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Tag: McDonald’s

  • Brands engage with consumers with WFH creatives

    Brands engage with consumers with WFH creatives

    MUMBAI: The world around us has undergone a paradigm shift in the last year. The little joys that we took for granted – be it eating out at our favorite restaurant with family or catching a movie in the theatre over the weekend, or simply hanging out with friends after work – all activities have become wishful nostalgia. Keeping in mind these inescapable realities of the new normal, brands have come up with creatives to cheer flagging spirits with a dash of humor and empathy. But, at the same time, encouraging people to stay at home and stay safe. Here are a few ideations that we felt measured up to the task at hand.

    Pepsico’s Wafer Brand Lays released a new commercial with a short, crispy humorous take on WFH, while pushing itself as the best snack for a quick five-minute break from work. 

    Fevicol : The Pidilite Industries-owned adhesives brand shared a picture of a crowded market with people, both with and without masks swarming the street on Instagram. Fevicol took a tongue-in-cheek swipe on the picture using its own campaign of ‘FEVICOL KA JOD, MAJBOOT JOD’ with the words: “This Is Not A Fevicol Ad, Now Is Not A Good Time To Stick Together” adding “Kyunki chehre par mask aur do gaz ki doori, abhi bhi hai bohot zaroori.” (Because a mask on the face and six feet distancing is still very important)

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by Fevicol (@fevicolkajod)

    Dominos : The Pizza brand came up with the perfect #StayAtHome menu to make WFH a breeze and beat the blues!

    Swiggy : For all those of us who still find it difficult to accept that it has been a whole year and more of staying indoors with WFH and social distancing, this Swiggy India creative rubs it in. It covers all those ‘Masterchef’s who mastered cooking during the extended lockdown- from a shapeless, burnt roti in March 2020 right through to a perfect gol one in 2021!

    ‘Still can’t accept the fact that it’s already March 2021’

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by Swiggy (@swiggyindia)

    Durex India : The Condom brand came up with a cheeky play on words, reminding people that while indoors their product offers protection, outside it is the humble mask. It shared a post saying ‘Wear two masks for better protection outdoors and one as usual for indoors.’ It further added: “According to the CDC report, wearing a cloth mask over a medical mask can provide “substantially improved source control” as well as reduce exposure of the wearer.”

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by Durex India (@durex.india)

    grofers : The online grocery delivery service made a point of emphasizing staying indoors, with an attention-grabbing caption of ‘Places to Explore’. The post creatively showcases how within the four walls of our home, one can have a fulfilling day. Let’s continue to be the second line of our frontline by staying at home.

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by Grofers (@grofers)

    Nykaa Man : The e-commerce platform for men’s grooming came up with a detailed list of To-Dos and helpful suggestions of ‘Lockdown therapeutic exercises’ to help chase WFH blues away:

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by Nykaa Man (@nykaaman)

    OYO : Online Hotel booking site took a brilliant dig on people who wear a mask, albeit on the chin or hanging from an ear- anywhere but on their face! “No mask. No check-in. Take a pledge to abolish the chin diaper, the neck warmer, the nose flasher. #WearAMask, properly.”

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by OYO (@oyorooms)

    McDonald’s Happy Meal : The junk food brand highlighted the brand’s Happy Meal with caution. “Right now, a Happy Meal is the one you have at home!” Let our Happy Meal make you happy at home! Stay safe and order in.

    Starbucks India : The Coffee brand creative talks about how Life has changed- with WFH, Zoom meets, video calls, and discovering new ways to stay connected with our loved ones. Because some things don’t change whether you work from the office or work from home.

    “Because even though we’re apart, Coffee has always brought us together.”

    Zomato : The Food delivery service harked back to the good old days when the world looked a bit different from today with a wonderful video reminding everyone that the only way to get back to that time was- by staying home and getting vaccinated ASAP. ‘Let’s bring back the good ol’ days!’

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by zomato (@zomato)

    Till that happens and till the world returns to some modicum of normalcy, all we can do is grin and bear it- behind our masks, of course! Meantime, brands can keep churning out more such imaginative communication to remain connected with their audience

  • Now just say ‘Hi’ on WhatsApp to order your favourite food from McDonald’s!

    Now just say ‘Hi’ on WhatsApp to order your favourite food from McDonald’s!

    Love McDonald’s but too lazy to browse through multiple platforms. Well! McDonald’s India – North and East is making ordering food super easy.
    McDonald’s has introduced WhatsApp based ordering for its customers. All that a customer has to do is send ‘Hi’ to 9953916666, follow easy steps and get delicious food delivered to their doorsteps.  

    The ordering process is simple. Once customers message ‘Hi’ on the McDonald’s WhatsApp number, a link to the menu will appear. After opening the link, customers will experience a smooth and easy interface while placing their order. Once the items are selected, customers will need to enter their details- WhatsApp number and delivery address. Once the order is confirmed, an invoice will be sent to the customers’ WhatsApp number with the details. 

    This option is available across McDonald’s restaurants in Delhi NCR as of now.

    This is a part of McDonald’s initiative of providing more convenience to its customers, an extension of 100% contactless ordering service enabling customers to access the menu by simply scanning the QR code available at McDonald’s restaurants and select contactless takeaway or dining-in service, as per their convenience.

  • In a first, Rexona books umpires’ armpits for advertising

    In a first, Rexona books umpires’ armpits for advertising

    NEW DELHI: One may have heard of underarm bowling in cricket, but underarm advertising has to be a first. In the latest, Rexona has partnered with Cricket Australia and Big Bash League (BBL 2020) in a unique sponsorship deal that does not include players, but focuses on umpires instead.

    The deodorant and antiperspirant brand will be advertising on the underarms of the umpires. The use of armpits for product placement is believed to be a first in the world of sports.

    The deal requires umpires in the BBL 2020 to sport the product’s branding under their arms, which will be fully revealed to the watching world upon the signalling of a six (both arms raised, two logos revealed) or a bye (just one).

    Along with the six, Rexona brand will also be sighted when an umpire raises his finger to give a batsman out. Other than this the brand will feature on cardboard cut-outs of umpires in supermarkets and retail outlets, according to reports in Australian media.

    The deal is the latest in a string of commercial partnerships either renewed or acquired by Cricket Australia this year. The organisation will generate a record $70 million in sponsorship this summer, despite the financial difficulties presented by the Covid2019 pandemic.

    Rexona is the 22nd sponsor to join cricket’s stable of commercial partners as part of its strategy to “own the underarm space” during summer for Cricket Australia.

    This season beside Rexona, Australian board has clinched landmark sponsorship deals with Dettol as T20 and ODI series sponsor, Vodafone as Test Match series sponsor. Besides this KFC has been renewed as title sponsor of the BBL 2020, with Cricket Australia rejecting $10 million a year offer by rival fast food giant McDonald's in favour of the fried chicken brand.

  • How brands leveraged the curious case of missing monoliths

    How brands leveraged the curious case of missing monoliths

    NEW DELHI: The curious case of missing monoliths is the latest mystery that has gripped the world. In late November, a team spotted a mysterious monolith in the desert of Utah, USA, which disappeared in a matter of 24 hours. Even though the government institutions did not reveal the details of the exact coordinates of the monolith, hundreds of enthusiasts flocked to the desert to visit the place.

    In a matter of weeks, another similar monolith was spotted in Romania near the town of Piatra Neamt, which went missing in just four days. The two monoliths were quite identical in looks but were not examined by historians and scientists till then.

    Since then, netizens have been demanding to know – who installed the monoliths in Utah and then in Romania and why did they just disappear in such a short while. Many seem to believe that incident is another one added to list of unsolved mysteries on earth.

    While netizens and scientists were busy investigating the matter, brands around the world saw it as a great opportunity to jump in and connect with their audiences with a humorous take on the puzzling mystery. They released social media posts that showcased their products instead of the shiny metallic monolith.

    Here are some of the brands that leveraged this trend.

    Fevicol

    Amazon

    Paytm

    Luxor Pens

    Jeep

    Ixigo

    McDonalds

    Shaadi.com

    Cartoon Network

    Cadbury India

  • EatQual: McDonald’s new packaging for the specially-abled

    EatQual: McDonald’s new packaging for the specially-abled

    NEW DELHI: Back in the noughties, McDonald’s as a brand was the great Indian equaliser. The brand was in dire straits after failing to win over Indian consumers whose palates and wallets were used to the taste and inexpensiveness of samosa, vada pao and chaat; so, McDonald’s switched gears and positioned itself as a super-pocket-friendly global chain. This immediately made a mark on the aspirational middle class, and the products’ price point – starting at only Rs 20 – was a big hit across demographics.

    Now, on the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the fast food chain is doing something unique and in line with its egalitarian ethos. McDonald’s India west and south will be launching a new packaging – EatQual – designed for its specially-abled customers. The EatQual pack has been developed over months of collaboration with an NGO that has been working towards the betterment of the specially-abled community for over 50 years.

    EatQual will be available across McDonald’s restaurants in west and south India starting mid-December.

    The new packaging innovation stems from the insight that the current packaging typically requires customers to use both their hands to truly enjoy the delicious McDonald’s burgers. This makes it difficult for those with upper-limb disabilities. EatQual will address this challenge and ensure that everyone can bite into their favourite burgers just as easily.

    McDonald’s India (west and south) director – marketing & communications Arvind RP said, “It has always been our endeavour to make delicious feel-good moments easy for everyone. The launch of this EatQual packaging is a step to further our commitment towards inclusiveness and social responsibility. We hope that this packaging will make the McDonald’s experience easy and delightful for our specially-abled customers.”

    DDB Mudra Group India NCD Rahul Mathew said, “Equality and inclusivity isn’t always about the big things. It’s also about being able to do the little everyday things like everyone else can; eating your favourite McDonald’s burger, for instance. And that has been the guiding force behind the EatQual initiative. How can we make the McDonald’s experience just as enjoyable for all.”

    Food accessibility is the bare minimum necessity for every individual including the ones with upper arm movement disability, and innovations like these can make eating so much easier for them, said Vaishali Kolhe  associate professor at the Centre for Disability Studies and Action & Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. “It is heartening to see an iconic brand like McDonald’s take initiatives to maintain inclusion at their restaurants. Through initiatives like these, we are not doing these individuals a favour but making their experience of eating independent and enjoyable. I look forward to enjoying my favourite McDonald’s burger in the new EatQual pack.”

    McDonald’s restaurants in West and South India are owned and operated by Westlife Development Ltd under its wholly owned subsidiary – Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd.

  • When Burger King told patrons to order McDonald’s

    When Burger King told patrons to order McDonald’s

    NEW DELHI: Fast food chain Burger King caused a stir on social media when it appealed to patrons to order from arch-rival McDonald’s and other competitors to help them survive the Covid2019 pandemic.

    Taking to Twitter, Burger King's UK team encouraged customers to support local restaurants during the four-week-long lockdown recently announced in the country.

    “We never thought we would be asking you to do this, but restaurants employing thousands of staff really need your support at the moment. So, if you want to help, keep treating yourself to tasty meals through home delivery, takeaway or drive thru,” it tweeted.

     

     

    Known for its social media-savvy, Burger King has once again won over netizens with this appeal, while also exemplifying the golden maxim ‘modern problems require modern solutions.’ Titled ‘Order from McDonald's’, the note has been liked over 114,000 times, with comments and reactions lauding the fast food giant for its gesture of goodwill.

    "Getting a Whopper is always best, but ordering a Big Mac is also not such a bad thing," the company said.

    Pizza Hut, KFC, Subway, Taco Bell and Domino’s were also mentioned in the note, as were several standalone food outlets.

    Over the course of their six-decades-long rivalry, Burger King has never lost an opportunity to troll McDonald's through its marketing campaigns. But this may be the first time the brand has displayed sportsmanship and stood in solidarity with not just it’s biggest competitor but the fast food industry as a whole.

    The message came after the Boris Johnson-led government initiated a second nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of Covid2019 cases, which have again registered an uptick during the last few weeks in the country.

    While Burger King UK has urged people to help all restaurants, the chain's North American arm has decided to give a free Whopper to customers who dare to drive through one of the scariest places on earth –  a stretch of now abandoned restaurants which used to be operated by its rivals – as part of Halloween celebrations.

    The F&B sector has been reeling under the impact of the Coronavirus-fuelled curfews and restrictions, with thousands of independent as well as global food chain outlets lowering their shutters permanently. Millions of workers in the industry were handed the pink slip or forced to take pay cuts amid an already challenging time.

  • McDonald’s India new spots focus on takeout, on-the-go & contactles delivery

    McDonald’s India new spots focus on takeout, on-the-go & contactles delivery

    MUMBAI: McDonald’s India west and south has launched its new campaign that celebrates the brand’s unwavering commitment to serving safe, hygienic and delicious food to its customers in a changing world. The campaign also highlights the brand’s convenience channels –including contactless delivery, take out and on-the-go that enable customers to savor their favorite McDonald’s food whenever, wherever, and however they like it as well as its heightened safety and hygiene processes across the same.

    The brand has launched three heart-warming and impactful TVCs that highlight brand trust and convenience. Conceptualized by DDB Mudra, the TVCs show how despite families not being able to come together like before, on account of the new social distancing norms and the increased sanitization requirements, the joy of enjoying a McDonald’s meal has remained the same. They also focus on the new convenience channels launched by the brand to ensure that customers continue to get their favourite food in the safest and convenient way. These TVCs are further customized for different markets across West and South India and will be deployed across a strategic mix of TV and digital in key McDonald’s markets.

    The first TVC shows a granddaughter and grandfather enjoying a burger over a video call, a husband playfully waking up his doctor wife who has fallen asleep in the car after a busy day, with a piping hot cup of McCafé coffee and friends using a creative way to share everyone’s favourite McDonald’s French fries in a basket passed from a floor above. These slice of life stories instantly connect with viewers.

    Read more stories on McDonald’s

    The other two TVCs showcase the convenience and safety of the brand’s contactless delivery and take-out channels, which enable customers to experience and share the joy of having delicious McDonald’s food with great convenience and without any worries. The delivery TVC shows a young boy collecting his order through the brand’s contactless delivery service and gifting a meal to his society’s watchman before heading back home. The take-out TVC shows a guy, in the middle of an official video call, collecting his lunch from the McDonald’s take-out window.

    Speaking on the launch of this new campaign, McDonald’s India West and South director – marketing & communications Arvind RP says, “The ongoing pandemic has brought about significant changes to our lives. At the same time, it has helped us find new ways to connect, communicate and celebrate little joys of life with our families, friends and with those around us. We at McDonald’s have been committed to making these moments special for our customers by ensuring that they can share their joys over our food, without any worries. We have not only heightened our world-class safety and hygiene protocols but also launched new ways for customers to access their favourites, in the most convenient and safe way possible. With this campaign, we want to assure our customers that while the world has changed, our commitment to serving them in the best way possible hasn’t.”

    Read more news about DDB Mudra

    DDB Mudra West creative head Shagun Seda adds, “Midnight snack bingers. Fri-daters. Work lunchers. Coffee cravers. We’ve all missed our comfort food. With this campaign being the brand’s first since lockdown, we wanted to assure everyone that, while a lot has changed around us impacting how we get together, share, and bond over our favourites, what hasn’t changed is the taste, safety and memorable moments associated with McDonald’s.”

    To ensure highest standards of safety and hygiene across all channels, McDonald’s had launched its ‘Golden Guarantee’ platform which ensures a stringent 42- pointer checklist and contactless operations across its dine-in, delivery and take-out services. Being a leader of innovations in the QSR industry, they have also recently introduced a new On-the-Go feature on their McDelivery app to give customers added convenience of collecting their McDonald’s order without stepping out of their vehicle. With this, they have converted all their restaurants into drive-thru outlets to offer maximum safety and convenience effectively to their customers.

  • DDB Mudra Group to handle integrated marketing communications for McDonald’s India–north, east

    DDB Mudra Group to handle integrated marketing communications for McDonald’s India–north, east

    NEW DELHI: DDB Mudra Group has been assigned the integrated marketing communications mandate for McDonald’s India – north & east (Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt. Ltd.). The enhanced scope will include digital marketing by 22feet Tribal Worldwide and digital media planning by OMD Mudramax, in addition to the existing brand strategy and creative mandate.

    DDB Mudra Group will manage the overall marketing and digital communications strategy for the brand across traditional and digital media. There will be additional emphasis on strengthening brand visibility in the digital space aligned with the business goals. The team will work across brand touchpoints to connect and engage with consumers.

    Read more stories on DDB Mudra

    CPRL head Robert Hunghanfoo said, “DDB Mudra brings a deep understanding of the brand philosophy and ethos. Their creative work and successful partnership with us makes them our preferred partner for the extended mandate in digital marketing.”

    McDonald’s India – north & east DGM-Marketing Kriti Awasthi added, “Digital media has revolutionised the way brands connect, communicate and interact with their customers’ world over. COVID-19 has further accelerated the need for robust digital marketing for successful consumer outreach. With strong experience in the digital marketing space and in-depth understanding of brand McDonald’s, we are confident that DDB Mudra Group will enable us to reinforce our brand love and strengthen our consumer outreach on the digital platforms as well. We look forward to delivering a great McDonald’s experience through innovative and strategic interventions.”

    DDB Mudra Group – north managing partner Ashutosh Sawhney said, “Brand McDonald’s needs no introduction anywhere in the world. We are thrilled to have secured the overall communications mandate for McDonald’s North & East India. This is a testimony of a progressive, consumer-first client who believes in DDB Mudra Group’s combined ability to create media-agnostic ideas and deploying them based on the deepest understanding of consumer journeys.”

  • Burger King kisses McDonald’s for Helsinki pride campaign

    Burger King kisses McDonald’s for Helsinki pride campaign

    NEW DELHI: Fast food giant Burger King that is globally known for its creative campaigns has once again hit the bull's eye with its latest ad for the Helsinki pride week (September 7 – 13). Their latest campaign showcases Burger King mascot kissing the Ronald of McDonald's with the tag line 'Love conquers all'. The campaign has already garnered massive eyeballs on social media and global press. 

    Created by TBWAHelsinki, the creative celebrates the LGBTQ+ community. The kiss is featured across print, outdoor sites, and in Burger King’s own channels and restaurants.  

    Burger King Finland brand manager Kaisa Kasila commented, “Burger King has always stood for equality, love, and everyone’s right to be just the way they are. The only instance where it might not seem so is when we’re bantering with our competitor. But we want to be clear—it all stems from the respect we have for them. And we know McDonald’s stands for the values we stand for, too.

    “The idea behind the painting sprang from our desire to celebrate love in all forms. We thought, what better way to convey our values than by portraying an all-encompassing kiss between Burger King and McDonald? We wanted to show that in the end, love always wins.”

    Read our coverage about Burger King

    Earlier this year, Burger King made news with its Moldy Whooper campaign that showcased the brand's resolve to do away with added preservatives in the burger in the near future. The campaign was much appreciated by consumers and critics.

  • Savour McDonald’s falling fries in this new AR Instagram Game

    Savour McDonald’s falling fries in this new AR Instagram Game

    NEW DELHI: In the era of social distancing, virtual interactions have taken a new shape and form to connect with each other. Providing a perfect solution to the lockdown woes, McDonald’s India North & East in partnership with Swiggy has launched an exciting AR game filter ‘Fries Down Challenge’ on Instagram that allows netizens to savour their favourite McDonald’s fries virtually. Adding to the excitement, users with maximum score will stand a chance to win exciting McDonald’s vouchers that can be redeemed on Swiggy*.

    To try their hands on the most rewarding Instagram filter, users would need to select the filter from Swiggy’s Instagram page filters section or can search the “Fries Down Challenge” filter from the effects list in Instagram camera. Once they select the filter, tap to play, French fries will begin falling from the top of the screen and the tally will appear over the user’s head. Users will then have to catch the falling fries by opening their mouth to eat them. After the game, the AR filter will record the final score. 

    Created by Nilgiri Social, the AR story filter has already taken Instagram enthusiasts such as Kusha Kapila, Heli Daruwala and others into a frenzy as they tried the filters and shared their score. 

    The launch of the AR game by McDonald’s comes close on the heels of #FryItUpFridays – an exclusive, Friday-specific deal on the McDonald’s World Famous Fries. As part of this irresistible offer, anyone who places a McDelivery order via Swiggy, of/above a total of INR 350 (exclusive of delivery charge & taxes) on Fridays, gets a pack of medium fries free.

    *Challenge available from 10 am to 8 pm on 14 August 2020 only