A teenager fights his 'inner child' in McDonald's holiday ad
Heart-tugging U.K. spot set to 'Forever Young' continues the brand's 'Reindeer Ready' theme
Editor's Pick
McDonald's is out with its U.K. Christmas ad, and it's one that will strike a chord with any parent of a teenager.
This year the brand and its agency Leo Burnett have opted for a delightful animated spot, directed for the second year runing by Passion Pictures' Againstallodds, the Swedish talent who worked on Spanish Lottery's award-winning Justino spot of 2015, as well as holiday work for retailers like Very and Manor.
It's the story of a mother and her teenage son, who we see in an epic struggle with his "inner child" despite his typically moody teen behavior during the holiday season. His mom desperately tries to get him into the holiday spirit, but he plugs in his earbuds or pulls up his hoodie, despite the little boy illustrated within him looking hopeful or excited.
However, a trip to the Golden Arches drive-thru has him looking a little more perky (burgers will always cheer up a teenage boy) and when mom throws a snowball, he gives in and starts having fun. The spot ends with him leaving the McDonald's "Reindeer Treat" carrot snacks out for Santa, a continuation of the brand's "Reindeer Ready" theme of the past few years.
The spot breaks this weekend during the ITV reality show "I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here." While it doesn't directly reference the pandemic (other than the drive-thru element), like several this year the campaign does have a charitable element; the soundtrack, a cover of "Forever Young" by singer Becky Hill, will be released a single with 10 pence from every download going to food redistribution charity FareShare.
"It’s been a really challenging year and I hope our contribution to the competitive Christmas campaign window raises a much-needed smile,” comments McDonald's Michelle Graham-Clare, Vice President, Menu and Marketing.
Credits
- Date
- Nov 12, 2020
- Client :
- McDonald's-UK
- Agency :
- Leo Burnett-London
- Vice President of Marketing :
- Michelle Graham-Clare
- Marketing and Food Director :
- Steve Howells
- Marketing Manager :
- Hannah Pain
- Senior Brand Manager :
- Hollie Subhan
- Brand Manager :
- Ilyanna Kerr
- Campaign Assistant :
- Chansey White
- CCO :
- Chaka Sobhani
- Creative Director :
- James Millers
- Creative Director :
- Andrew Long
- Creative Team :
- Steph Ellis
- Creative Team :
- Rory Hall
- Head of Planning :
- Tom Sussman
- Planning Director :
- Joe Beveridge
- Planner :
- Thomas Schofield
- Business Lead :
- Bethany Watts
- Account Team :
- Steph Bates
- Account Team :
- Laura Taylor
- Account Team :
- Alice Pavey
- Account Team :
- Annie Flood
- Project Director :
- Emily Green
- Head of TV Production :
- Graeme Light
- Media Buying Agency :
- OMD
- Production Company :
- Passion Pictures
- Director :
- againstallodds
- Exec Producer :
- Debbie Crosscup
- Head of Production :
- Mike Turoff
- Producer :
- Matt Saxton
- Production Assistant :
- Honor Martin
- Production Assistant :
- Nefeli Petika
- CG Co-ordinator :
- Emma Rider
- Head of CG :
- Jason Nicholas
- CG Supervisor :
- Stuart Hall
- Animation Supervisor :
- Wesley Coman
- Character Design :
- againstallodds
- Character Design :
- Juan Useche
- Background Designs :
- Alejandro Diaz
- Research & Development :
- Ronnie Mitchell
- Boardomatic / Animatic :
- againstallodds
- PREVIZ :
- George Rigby
- PREVIZ :
- Wesley Coman
- Editing :
- againstallodds
- Editing :
- Kingley Bailey
- Editing :
- Christina Conradi
- Editing :
- Tim King
- Layout :
- David Burtle
- Layout :
- Jason Nicolas
- Modelling :
- Mattias Bjurstrom
- Modelling :
- Filippo Bovolini
- Modelling :
- Florent Rousseau
- Modelling :
- Florent Rousseau
- Modelling :
- Jack Enever
- Modelling :
- Maryka Laudet
- Modelling :
- Quentin Camus
- Modelling :
- Camille Jalabert
- Texturing :
- James Nardelli
- Texturing :
- Maryka Laudet
- Texturing :
- Quentin Camus
- Texturing :
- Jose Hernandez
- Texturing :
- Francois Pons
- Texturing :
- Camille Jalabert
- Texturing :
- Fanny Teisson
- Texturing :
- Interference Pattern
- Texturing :
- Jack Enever
- Texturing Character :
- Eva Prado
- Rigging :
- Victor Vinyalls
- Rigging :
- Mattias Bjurstrom
- Rigging :
- Arthur Ranson
- Rigging :
- Sarah Forest
- Hair Groom :
- Keyvan Leriche
- Animation :
- Wesley Coman
- Animation :
- George Rigby
- Animation :
- Alan Person
- Animation :
- Lucas Pratdesaba
- Animation :
- Francisco Garcia
- Animation :
- Jordi Girones
- SFX & SIM :
- Colin Perrett
- SFX & SIM :
- Kwai Ip
- SFX & SIM :
- Derlene Buttner
- SFX & SIM :
- Tyler Daniells
- SFX & SIM :
- Stephane Daguin
- Lighting & Rendering :
- Howard Bell
- Lighting & Rendering :
- Jose Hernandez
- Lighting & Rendering :
- Francois Pons
- Lighting & Rendering :
- Ian Beresford
- Lighting & Rendering :
- Stuart Hall
- Compositing :
- Sam Meisels
- Compositing :
- Daniel Lopez
- Compositing :
- Flavio Kawamoto
- Matte / Background Painting :
- Sam Klughertz
- Post Production :
- Framestore
- Passion Pipeline TD :
- Javier Edo
- Passion Pipeline TD :
- Tony Ambles
- IT Support / Engineering :
- Tim Wharton
- IT Support / Engineering :
- Daniel Borg
- IT Support / Engineering :
- Thomas Lynch
- Post Production :
- OMD
- Account Team :
- Amy Lea
- Account Team :
- Laurence Ruthven
- Account Team :
- Eleonora Sceusi
- Media Planner :
- Jamie Callaghan
- Media Planner :
- Becky France
- Media Buyer :
- Alex Neary
- Media Buyer :
- Alex D’Albertanson
- Post Production :
- The Marketing Store
- Digital Creative Director :
- Darren Groucutt
- Creative Technology Director :
- Hils Jakison
- Senior Creative :
- Mark Kelly
- Senior Creative :
- Vanessa Tucker
- Digital Designer :
- Jade Wilson
- Account Team :
- Emily Duggan
- Account Team :
- Alice Napier
- Account Team :
- Madhushri Nadgir
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