Final position paper

Burger Planet has been in the quick service food industry since 1934 with considerable success. However, recently there has been a decline in the number of 40-50 year old women buying food at Burger Planet. This is an extremely valuable demographic, because not only do women eat at Burger Planet, but they also bring their husbands and children to eat at Burger Planet. The reduction of 40-50 year old women that eat at Burger Planet is attributed to all fast-food companies being attacked by the media, and women becoming more educated on the dangers of eating unhealthily.

There are hundreds of websites, movies, magazine, and newspaper articles created annually to showcase how unhealthy quick service food can be, many of them stating that quick-service food is “unhealthy and dangerous.” Because of this, many customers are choosing not to eat at quick- service restaurants, thinking that it is something that will cause them to be unhealthy. The Popular documentary “Supersize Me” had detrimental effects not only on McDonalds, but also on every quick-service food company; forcing many of these companies to adapt.

There are enormous amounts of media showing that quick- service food is unhealthy for the consumer. This has lead to a drop in the amount of sales to the 40-50 year old women demographic at quick-service restaurants. Burger Planet needs to change its menu and strategies to make itself more appealing to the 40-50 year old demographic. Burger Planet can improve its image by adding healthy menu items, getting a celebrity spokesperson such as Jane Petersen, revamping Corny the Clowns image, and changing its marketing strategy to appeal to middle aged women.

A healthy menu can be a excellent jump start to attracting 40-50 year old women to Burger Planet. Healthy choices such as fresh fruit, salads, and fat free chicken sandwiches can attract demographics that are more health conscious, and would not regularly eat at a quick-service restaurant. By adding these healthy food options, 40-50 year old women are much more likely to eat at Burger Planet, as well as bring in family and friends to eat.

A celebrity spokesperson can work wonders for a quick-service restaurant. By hiring fitness guru Jane Petersen, Burger Planet can revamp its image. Jane Petersen is known nationally by 40-50 year old women because of her success in helping talk show host Opal Whitcomb lose weight, and become healthier. Petersen is a name that many women will recognize, and is someone who these women will trust for health advice. By having Petersen help with the promotion of the new healthy items on Burger Planets menu it is possible to attract more 40-50 year old women.

Corny the Clown has been taken out of Burger Planet’s marketing strategy for several years now, because quick-service restaurants have been accused of unfairly marketing to children with mascots. Adding new healthy menu items is the perfect opportunity to revamp Corny’s image. By teaming Corny up with Petersen, his name will be turned into something new, and we can use Corny the Clown once again. This will help attract children to Burger Planet, without having negative consequences for using a mascot.

While 40-50 year old women are eating at quick-service restaurants less often because of negative media and increased health awareness. It is possible to attract that demographic again. By implementing new, healthy menu items, hiring a celebrity spokesperson such as Jane Petersen, revamping Corny the Clowns image, and having a great marketing strategy, it is possible to change Burger Planets image and attract 40-50 year old women once again.