The One Time You Wouldn’t Wish to Be Like McDonald’s

When this picture from McDonald’s did rounds of the Internet, did you see it?

Available worldwide since 1983, McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets became an instant hit. Yet there were cases of product artwork errors like the one above that left customers confused. Why? 

Because the packaging spelt 10-piece chicken nuggets but pictorially showed 11 of them.

Err… what?!

Talk about a minor goof-up by a major global food brand.

The customers were left wondering if they would get 10 or 11? Are 10 nuggets worth it?

This is a classic example of a branding artwork fail. 

Such errors are instantly spotted by the customer’s sharp (and hungry)  eye. In the short run, it can impact your sales, and in the long term, your brand image as well. When you line up a few of such errors, the brand image begins to get negatively affected.

With spelling errors and slip-ups- We are not lovin’ it! 

The need of the hour (or rather, always) is accurate artwork proofing. Simply adopt an artwork management platform to streamline all the complicated processes.

Why The Error Matters 

Disclaimer: this is not to say companies can never make mistakes. It’s human to do so after all. If a company can graciously accept it and inject good humor, it can actually warm its customers’ hearts.  

But, it goes without saying:

1. Recalling the packaging from the market and reprinting it for an error-free second round takes extra financial and human resources.

2. Everything that leaves the company’s office adds to its brand identity. A company first creates itself internally, then using visuals, packaging, labeling, colors, etc.- creates an image that the customer internalizes. With errors galore, one can only guess the kind of image that is being created.

3. With the help of social media (where content travels faster than the speed of light), you might end up recognizing the error in slow-mo. By the time you realize the error, the information might have already traveled to all the corners on land and water. The last thing you want is your product trending on Twitter with hashtags like #epicfail and #brandoopsie! 

Thus, your final product needs to be perfect before it reaches the customer’s hands. If it does not happen, then not only would the customer be disappointed, but it will also cost you double the resources already spent and impact your brand value. 

How You Can Avoid An Artwork Error Like McDonald’s

While the artwork error by McDonald’s can seem like a short blip, portraying misleading information can damage a brand’s reputation. 

To avoid repeating history, processes need to change and evolve. 

An artwork management system does just that. 

Artwork management platforms get all the stakeholders on the same page. Teams such as marketing, packaging, and legal department closely work together to create products. 

Say goodbye to all those days of manual and clunky processes. Streamline the entire branding process and make it manageable, doable, and efficient.

The thing is: artwork management systems can help to do so much more than avoiding brand and product errors. Internally, they can create a lot of organization,  fruitful collaboration, and boost productivity like nothing.else.can.

Here are some of the most important benefits provided by AMS:

• Simplicity in digital proofing

The artwork management system can help to digitally proof the artwork with a simple click or file upload. 

• Role-based delegation and access

Working on the tool, you can delegate responsibilities among all the members of the team and provide them with role-based access.

• Automated workflows for smooth working

AMS enables the creation of automated workflows that only require you to show up and just do it. You can also highlight and track progress easily.

• Easy interaction and feedback sharing

You can provide feedback on assignments and mark comments on other’s work to improve performances.

• Strong version control

Access any and all previous versions with AMS’ cloud storage facility that is capable of storing every design version ever made.

Conclusion

In the end…

As a brand, there are many marketing lessons to learn from McDonald’s, including their errors.   

Adoption of an artwork management system can change the way you work and help you avoid missteps like the Chicken McNuggets. You can accelerate the process and roll out accurate product artworks.