See McDonald's TikTok-friendly World Cup campaign

Effort from W+K NY includes 'Ted Lasso' star Jason Sudekis, influencers and social media stars—plus a K-Pop band

Published On
Nov 14, 2022

Editor's Pick

McDonald’s has enlisted “Ted Lasso” star Jason Sudekis, a Twitch streamer, a TikTok creator and a K-pop girl band to back its World Cup campaign. Ads will blanket more than 75 countries, amounting to what the fast food giant describes as its largest global campaign to date.

McDonald’s, which describes the campaign as “social first,” is planning a range of digital activities and influencer marketing targeted at various countries. The fast feeder declined to say if it will use paid ads on Twitter, where some brands have pulled spending due to uncertainties related to Elon Musk’s plans for dealing with brand safety issues, including the spread of misinformation.

The effort comes from Wieden+Kennedy New York, which has recently expanded its remit to include global work, after serving as the fast food giant’s lead U.S. agency since 2019. McDonald’s still works with TBWA, DDB and Leo Burnett across the globe, representatives confirmed, but the World Cup campaign is a significant get for W+K, considering its scope.

The campaign makes use of a simple, but universal, phrase—“Wanna go to McDonald’s?” One ad shows people in various countries asking the question in 10 different languages and four varying dialects, including referring to the chain as Micky-D’s, McDo, Macca’s, Mehkdi, or Macdonal. The spot ends with Sudekis peeved that a friend went to McDonald’s without him. 

The use of “Wanna go to McDonald’s?”—which in the ad is voiced in both sad and happy settings—is indicative of McDonald’s strategy under Wieden+Kennedy to lean into so-called “fan truths,” which refers to sourcing ideas from how regular people talk about McDonald’s, including on social media.

​​“Our goal with this campaign was to capture that unique feeling of togetherness that only fandoms can create,” said Morgan Flatley, McDonald’s global chief marketing officer, said in a statement to Ad Age. “As McDonald’s largest global marketing campaign to date, with over 75 markets participating, we are focused on uniting FIFA World Cup and McDonald’s superfans off the pitch with the universal fan truth that whether their teams win or lose, whether watching in New York City, Barcelona or Tokyo, 'Wanna go to McDonald’s?' is a favorite invitation.”

As the star of Apple TV’s soccer-themed “Ted Lasso” comedy, Sudekis is a natural fit for a World Cup campaign. But McDonald’s is also leveraging social media and music stars as it seeks to stand out internationally amid a sea of World Cup ads in advance of the monthlong tournament, which begins Nov. 20 in Qatar. 

Also appearing in the ad is TikTok sensation Khaby Lame, who has amassed more than 150 million followers with a style that avoids speaking in favor of gestures and expressions. Others featured include K-Pop band Itzy and Twitch streamer Edwin Castro, who is known for soccer-themed content and whose rising appeal as an endorser recently landed him a representation deal with CAA.

In Canada, whose team is making its first World Cup appearance in 36 years, McDonald’s put a positive spin on the red and yellow penalty cards issued in soccer matches, by replicating them in social media, but filling them with promotional codes for free McDonald’s menu items. The chain also says it will have influencers drop in on World Cup watch parties to give out swag.

In China, where games will be shown late at night because of time zone differences, McDonald’s will send McDelivery orders via 11-member “midnight riders,” who will capture the deliveries on TikTok. McDonald’s is also leaning into TikTok in the Middle East, where soccer commentator Raouf Ben Khelifwill encourage TikTokers to supply their own commentary over his videos.

In the U.S., McDonald’s says it will be “feeding the fandom in real time, engaging brand fans and crew watching the World Cup through online social and offline interactions.” It declined to provide specifics.

Credits

Date
Nov 14, 2022
Client :
McDonald's
Agency :
Wieden & Kennedy - New York
Global Chief Marketing Officer :
Morgan Flatley
Vice President Global Brand Leadership :
Erwin Dito
Sr. Director Global Campaign & Alliances :
Jennifer Delvecchio
Global Director Strategic Alliances :
Clement Brossard
Global Marketing Manager :
Lukas Steiniger
Director Global Alliances :
Beth Czerwinski
Manager Global Strategic Alliances :
Dana Sheedy
Director Social Media :
Guillaume Huin
Marketing Manager Social Engagement :
Kaitlin Labruzzo
Director Brand Trust Comms :
Tess Mattingly
Manager Global Comms :
Katie Dittmann
Global Chief Operating Officer :
Neal Arthur
Global Chief Creative Officer :
Karl Lieberman
Global Group Creative Director :
Brandon Henderson
Global Group Creative Director :
Marques Gartrell
Copywriter :
Macie Soler-Sala
Art Director :
Dan Kenneally
Head of Integrated Production :
Nick Setounski
Executive Producer :
Kristen Johnson
Executive Producer :
Andy Daulton
Senior Producer :
Bianca Cochran
Associate Producer :
Caroline Park
Global Group Account Director :
Brandon Pracht
Account Director :
Alex Scaros
Account Supervisor :
Kelly Mallory
Account Executive :
Fatima Del Barco
Account Executive :
Sana Perti
Group Strategy Director :
Tass Tsitsopoulos
Strategy Director :
Huw Devine
Comms Planning Director :
Caleb Smith
Comms Strategist :
Eric Uzick
Social Strategy Director :
Kaylah Burton
Copywriter :
Chris Wernikowski
Art Director :
Rebecca Friedman
Designer :
Martin Routledge
Project Manager :
Joanna Groom
Director of Business Affairs :
Anna Beth Nagel
Business Affairs :
Ramona Seuth
Traffic :
Sonia Bisono
Traffic :
Sharon Whiteside
Producer :
Deborah Nall
Head of Retouching :
Chris McClelland
Studio Manager :
Jill Kearton
Studio Designer :
Mike Nesi
Studio Designer :
Charlie Silva
Studio Designer :
Napoleon Nicdao
Studio Designer :
Winnie Tseng
Studio Designer :
Alison Reilly
Agency :
Alma
Founder & Chairman :
Luis Miguel Messianu
Global CCO :
Luis Miguel Messianu
Chief Creative Officer :
Alvar Sunol
VP Group Business Director :
Beatriz Del Amo
Senior Business Director :
Cristina Lage
Management Supervisor :
Jackie Bofill
Account Executive :
Amanda Soley
Group Strategic Planning Director :
Mauricio Cadena
Senior Strategic Planner :
Juliana Montoya
VP Executive Creative Director :
Jorge Murillo
Executive Creative Director :
Christian Liu
Executive Producer :
Jay Rivera
Digital :
Boden
VP Communications :
Daniella Biffi
Senior Manager Social Media :
Melissa Cortina
Senior Strategist Social Media :
Valeria Cabrera
Senior Manager PR :
Jorge Holguin
PR Manager :
Nicole Chivite
PR Manager :
Paola Garcia
Content Creator :
Luis Bolanos
Copywriter :
Julia Del Rivero
Social Coordinator :
Ivette Borges
Agency :
IW Group
Creative Director :
Heather Hannasch
Jr. Art Director :
Jana Viray
Producer :
Sharon Gao
VP Client Partner :
Flora Zhao
Agency :
Weber Shandwick
Chief Strategy Officer :
Robyn Adelson
Chief Creative Officer :
Angela Mears
Managing Director :
Greg Prager
Executive Vice President :
Nicholas Goodwin
Executive Vice President :
Meaghan Koppel
Executive Vice President :
Christine Rousseau
Executive Vice President :
Greg Young
Senior Vice President :
Meghann Curtis
Senior Vice President :
Charlotte Reilly
Vice President :
Katy Alexander
Vice President :
Dana Frank
Creative Director :
Juliet Fox
Creative Director :
Michael Young
Account Director :
Tameem Alkintar
Account Director :
Melissa Arevalo
Account Director :
Bridget Johnson
Manager :
Caitlin Kearns
Senior Associate :
Emily Busskohl
Associate :
Meredith Oechler
Agency :
OMD EMEA
Network of Excellence Lead :
Fatiha Souci
Agency :
The Narrative Group
VP Celebrity & Influencer :
Gigi Ouf
Senior Director of Celebrity & Influencer :
Abby Vergote
Senior Group Account Director :
Ashley Sanchez
Senior Account Director :
Sophie Jewkes
SVP Strategy & Services :
Dana Neujahr
Associate Director Celebrity & Influencer :
Isabella Haddad
Executive Creative Director :
Ariel Broggi
Production Company :
Caviar
Director :
Alan Yang
Director :
Darius Marder
Executive Producer :
Casey Wooden
Executive Producer :
Michael Sagol
Executive Producer :
Kim Dellara
Head of Production :
Cat Craven-Griffiths
Line Producer :
Maggie McLean
Editorial Company :
The Den Editorial
Executive Producer :
Jennifer Mersis
Senior Post Producer :
Kortney Rubottom
Editor :
Tobias Suhm
Additional Editor :
Pieter Viljoen
Assistant Editor :
Nic Watkins
Socials Editor :
Ezra Gentle
VFX Company :
Preymaker
VFX Production :
Verity Grantham
VFX Production :
Melanie Wickham
VFX Production :
Jacob Weeks
VFX Production :
Kendall Rotar
VFX Production :
Jessica Sroczynski
VFX Creative :
Angus Kneale
VFX Creative :
Gigi Ng
VFX Creative :
Greg Cutler
VFX Creative :
Connor Mullaney
VFX Creative :
Naomi Anderlini
VFX Creative :
Simon Holden
VFX Creative :
Steven Miller
VFX Creative :
Wes Waldron
VFX Creative :
Kieran Welsh
VFX Creative :
Ben Weaver
VFX Creative :
John Haley
VFX Operations :
Bridgette Doran
VFX Technology :
Brandon Phillis
VFX Technology :
Christian Reyes
Telecine Company :
Company3
Colorist :
Sofie Friis Borup
Color Producer :
Shannen Troup
Mix Company :
Lime Studios
Audio Mixer :
Matt Miller
Audio Assistant :
Ian Connie
Executive Producer :
Susie Boyajan
Original Music :
Walker Music
Managing Director :
Sara Matarazzo
Senior Executive Producer :
Stephanie Pigott
Senior Producer :
Danielle Soury

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