Fast food giant McDonald’s has launched an integrated campaign celebrating “side missions”.
Devised by Leo UK, the marketing drive highlights that most trips to McDonald’s are a “side mission” on the way to somewhere else, such as going to work or stopping for a break during a long trip.
The brand has created an activation that allows fans to complete playable side missions and earn badges and prizes.
Consumers can play the minigames by accessing the Side Missions section in the MyMcDonalds app.
James Millers and Andrew Long, executive creative directors, Leo UK, said: “Side Missions is our love letter to every spontaneous Maccies run that somehow feels more exciting than whatever you were meant to be doing.
“We tapped into the language of gaming to reframe these everyday pitstops as playable moments – turning cravings into quests, fans into players, and McDonald’s into the most fun side mission on the map,” he added.
The firm has collaborated with UK gamers, including Angry Ginge to co-create a series of side quests.
Subscribe to Marketing Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest agency-related news sent straight to your inbox each morning
Tasks include eating McDonald’s on “Hard Mode”, where participants post a video of themselves eating McDonald’s under “tough conditions”.
Its creator activity will be supported by the chain’s first TikTok-branded mission, which encourages users to create.
Alongside its social activity, the firm has launched a 60-second hero spot that was directed by Emmy-nominated director Elliott Power through production house Love Song.
The spot, which features a cameo from Angry Ginge, showcases the reasons people take detours to McDonald’s and is soundtracked to 2Unlimited’s Twilight Zone.
Matthew Reischauer, marketing director, McDonald’s UK & IE, said: “With Side Missions, we’re giving fans more ways to celebrate the journey of life; it’s just as important as the destination.”
Media planning and buying were handled by OMD, with Red Consultancy managing PR and consumer outreach.
The campaign will run across AV, digital, out-of-home, CRM and social media.
