McDonald’s Canada has named Alyssa Buetikofer its new chief marketing officer. Buetikofer has been with the fast food giant since 2011, most recently as senior director of brand content and engagement working out of its global head office in Chicago.
She succeeds Antoinette Benoit, who retired last month after spending 24 years with the company in Europe and Canada, including the past seven years as Canadian CMO.
Buetikofer is an accomplished marketer with what the company describes as “significant expertise” across a variety of disciplines, including strategy, creative, branding, analytics and media planning for both traditional and digital channels.
In her previous role, she led national promotions for the QSR giant, including last year’s “Famous Orders” campaign showing the actual go-to McDonald’s orders of celebrities ranging from Kim Kardashian to Whoopi Goldberg and Magic Johnson, as well as imagined orders by historical and fictitious characters like Julius Caesar and The Big Bad Wolf. According to her McDonald’s Canada bio page, her personal “Famous Order” is a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, hold the pickles and onions, and a vanilla cone.
“I’ve spent my career working with the McDonald’s brand and I am humbled by this opportunity to lead the marketing team and play a pivotal role in the brand’s growth in Canada,” said Buetikofer, in a release. “The Canadian business has a track record of excellence within the McDonald’s network, and I am looking forward to bringing my global experience to such an exciting and dynamic market.”
“Alyssa has earned a reputation as a strategic marketing visionary who can inspire creativity and drive growth, while expertly balancing the needs of the business with the interest of our guests,” said McDonald’s Canada president and CEO Jacques Mignault. “She is truly a testament to the deep pool of amazing talent within our global corporation. Her deep experience with our brand and admirable track record in the U.S. made her the perfect person to drive our brand forward in Canada.”
Prior to joining McDonald’s in 2011, Buetikofer spent seven years with OMD in the U.S, with responsibility for the QSR chain’s U.S. media strategies.
Benoit was named Marketer of the Year at the 2019 CMA awards after spearheading several notable campaigns including “Is it still a Big Mac?” “Big Mac x Bacon” and “Follow the arches.” Canada was one of the top performing markets in the world under Benoit’s leadership, achieving its highest sales growth and marketing share in more than 10 years. She continues to serve on the Toronto board of the Ronald McDonald House Charity.
