McDonald’s Australia trialling new roadside signage

I was driving through a main road in Sydney recently and noticed new style of signage in front of a McDonald’s, below. The main difference is that it’s missing the word “McDonald’s” which is typically seen on the red field. It also places the “24 hours” sign in a more prominent position.

It’s a interesting move to simplify the signage in this way; the Golden Arches are so iconic that they really can stand on their own. In fact, a 2010 study assessing levels of brand recognition in children found that even kids as young as 3-to-5 years of age could recognise the McDonald’s brand (with a recognition rate of over 90%). It has even been suggested that the Golden Arches are more recognisable than the Christian cross.

A bit of history about the Arches – originally, real arches were part of the restaurant design. They were incorporated into the chain’s logo in 1962, which resembled a stylised restaurant, and then in the current Golden Arches logo, introduced in 1968, to resemble an “M” for McDonald’s.

I’ve only seen the new signage in front of a single restaurant, so I’m not sure whether or not it’s due to roll out nationwide. Has the new signage come to a restaurant near you? Let me know in the comments below.