On her watch, McDonald’s Canada launched MyMcDonald’s Rewards and expanded the menu to include the McCrispy, Chicken Big Mac, and Big Arch
Tariq Hassan’s departure from McDonald’s, after serving as chief marketing and customer experience officer since September 2021, comes after a remarkable run. But his successor, Alyssa Buetikofer, who will become CMO effective Feb. 15, is well versed in the brand.
Unquestionably, McDonald’s sharpened focus on marketing, bolstered by a $200 million “war chest” investment in 2020, helped the chain recover and thrive following the pandemic, generating record breaking systemwide sales and gaining market share in the process. One of the first campaigns on Hassan’s watch was the Famous Order platform, featuring the Travis Scott Meal. The promotion was so successful, McDonald’s experienced a shortage of Quarter Pounders. The platform continued with various celebrities, including BTS, J Balvin, and Saweetie, creating more relevance among younger consumers and sexy new news without any product introductions to throw a wrench into the chain’s operational processes.
The chain’s marketing juggernaut continued with successful programs like the Cactus Plant Flea Market adult Happy Meal and the Grimace Shake, earning McDonald’s the No. 1 spot on dcdx's “Gen Z’s Top 25 Most Magnetic Brands” list in 2023, as well as a spot in Rolling Stone Magazine’s top 20 “marketing rockstars” list. Because of the chain’s embrace of influencers and fan-created content, driven by Hassan’s “share the pen” philosophy, he was named to Nation’s Restaurant News’ 2024 Power List.
His departure no doubt leaves some big shoes to fill at the quick-service giant. Fortunately, McDonald’s has an exceptionally deep bench, including Buetikofer, who will step into the role of senior vice president, chief marketing officer and chief customer experience officer of McDonald’s USA on Feb. 15.
Here’s what we know about Buetikofer: She has served as CMO for McDonald’s Canada since March 2021. Prior, she worked her way up the company for 10 years, including roles overseeing brand content and engagement, calendar planning, value marketing, and digital media and marketing.
Before joining McDonald’s, Buetikofer worked as an associate director of Omnicom Media Group, where she was responsible for the development of McDonald’s U.S. national media strategies, according to her LinkedIn page. In other words, Buetikofer has been involved in multiple functions for the McDonald’s brand throughout her entire career.
In a letter published earlier this week, McDonald’s USA president Joe Erlinger said she, “Brings so many experiences that directly connect with our own opportunities and our long-term strategy. Be it digital or value, breakfast or beverage, loyalty programs or award-winning creative, she has built and scaled programs and delivered significant results.”
On Buetikofer’s watch, McDonald’s Canada launched MyMcDonald’s Rewards and expanded the market’s menu to include the McCrispy and the Chicken Big Mac (the market’s most successful food limited-time offer ever), and expanded beverage options.
While serving as senior director of brand content and engagement at McDonald's USA from 2020 to 2021, she was one of the creative minds behind launching the Famous Orders platform, Erlinger said, resulting in record-breaking social engagement and sales and traffic lifts.
Most recently, McDonald's Canada has established value leadership with a $1 coffee platform and McPick platform, and was one of the first markets to launch the chain’s Big Arch sandwich. Among some of McDonald’s Canada’s creative projects, the chain launched the “Inspired by Big Mac” marketing campaign in 2023, partnering with Gen Z creators to capture the demographic’s attention, while the market has also been celebrating new restaurant openings by featuring classic menu items in the form of confetti bursts. Last year, the company revived a classic ad featuring “The Menu Song,” from 1989, to evoke nostalgia. In November, the chain leveraged Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour’s expansion in Canada by launching the Bestie Bundle, while The Grinch Meal hit menus in December.
“(Buetikofer) is a clear, thoughtful communicator and an experienced leader who truly embraces the critical role marketing plays in how we connect with our customers, inspire brand loyalty and grow our business,” Erlinger said. “I know she will continue to elevate our brand relevance and position us to deliver on our strategy in 2025 and beyond.”
With Buetikofer’s transition to the U.S. CMO role, McDonald’s Canada has announced that Francesca Cardarelli will serve as its CMO. Cardarelli joined the company in 2021 and most recently served as senior director of strategy and insights. Prior to joining McDonald’s, she served as a director in the Starbucks Canada system overseeing product, analytics and insights. Cardarelli also has experience at Jamieson Laboratories and PepsiCo Canada.
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
