In partnership with

Hi there - Jen here :)

In 1981, one of McDonald’s most divisive (and popular) products was launched - the McRib.

And it quickly fell flat on its face.

Removed from the menu in shame, it looked like it was all over for the McRib.

But then McDonald’s made a tiny marketing psychology tweak that turned the McRib from a failure to a fan favorite.

Today I’m breaking down:

• The Making of a Fast Food Legend

• The Four Magic Words That Saved the McRib

• The Powerful Psychological Trifecta that Creates Cult Products

But before we get started….

Don’t forget that the booking link for my Exec2Next Connection Calls will close TOMORROW.

This is where I act as your Chief Marketing Copilot to help you grow your business to its next $100k+ faster, and with fewer headaches.

There’s only 1 spot left.

Here’s how to get started.

STEP 1: Sign up for a Connection Call with me here. We’ll discuss your challenges and see if we’re the right fit.

STEP 2: I’ll send over the contract and payment link so you have all the info.

STEP 3: Set up your payments and I’ll share a link to book your first session.

The Making of a Fast Food Legend

The McRib was created by McDonald’s first Executive Chef René Arend - the same guy who had invented chicken nuggets a few years earlier in 1979.

In fact, the fate of the Chicken Nugget and the McRib were intertwined...

Because when Chicken Nuggets launched, they were such a MASSIVE hit that every McDonald’s in the country wanted to sell them.

But there just weren't enough nuggs to go around.

If you’re familiar with, or have ever worked with McDonald’s (which I did for many years), you know that their franchisees have a lot of power in the system.

Franchisees, if you’re unfamiliar, are the folks who run the day-to-day operations of individual McDonald’s restaurants.

They license the McDonald’s name and products, marketing assets, menus, etc. and in return must pay a percentage of their profits to the McDonald’s Corporation and follow their guidelines and procedures.

And when the franchisees aren’t happy, nobody at McDonalds’ is happy.

So, Chef Arend was forced to invent a new product to placate franchisees who couldn’t get their hands on the massively popular Chicken Nuggets.

So Arend created the McRib.

The only problem?

There were high expectations set for the McRib because it was being compared to the wildly popular and innovative Chicken Nugget.

But given US meat consumption trends, there was no way the McRib could hope to match the sales of any beef or chicken product (let alone a nugget):

Predictably, McRib sales didn’t match expectations.

😢 So in 1985, the McRib was removed from the menu.

But a marketing psychology genius at McDonald’s decided to bring it back one last time.

This time, it was accompanied by 4 magically persuasive words…

The Four Magic Words That Saved the McRib

When the McRib was brought back, it was accompanies by four magical marketing psychology words…

✅ “For a limited time.”

That tiny bit of scarcity got people interested.

They thought,

🤔 “Why was it only back for a limited time?”

and

😱 “What if I don’t get to try it before it’s gone?”

Suddenly the McRib was selling a lot faster than it did in the 80s.

McDonald’s took notice, and they began taking the McRib on and off the menu.

It soon began to create a cult following, some of whom would literally follow the sandwich across the country just for a taste of moulded pork goodness - a practice famously lampooned in an episode of the Simpsons, when Homer falls under the spell of the Krusty Burger Ribwich.

But in 2005, McDonald’s issued a press release telling the world that they were finally done.

The McRib would be permanently removed from the menu after a “McRib Farewell Tour.”

McRib fans were distraught.

A website called McRib.com began circulate a petition called “Save the McRib.”

But the secret owner of the website?

The McDonald’s corporation.

Unsurprisingly, the McRib returned in 2006 for a "Farewell Tour II”

The Powerful Psychological Trifecta that Creates Cult Products

To create a cult-status product or brand there needs to be three principles present:

• Scarcity: When products are in limited supply (and especially when you need to compete with other people to get them), people want them more.

• Status: The product needs to demonstrate something about your identity that you want other people to know. Status can take many forms (it’s not just about showing off that you’re “rich”). I go deep into the psychology of different kinds of Status in my workshop “11 Ways to Raise Your Brand’s Status So You Can Charge More,” available to Choice Hacking Pro members.

• Novelty: When we discover something unexpected or new, our brain releases dopamine — the same chemical associated with falling in love. This is why collabs and drops are so popular - they’re always grabbing your attention with something new.

There are lots examples of cult products, all of whom use these 3 principles in some way.

• IKEA’s Bulla Bulla merchandising technique

• MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo - one tube is sold every 8.5 seconds

• Crumbl cookies - a bakery chain that releases a new menu every week

• Beanie Babies - an oldie but a legendary rise and fall

• Squishmallows - kawaii-style plushes that got popular in 2020

If you want to create a cult product, start by asking yourself:

“How do we (or can we) use Novelty, Scarcity, and Status to drive desire?”

Until next time,
Jen

PS. This week I’m opening up 3 spots to work with me one-on-one as your Chief Marketing Copilot this quarter and get on the path to add your next (or first) $100k+.

This isn’t a course or a program where I hand you off to pre-recorded videos or asynchronous resources… this is me and you working together one-on-one to grow your business.

There’s only 1 spot left.

To get started, schedule a Connection Call.

I’m closing the calendar link TOMORROW, or whenever the last spot is reserved (whichever comes first).

*Header image credit: jetcityimage - stock.adobe.com