Rebecca K. Roussell 11/10/2009 Fall 2009 Master’s Project

Roosevelt University – IMC 401 Brand Marketing and Communications

The Sweet Sound of Success How the Essence Music Festival solidified McDonald’s® African American target

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Table of Contents

Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………………p. 3

A Cultural Sound: African American Roots in New Orleans, Louisiana ………………....4-6

A Joyous Sound: The Birth and Growth of the Essence Music Festival ………………….6-8

A Sweet Sound: McDonald’s® at the Essence Music Festival …………………………..8-12

A Caring Sound: McDonald’s® Commitment to the African American Community…...13-14

Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………..15

Appendix A ………………………………………………………………………………….16

Appendix B ……………………………………………………………………………….....17

References ……………………………………………………………………………….18-19

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Abstract

This analysis will examine the Essence Music Festival and its partnership with major

sponsor, McDonald’s® USA, LLC. The Essence Music Festival is held annually in New

Orleans, Louisiana. This paper will show how Essence and McDonald’s® have taken New

Orleans’ rich culture in music and African American history, and paired it with their brands

through an innovative way of event marketing and community presence. It will outline tactics

that were used in the promotion and advertisement of this event to African Americans, a target

audience, of quality marketing potential, that is often neglected.

In a present era where readership of periodicals is declining and the hard copy is soon to

become obsolete, publishing companies are being forced to find innovative ways to reach its

consumer – beyond the pages. Today, the use of integrated marketing platforms is a viable asset

for publishers. This paper will show how the Essence Music Festival, with the help and genuine

interest from McDonald’s®, keeps festival attendees wanting more of their brands through the

experience of this unique, cultural event.

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A Cultural Sound: African American Roots in New Orleans, Louisiana

The sound dates back to the 1700s. The sound recalls the helplessness and confusion of

the Middle Passage. The sound also recalls the hope and courage on a Southern plantation. The

sound recalls the strength and togetherness during the fight for Civil Rights. Finally, the sound

recalls the bells of freedom. No matter what was happening, there was always a joyous sound.

That sound was music. The music kept the sanity of slave ancestors and African

Americans while dealing with the turbulent perils and struggle of fighting for the nation’s

recognition of equality. The music bound them together like glue. Eyerman (2002) proposed that

music and other forms of cultural expression can articulate as well as fuse a group, offering a

sense of group belonging and collectivity as well as strength in trying situations, such as

confronting violent resistance and repressive authority (Eyerman, 2002, p.447).

The African American story cannot be told without music, and this is also synonymous

with the story of New Orleans, Louisiana. Arriving at the beginning, African Americans shaped

the architecture, food, language, music, and culture of South Louisiana in countless ways (“A

Story Like No Other: Louisiana’s African American Heritage Trail,” 2008, p. 1).

New Orleans is often credited as the “birthplace” of jazz. The city has multiple

neighborhoods or areas – Tremé, the French Quarter, Congo Square and Armstrong Park – that

are noted for their musical origins, which continue to influence all genres of music today. New

Orleans also boasts its legends – Mahalia Jackson and Louis Armstrong – definitely two

powerhouses that have set the tone for local and national artists who continue to follow their

lead.

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There are no celebrations without music, and African Americans would not have it any

other way. Jones et, al. (2008) proposes this [New Orleans] subtropical port, which looks to the

Mediterranean, Africa, and the Caribbean for inspiration, has always marched to the beat of a

multitude of different and very funky drummers (Jones et al., 2008, para. 5). These traits,

coupled with the world famous Southern hospitality, make the “Big Easy” an attractive venue

for special events and conventions.

Gotham (2002) notes that while tourism has been considered a major sector of the New

Orleans economy, over the past three decades, it has become the dominant sector (Gotham, 2002,

p. 1740).Tourists visit from around the world for a taste of the cultural-fused gumbo of festivals

New Orleans has to offer. Tourism, alone, is a multi-million dollar enterprise for New Orleans

because there is no other city as charismatic in the United States.

Louisiana’s African American Heritage Trail, for example, is a cultural history tour of

museums, plantations, restaurants, etc. that provides visitors with opportunities to walk the

footsteps of those who are credited with the reason why this culture is so rich in New Orleans.

They [African Americans] placed their stamp on daily life by working the plantations, building

the homes and levees, selling food, baskets and other goods on the street; and playing music at

house parties and in dance halls (“A Story Like No Other: Louisiana’s African American

Heritage Trail,” 2008, p. 1).

Gotham (2002) also notes, over the years, political and economic elites promoted images

of New Orleans as a charming city with beautiful and historical architecture, outstanding cuisine

and excellent music (Gotham, 2002, p. 1740). New Orleans has certainly had some dark times.

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However, the New Orleans experience is indescribable unless it is experienced first-hand. No

second-hand stories will do her justice.

A Joyous Sound: The Birth and Growth of the Essence Music Festival

So, it began. During the Fourth of July weekend in 1995, the first Essence Music

Festival: The Ultimate Party Weekend – was introduced to the nation along the banks of the

Mississippi River in New Orleans. The festival, which broke attendance records this summer,

boasting well over 428,000 attendees, was initially in connection with the celebration of the 25th

Anniversary of Essence Magazine (http://essence.com). For the past 15 years, the New Orleans

voodoo spell on the festival’s organizers and supporters has held their intrigue captive.

It is important for corporations to test new strategies to rebrand themselves. This serves a

two-fold purpose. Corporations are continuously researching new opportunities to position

themselves among competitors and implementing new tactics to help their loyal consumers

remain content and satisfied with their product(s) or service.

Whelan & Wohlfeil (2006) define event marketing as the interactive communication of

brand values by staging marketing events as three-dimensional, brand-related hyperrealities in

which consumers are actively involved on a behavioral level; and which would result in their

emotional attachment to the brand (Whelan &Wohlfiel, 2006, p. 644).

Deitz et, al. (2009) notes that over the past two decades, sponsorship has emerged as the

high-profile centerpiece of many corporate and brand communications strategies (Deitz et al.,

2009, p. 75) Essence Magazine, which is the herald publication from Essence Communications,

Inc., specifically targets African American women. The music festival, however, has afforded

Essence bonus opportunities to appeal to the entire African American community.

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The organizers of the Essence Music Festival discovered and formatted a unique concept

to keep their target audiences wanting more. The festival is held annually in New Orleans.

Eyerman (2002) notes that in the African American community, music remembered a collective

[togetherness] – through linking past present, and future (Eyerman, 2002, p. 446). The event

features three nights of concerts with top performances from the R&B, Hip-Hop, and Gospel

genres. The concerts are coupled with daytime events which include free empowerment

seminars, celebrity appearances with meet and greet opportunities, plus community service

projects throughout the city.

Since its inception, the Essence Music Festival has received many accolades and has seen

increasing attendance figures each year. It is one of the largest annual gatherings in the United

States that is solely marketed to African Americans. In New Orleans, African Americans make

up more than 60% of the total population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (U. S. Census

Bureau American FactFinder fact sheet, 2000). This high percentage makes New Orleans an

attractive venue because of the high centralization of the African American target market, in

addition to its cultural and tourism characteristics.

The festival keeps coming back to New Orleans. A study by Crompton et, al. (1997)

suggests that attendance at festivals and cultural events is driven by a motivation to experience

cultural exploration, novelty-regression, group socialization, external interaction, and

socialization (as cited in Hara, et al., 2009, p. 90). The paring of empowerment, culture, and

music in the African American community, is synonymous with New Orleans’ ready-made

canvas of artistic history and unique, enriching experiences which festival attendees cherish with

each visit.

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Other tourism and event studies by Darnell et al. (2001) and Wang (2004) show that

repeat visitation is a significant phenomenon in tourism, as repeat visitors constitute more than

half of the total number of tourists at many destinations (as cited in Hara, et al., 2009, p. 91).

Each year, the Essence Music Festival lures thousands to New Orleans and over the course of its

annual Fourth of July weekend tenure, and has provided over $1billion to the local economy

(http://essence.com, 2009).

According to Ragoonan, et al. (2005), although marketing studies have shown that Black

media has a significant influence in the African American market, advertisers spend a small

percentage of their ad dollars targeting African Americans, and only a fraction of those ad dollars

are spent with Black media (Ragoonan, et al. 2005, p. 67). African Americans are big spenders.

Target Market News (2004) found in study results that African American consumers have a

buying power of over $600 billion (as cited in Ragoonan, et al., 2005, p. 69).

Ketchum, Inc., a worldwide public relations firm based in New York, New York,

produced Views of African American Adults Toward Shopping, Brand Loyalty, and the Media

(1998), a survey used in a study by the School of Business & Industry at Florida A&M

University in Tallahassee, Florida, which highlighted media outlets targeted to African

Americans – specifically Black magazines (as cited in Ragoonan, et al., 2005, p. 68).

The results showed that Black magazines (i.e. Black Enterprise, Ebony, and Essence) are

the advertising media African Americans trust the most (Ragoonan, et.al, 2005, p.68). The

Essence Music Festival provides an opportunity for other major corporations to get on board

with sponsorships. The event is essentially one of those mega opportunities of premium exposure

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for corporations currently connected to the African American market, or for those who are

seeking opportunities in the market.

A Sweet Sound: McDonald’s® at the Essence Music Festival

Numerous studies have shown that the African American target audience is complex and

often neglected. African Americans often leave marketers confused. It has been stated

previously, that Essence Magazine, is one of the most trusted forms of Black media. Linkage via

sponsorships of the mega “Party with a Purpose,” as it is also affectionately called by many, is so

important to the success of the event and brands.

Bush, et al. (1999) notes that consumer socialization provides an excellent vantage point

from which to gain a better understanding of African-American consumers and their attitudes

toward advertising (Bush, et al., 1999, p. 13). The Essence Music Festival has become one of the

premier, most viable events for corporate sponsorships. The sponsors of the festival are awarded

three days to woo the “so-called” elusive African American consumer. The weekend may just be

disguised as a party for its sponsors because marketing teams are busy executing the objectives

set and recreating levels of satisfaction with old brand loyalists and possibly recruiting new ones

in the process.

Sponsorship allows companies to have a greater contact with a targeted audience and

extends their visibility in the community according to Rosalee Roberts, a former president of the

Public Relations Society of America (as cited in Mason, 1992, p. 58). It is something that the

McDonald’s® marketing team has studied and been successful for a number of years as a major

sponsor of the Essence Music Festival.

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On a national sponsorship scope, McDonald’s® is ranked among the top 10 corporations,

with sponsorship expenditures of more than $15 million, spending close to $120 million in past

years (IEG Sponsorship Report, 2006). McDonald’s® has a commitment to sponsorship. They

also sponsor other major arts, cultural, and sports events worldwide. McDonald’s® sees it as an

important and successful strategy to help connect with their consumer beyond its restaurants.

The focus groups used in the KPR (1998) survey, listed McDonald’s® among 11 other

corporations as the companies they [African American adults] respect the most (as cited in

Ragoonan, et al., 2005, p. 72). As a result, Ragoonan, et al. (2005) proposes that companies

“most-trusted” by African Americans advertise frequently in Black Enterprise, Ebony, and

Essence Magazines (Ragoonan, et al., 2005, p. 72).

Roberts (2009) observation states the [music] festival environment is one of the best

places to advertise (Roberts, 2009, p.22). Why not carry the positive print advertising

relationship over to the other brand extensions? McDonald’s® seized the opportunity. For the

sixth consecutive year, McDonald’s® was the only quick service restaurant (QSR) as a major

sponsor for the festival (2009 Essence Music Festival McDonald’s Activation Recap, 2009, p. 2).

Earlier this year, McDonald’s® entered the premium coffee beverage market, as a new

venture, to provide its consumers with a different coffee taste experience, similar to that of

Starbuck’s® and others, but in the fast food arena. McDonald’s® launched its McCafé® brand

line of mocha and espresso influenced beverage selections nationwide in May

(http://mcdonalds.com). This was not the average cup of Joe, which McDonald’s® previously

offered as a menu item. The premium coffee selections included seven new coffee beverages of

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trendy cappuccinos, lattes, mochas, ice brewed, coffees, and hot chocolate with an optional

whipped cream and/or chocolate syrup drizzle topping.

This year’s Essence Music Festival appeared to be the best 15th

Anniversary celebration

anyone could ask for. More than 428,000 attended this year’s event (Essence Magazine,

November 2009). Since its inception in 1995, attendance has increased each year.

The McCafé® line of coffee beverages was new and with those attendance numbers, this

year’s festival proved to be the prime spot to observe the African American consumer’s

responses to McDonald’s® newest team player. McDonald’s® had a goal to communicate to

consumers that it is the “oasis” for good food, entertainment, and good times (2009 Essence

Music Festival McDonald’s Activation Recap, 2009, p. 3).

McDonald’s® had some of the maximum exposure at the festival because of its major

sponsorship status. The McDonald’s® McCafé® Sweet Vibe booth was located in the New

Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the venue for the empowerment seminars and

marketplace during that weekend. The corporation also sponsored the McDonald’s® McCafé®

Mocha Superlounge, an intimate musical setting, that is part of the festival experience, in

addition to the main stage concert events just blocks away from the Convention Center at the

Louisiana Superdome.

The McDonald’s® McCafé® Sweet Vibe booth provided the opportunity for the

corporation to express its understanding of the life and passions of African American women

which included entertainment and fun (2009 Essence Music Festival McDonald’s Activation

Recap, 2009, p. 3). The McCafé® booth guests were able to experience daily events the entire

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weekend. Samples of iced mocha coffee drinks were provided and a tote bag filled with

McCafé® branded products was raffled every hour on each day.

McDonald’s® also incorporated a tactic that is often used when marketing products and it

is highly successful among African Americans. The celebrity factor is gold. The central element

of this festival – music – was present in the booth throughout the weekend. The “Sweet Chill

Concert Series” featured national recording artists Joe, Dwele (who is also featured in a

McCafé® television commercial targeted to African Americans), and Mint Condition to name a

few. Laurie Ann Gibson, celebrity choreographer, also taught dance moves to the guests (2009

Essence Music Festival McDonald’s Activation Recap, 2009, p. 24).

The McDonald’s® McCafé® Mocha Superlounge featured three nights of music from

national recording artists Keri Hilson, another appearance by Dwele; and local artists like the

Rebirth Brass Brand. Also, four, different: 30 McDonald’s® commercials were shown on the

main stage screen where top performers Beyoncé, Al Green, and others wowed the audiences

throughout the weekend (2009 Essence Music Festival McDonald’s Activation Recap, 2009, p.

36).

Organizing participation in a huge event such as the Essence Music Festival does not

happen overnight. It takes planning, so that strategies can be executed in a successful way that

will meet set objectives. McDonald’s® used a multiplatform medium approach to promote this

year’s partnership with the Essence Music Festival. The corporation channeled its message via

radio, internet, print ads in Essence Magazine, direct marketing (individual and partnered email

blasts with Essence.com), and mobile text alerts (2009 Essence Music Festival McDonald’s

Activation Recap, 2009, p.5-12).

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There were also tailored promotional campaigns in 11different markets (including New

Orleans) across the country for opportunities to win tickets and accommodations to the festival

(2009 Essence Music Festival McDonald’s Activation Recap, 2009, p.5-12).

A Caring Sound: McDonald’s® Commitment to the African American Community

McDonald’s® commitment to the African American community is more than just the fun

and entertainment consumers experience during the festival. McDonald’s® also uses the Essence

Music Festival weekend to recognize others who are making a difference in the African

American community as well.

The Convention Center was also host to McDonald’s® 6th

Annual 365Black® Awards

ceremony and luncheon (see Appendix A). In 2003, the ceremony was designed to recognize

prominent African Americans who are making outstanding strides and bringing awareness to

African American communities nationwide through service and empowerment. It is a public

relations extension of 365Black®, McDonald’s® year-long African American marketing

campaign (see also Appendix B). 365Black® highlights the importance of education,

employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities (McDonald’s® Celebrates Diversity fact sheet,

2009).

Roberts (2009) concluded that it’s clear that the positive environment of music festivals

will continue to lure brands in (Roberts, 2009, p. 23). The concepts behind the booth and the

superlounge effectively echoed the purpose of the Essence Music Festival. McDonald’s® was

able to create a memorable experience for each guest that weekend. A total of 425,000 Essence

Music Festival attendees bought into McDonald’s® sweet McCafé® promotion this year (2009

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Essence Music Festival McDonald’s® Activation Recap, 2009, p.45). That’s nearly 99% of the

total attendees who attended the festival – equaling a successful attempt from McDonald’s®.

Both experiences at the convention center and Superdome had the music, the excitement,

and the fellowship, but most of all, the initial “sweet” factor, which tied to the theme of

McCafé®. The old saying “association breeds assimilation” is so true. The McCafé® Essence

Music Festival experience is now part of the consumer. The consumer will cognitively recall

these experiences when making purchasing decisions.

Hamilton et al. (1989) proposed the common rationales for staging these [cultural]

festivals are: revenues, community spirit, recreation, education, and tourism (as cited in Hara, et

al., 2009, p. 90). On August 29, 2005, New Orleans suffered in all the above areas because of the

destruction by Hurricane Katrina. The storm was so powerful and vicious, even today New

Orleans is still not to its pre-Katrina status, but still continues to make progress four years later.

In 2006, festival organizers were forced to relocate all activities to Reliant Park in

Houston, Texas. Hurricane Katrina, literally, leveled and crippled an entire city with its rushing

storm surge. The images of the massive scale of the flooding were combined with those of

human misery as thousands of New Orleanians, mostly poor and African American, were

rescued from rooftops; or seen huddled without food and water in two of the city’s most famous

land marks, the Superdome and the Convention Center (Chacko & Marcell, 2007, p. 223).

These two landmarks, which just that summer before, were vibrant places filled with

exuberance and excitement of the sounds and culture that is the Essence Music Festival. Homes,

famous landmarks, and deaths clouded New Orleans because of this storm, but the one thing that

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never died was her spirit and the power of her culture; and New Orleans has her way of calling

you back.

In 2007, the Essence Music Festival and its sponsors, including McDonald’s®, brought

back the Ultimate Party weekend, so the Convention Center, Superdome, and the community

could be happy places again.

Conclusion

McDonald’s® saw an opportunity to not only market to a culture, but to embrace its

uniqueness and become part of it. Yes, many corporations have launched and been successful

with diversity campaigns, but I feel because of the facts and examples presented in this paper,

McDonald’s® has made the definitive commitment to African Americans not just at the music

festivals, not just during Black History month, but year-round.

McDonald’s® is a multibillion dollar empire that gets it. Being a great marketer – yes –

having the market knowledge, being creative, crunching the numbers, etc. comes with the

territory. However, having the ability to connect, master inclusion, and make all of that work to

craft a relationship is the challenging part.

McDonald’s® has positioned itself in a way, I feel, which stands out from its

competitors. Based on its partnership with the Essence Music Festival, their approach to the

integrated marketing communications platform has been successful. This partnership should

continue because it has become an integral part of the African American community and the

most important events each year that will present fresh, new opportunities for McDonald’s®.

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The McDonald’s® team was able to provide experiences at the Essence Music Festival

that are just a great example of good marketing to a specific target audience. Not only, is it

reflected in their advertisements, it’s reflected in the corporation. About 18% of McDonald’s®

top corporate employees are African American (McDonald’s Celebrates Diversity fact sheet,

2009). The campaigns work because African Americans are crafting the messages. These

employees are the foundation for McDonald’s® future efforts and cultural identity in the African

American community.

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Appendix A

2009 McDonald’s® 365 Black® Awards

July 3, 2009

2009 Essence Music Festival, New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Courtesy: http://www.mcdonalds.com

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Appendix B

McDonald’s® – Deeply Rooted in the Community

365 Black® Campaign

23% of McDonald’s® U.S. corporate, regional, and restaurant staff is African

American

McDonald’s® African American-owned restaurants generate estimated revenues

in excess of $2.4 billion

There are more than 1,300 African American-owned McDonald’s® restaurants

operating in the United States

The National Black McDonald’s® Operators Association (NBMOA) is one of

the largest African American franchisee development organizations in the United

States

McDonald’s® provides scholarship dollars to many organizations assisting young

African Americans including the United Negro College Fund and the Thurgood

Marshall College Fund

Supports training and development efforts through the McDonald’s® African

American Council

Courtesy: http://www.mcdonalds.com

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