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
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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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