SOMETHING WORTH KNOWING - MCDONALD’S
DDB ROMANIA, September 2023
TEAM: ECD: Roxana Nita // AD: Andra Vlasceanu, Dragos Apostol // CW: Alexandra Jitarel, Lorena Morea
In Romania, many of the ingredients behind McDonald’s most beloved products come from local food suppliers - a fact that most people didn’t know. Myths around McDonald’s products and ingredients have created a gap between perception and reality, impacting brand trust. What most people don’t know is that many of the ingredients behind McDonald’s most beloved products actually come from local food suppliers.
To promote this, we launched the “Something Worth Knowing” platform through a video series that identified the wildest online myths about McDonald’s ingredients and then debunked them with the help of our trusted local suppliers. The content tapped into Romanians’ love for sarcasm and conspiracy theories, turning skepticism into engagement.
Key visuals
Case study:
McDonald's - Something Worth Knowing about Chicken (online series)
To introduce the platform, we launched with a ‘smile-provoking’ digital-first video content series in collaboration with local suppliers. This content goes deeper into details, humorously addressing popular internet myths and conspiracy theories about our ingredients, shedding light on the truth – from local jam producers to trusted chicken meat suppliers – reminding consumers McDonald’s is a brand that can be trusted and providing rational and emotional reasons to visit.
McDonald's - Something Worth Knowing about Eggs (online series)
McDonald's - Something Worth Knowing about Buns (online series)
McDonald's - Something Worth Knowing about Jam (online series)
McDonald's - Something Worth Knowing TVCs
To maintain momentum, we continued with a TV campaign inspired by romantic movie aesthetics. The ‘mouth-watering’ ads depict heartfelt love stories between consumers and their favorite McDonald’s products, showcasing emotional connections through longing glances, playful humor, and heartwarming “aww-moments.” These engaging vignettes serve as teasers, sparking curiosity and encouraging viewers to discover more on the LP.
Results:
The ‘Something good to know’ campaign delivered game-changing outcomes, transforming McDonald’s brand perception and driving explosive business growth in Romania. Brand trust surged to 50% (+1pp), while relevance and food quality perception soared by 3pp each, tripling targets and proving McDonald’s is a brand Romanians love. Sales skyrocketed by 10.7% compared to last year, guest counts rose by 1.4% and visit share climbed by 0.5%. Across media, the campaign captivated millions: TV reached 4 million people with 60% seeing it 3+ times, and YouTube ads hit a 50% view-through rate, outpacing industry standards.