McDonald’s Corp. flipped its iconic Golden Arches on Thursday as part of a multi-platform celebration of International Women’s Day.
Read more: 15 ways the restaurant industry is celebrating women this month
The large-scale marketing campaign included turning McDonald’s signage upside down to form a large “W” at a woman-owned franchise unit in Lynwood, Calif., and in electronic signage in the St. Louis area.
The Oak Brook, Ill.-based quick-service operator also inverted the arches on the brand’s social channels like Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
“In celebration of women everywhere, and for the first time in our brand history, we flipped our iconic arches for International Women’s Day in honor of the extraordinary accomplishments of women everywhere and especially in our restaurants,” said Wendy Lewis, McDonald’s chief diversity officer, in a statement.
“From restaurant crew and management to our C-suite of senior leadership, women play invaluable roles at all levels and together with our independent franchise owners we’re committed to their success.”
McDonald’s set up an International Women’s Day microsite to honor the day, noting that six out of 10 of U.S. restaurant managers are women. It also featured profiles of outstanding female employees.
Overall in the United States, women make up 62 percent of employees at McDonald’s units, Lewis wrote in a blog post on Medium highlighting the company’s International Women’s Day initiatives.
KFC, a division of Louisville, Ky.-based Yum! Brands Inc., also highlighted the contributions of women, including Claudia Sanders, the wife of KFC founder Harlan Sanders.
Contact Ron Ruggless at Ronald.Ruggless@KNect365.com
Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless