McDonald’s spotlights the “satisfaction” that can come from a trip to the fast-food chain in its 2024 Christmas ad.
Created by Leo Burnett, “The gift of McDonald’s” is part of the “Fancy a McDonald’s” platform and will launch on Sunday 17 November during I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! on ITV.
The 60-second film shows two parents sitting in their car after a busy day of checking things off their Christmas to-do list, their back seat full of gifts.
The tune Satisfaction by Benny Benassi kicks in when one of them clocks the McDonald’s arches in the distance.
In need of a break from the Christmas chaos, they begin to drive towards the restaurant. As they make their way down the street, the Christmas lights on the houses begin to flash and pulsate in time with the beat.
They drive past a lit-up sign saying “Go on, you deserve it!” as well as dancing McDonald’s characters, inflatable Christmas icons and a tower block playing host to the layers of a Big Mac.
The music pauses when the car has to stop to let a pedestrian and their pooch, dressed as an elf, cross the road. Once they make it across, the tune kicks in again at full force.
It concludes with the pair making it to the McDonald’s drive-thru, where they receive “The gift of McDonald’s”, ending with the line: “Fancy a McDonald’s?”
The spot was directed by Nicolai Fuglsig through MJZ and created by Cicely Alderson and Lisi Davis.
Andrew Long and James Millers, executive creative directors at Leo Burnett, told Campaign they wanted to ensure the film had “not only the scale but also the right level of charm and warmth”, which is why they chose to work with Fuglsig.
“Throughout the process, Nicolai was extremely collaborative. We always felt on the same page as we developed the story and the action, and he has really helped us to create a visual spectacle which we hope the public will love,” they added.
Long and Millers said one of the aims of the ad was to get people questioning what was real and what wasn’t.
“Despite there being a heavy amount of post-production, we wanted viewers to be left with that magical feeling of ‘is that real?’” Long and Millers said.
The team used VFX techniques, including Lidar scanning every street they filmed on, which allowed them to map the environment accurately and bed the lights in to generate realistic “spill”. Post-production was handled by Black Kite Studios.
“To really create that ‘is-it? / isn’t-it real?’ effect, we found ourselves doing the opposite of a ‘clean up’ and instead adding wires, rigging and tethering lines to help make the visuals feel authentic and magical,” they said.
The campaign follows on from the “Raise your arches” platform, which McDonald’s built on for its 2023 Christmas campaign.
Commenting on Leo Burnett moving on from the strategy this year, Long and Millers said: “While we didn’t look to repeat the eyebrow raising invitation, we stayed true to the platform at the heart of it, the non-verbal communication.
“It’s all about that little bit of escapism from stressful moments, such as the light pressure in the build-up to Christmas, and the escapism is enjoying a well-deserved McDonald’s.”
“The gift of McDonald’s” will also include a nationwide McDonald’s Gift Drop that invites the public to search for “hidden” gift tags across the UK.
The tags, to be found everywhere, from bus stops – including LED-lit panels – to in-restaurant and TV screens, will enable “finders” to unlock daily offers, and a chance to win free food and exclusive merchandise, only through the McDonald’s App.
Accompanying The McDonald’s Gift Drop is a 20-second AV spot featuring a bouncing gift tag screensaver illuminated in festive neon lights.
McDonald’s will launch a limited-edition range of Christmas merchandise to support the campaign, including Grimace bucket hats, Birdie socks and McDonald’s Christmas lights.
The merchandise will be available as part of the Gift Drop prize pool, as well as part of a limited drop on MyMcDonald’s Rewards tiers on the app, and available for purchase via the nascent ecommerce site Golden Arches Unlimited.
Michelle Graham-Clare, chief marketing officer, senior vice-president at McDonald's, added: "Christmas is a magical time, but it can also feel like a whirlwind. With long gift lists, crowded shops and endless wrapping, it’s easy to forget to take a moment for yourself or with your loved ones.
“That’s why we’re reminding everyone that the perfect festive break is always just around the corner. With ‘The gift of McDonald’s’, we aim to capture those small moments of lightness and joy, from festive gift tags to our seasonal menu and exclusive merchandise."
Red Consultancy managed PR, social and events, while OMD UK handled media planning and buying.
TMS led on the promotion, digital experience, ecommerce shop and prize pool. Linney supported BTL and POP communications and Armadillo managed CRM.
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