FAMILY & HAPPY MEAL

As the lead planner on McDonald's Family, I’ve worked on several campaigns.

HAPPY MEAL AFFINITY (2019)

Despite McDonald's 'Family visits' were increasing YOY, Happy Meal sales were in decline.

Why was this happening? We hypothesised that McDonald's is an easy, affordable option for families, but parents were overlooking the joy a Happy Meal can bring to their kids (and to themselves!).

We realised that Happy Meal has always made children happy, but the truth is, it has also given parents 40 years of happiness too. In the end, parents take out some great things from it– From a moment of fun and connection with their little ones to the perfect excuse to have their favourite burgers. But of course, we know parents can't overtly show this, neither can't give a Happy Meal away so easily. And this was precisely what this campaign wanted to acknowledge and celebrate.

According to Ipsos, the campaign has been very well received amongst parents, but most importantly, we're seeing a positive impact on sales.

HAPPY MEAL (KIDS)

McDonald's is changing for the better and introducing healthier items on the Happy Meal, but we do believe there's no point in introducing healthier items if kids don't want to eat them. That’s why we're encouraging kids to pick healthier items from the menu by making fruit and veg fun for them.

FAMILY AFFINITY (2018)

McDonald’s has consistently been the No.1 destination for families to eat out since its introduction to Britain in 1974. Whilst share of visits was strong in the market, many of these visits were driven by convenience and speed as opposed to love. It was time to engage parents emotionally so they could connect with the brand at a deeper level. 

How we did it? On the one hand, we tapped into the excitement children feel about a trip to McDonald’s; no other brand can generate such anticipation and joy so universally. On the other hand, we knew nothing is quite so heart-melting for parents as seeing their children exploding with happiness, whatever the cause. So, we simply combined these audience truths and reminded parents of the shared pleasure a trip to McDonald’s can bring.

According to IPSOS, the ad was really liked amongst parents and did an excellent job at driving brand affinity. We saw a significant lift in agreement with the critical statements with regards to McDonald’s being a place for kids and families.