And so, dear readers, to 2025; a new year, a new you? Well, no doubt many people will be desperate to ditch those extra pounds gained from festive slabs of cake and chocolate, not forgetting the odd gallon of Bailey’s and port. In fact, according to one recent study, the average Brit consumes between 5,373 and 6,000 calories on Christmas Day alone.
But what, I hear you ask, about those brands which don’t exactly scream healthy option?
Well, if you believe everything you read on LinkedIn, McDonald’s has it all wrapped up, with a new(ish) campaign that Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur Magazine, claims is “so simple, it’s mind-blowing”.
The global campaign features a hapless man travelling through various locations worldwide asking complete strangers whether they know where the local McDonald’s is in the native lingo.
It is backed by Whole Wide World, the Wreckless Eric song released on Stiff Records in 1977. (The 70-year-old new wave singer, whose real name is Eric Goulden, is something of a local hero, having hailed from Newhaven in Sussex.)
Anyway, the ad then switches back to the response our protagonist gets, and, to a man (and woman), they have of course all heard of McDonald’s and then proceed to point him in the direction of the fast-food chain’s nearest outlet.
Cue outpouring of backslapping for McDonald’s on LinkedIn. It is perhaps best summed up by no lesser luminary than former IBM global product marketing manager Diana-Andreea Fuiorea, who is now Algomarketing global brand and product marketing lead.
She enthused: “This McDonald’s ad is a masterclass in messaging without saying a word. The idea that ‘McDonald’s connects us all’ is so simple, yet the execution makes it universal and emotional.
“As PMMs, this is a reminder: sometimes the most impactful messaging isn’t in what we say, it’s in what our audience feels. When you can convey your brand’s story through subtle, resonant storytelling, that’s when the magic happens.
“Next time I’m brainstorming a campaign, I’ll ask myself: ‘How can I say it without saying it?’ The simpler and more relatable, the better!”
However, not everyone is quite so enamoured, including Decision Marketing‘s very own celebrity columnist, Jonathan Spooner, who let us not forget is also consulting creative director at Spoon Creative.
He wrote: “Dreadful, patronising über-capitalist exercise exploiting the kindness of ordinary people and the authenticity delivered by an artist who would be revolted by everything that the planet-destroying purveyor of filthy, empty calories stands for. As the young people say, ick.”
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office?
Well, it’s fair to say we are more Spooner than Fuiorea on this one. Unlike the recent Leo Burnett UK campaign, which was actually quite amusing, this ad appears to be so up its own arse, it is coming out of its mouth.
After all, it doesn’t show any of the people actually saying they enjoy a McDonald’s; they simply know where the local outlet is…quite possibly because of the fetid stink of deep fat frying.
And, given the zillions MaccyDs has spent on advertising and marketing over the decades, is it such a great surprise that it has global recognition? Er, not really.
Perhaps, if McDonald’s spent a bit more time sorting out the widespread sexual abuse and harassment claims of its own staff – including allegations that managers asked for sex in exchange for more shifts – we might be more willing to tell the world how marvellous the company’s marketing is. Just saying.
Decision Marketing Adometer: A “fatty boom boom” 4 out of 10
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