Starcom tipped for McDonald's Korea

The account, estimated at US$10 million in billings, was previously handled by LG Ad. Starcom Korea MD Puneet Arora, however, declined to comment on the news.

McDonald’s consolidated its global media buying business with OMD in 2004, apart from markets where the Omnicom agency has not had a presence,such as Korea.

While McDonald’s leads Korea’s quick-service restaurant (QSR) category, the segment is only now beginning to see rapid growth, as consumers’ eating habits become increasingly Westernised.

According to the company’s Q3 earnings announcement,sales in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa grew by over 11 per cent thanks, in part, to improved operating performance in Korea.

The fast food brand also piloted a new RFID self-ordering system in Korea, believed to be the world’s first, in conjunction with local mobile operator SK Telecom.