more like something that would fit comfortably with the Tokyo fashion districts, Omotesando and Shibuya East, where the shops are located. Expanding on the design presentation, all food is served in solid red packaging with bold black types.
The "Quarter Pounder Big Secret" campaign utilizes ad venues from viral online marketing to hired hands handing out flyers to passersby, defining a connection to community, in a manner that reflects McDonald’s assertions in consumer relationships definition in reflectivity of expression.
According to the McDonald’s spokesperson at the site: “Those who think of McDonald’s as fast food can just focus on taste and find a premium burger, without prejudice or preconception.”