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McDonald's and DDB Sydney revive 1987 Big Mac promo, 'passing the baton of the chant between generations'

The new version of the promo is in partnership with Snapchat, marking the platform's first-ever AI-charged, voice machine learning campaign in Australia.

By Talon AdminPublished Apr 17, 2024
5 min read
McDonalds Maccas 4 second Big Mac Chant promo via DDB Sydney adameveDDB OMD and Snapchat

In its ongoing pursuit to inject new life into the legendary Big Mac, McDonald's is bringing back a promotional campaign for the burger, first launched in 1987, through a partnership with Snapchat led by DDB Sydney, adam&eveDDB, and OMD.

The Big Mac Chant Challenge is a gamified rewards program that encourages participants to recite the chant, “Two all-beef patties, Special Sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun” in four seconds or less.

The promotion leverages social media to encourage fan participation, especially among younger generations, by introducing them to the chant already well known to their parents and grandparents.

McDonald's Big Mac four second chant promotion via DDB Sydney and Snapchat

Described as “passing the baton of the chant between generations,” by DDB Sydney's executive creative director, Matt Chandler, the move marks Snapchat's first-ever AI-charged, voice machine learning campaign in Australia – quite the departure from 1987, when fans had to go in-store to compete.

The bespoke lens uses Snap's speech recognition technology to detect the correct list of ingredients from a trained machine learning model. If speech is not a viable option for users,Snapchat has also devised an alternative option with disability consulting firm Get Skilled Access (GSA), allowing users to tap on ingredients instead. 

Snap Inc.'s head of creative strategy for APAC, Haran Ramachandran, said the augmented reality lens "transforms the chant into a tactile and engaging challenge, where everyone can join the fun."

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Winners will receive a voucher code for a small fries and Coke, redeemable with any Mac Family range purchased between 17 April and 8 May, including the return of the Mac Jr. and Grand Big Mac.

The game is also available on TikTok and the MyMacca's app.

The promotion is the second iteration of the bigger Original Mouthful brand platform for the Big Mac, first rolled out across TV and OOH earlier this month. 

The platform is a nostalgic tribute to the Big Mac’s 56-year legacy, drawing on DDB’s history with the fast food brand. 

Its 60 second hero film, directed by Leilani Croucher, pays homage to the enduring popularity of the Big Mac over the decades in Australian culture, featuring the classic chant that was originally crafted in the 1970s by DDB’s then-creative leader, Keith Reinhard, who is still emeritus chair at the agency today.  

McDonald’s marketing director Samantha McLeod said: “We have already had such an incredible response to the first phase of our Big Mac campaign with super fans already reciting the chant they remember so well and younger generations now bringing new life to the chant as well.”

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QL1XQhw8mM[/embed]

During a media briefing held at the DDB offices in Sydney's Ultimo on Tuesday, McLeod described the rationale behind the efforts to innovate the Big Mac, especially as it competes within the increasingly cluttered quick-service restaurant (QSR) vertical.

She said The Original Mouthful platform is a mission to "reignite the passion of our existing Big Mac fans and recruit new fans" in response to the ultimate insight discovered during the team's R&D phase: the most iconic burger in the world was being overlooked.

McLeod added that the return of the Mac Jr. and Grand Big Mac also represented the "new and different occasions we plan in now," adapting to the evolving format changes of the QSR market.

McDonald's Big Mac four second chant promotion via DDB Sydney and Snapchat OOH Fumble 2

While DDB strategy partner, Katharina Wynne, expressed how the imitation archival footage used in The Original Mouthful TVC tapped into cultural opportunities for McDonald's to resonate with the cultural phenomena of 'future nostalgia' and 'kidulting'.

"It was really about giving it relevance and resonance," said Chandler, who said the team was inspired to recapture the innocent, unironic joy they saw in archival footage, the inspiration behind the latest recreation.

Not setting it in any one era, "we were trying to tell a story all the way through," he said. 

McDonald's, DDB and Snapchat Big Mac 4 second challenge. Pictured - Samantha McLeod, Matt Chandler, Katharina Wynne & Haran Ramachandran Samantha McLeod, Matt Chandler, Katharina Wynne, and Haran Ramachandran

The Big Mac chant challenge will be supported by a TVC and online video rollout, featuring additional promotional ads with decade-specific treatments, encouraging fans to take part and share their efforts on socials.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LLA2Ea5GXE[/embed]

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFdEJW82gus[/embed]

This will be further supported by an organic and paid social strategy, plus responsive digital out-of-home spots, all pushing the chant with prompts, attempts, and fumbles.

Australian celebrities have already taken on the four-second challenge in the jungle on Network 10’s I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! Australia. The Today Show's Karl and Sarah will also be taking on the tongue-twister, as will clubs from the NRL and AFL, who will go head-to-head to see who can recite the chant the fastest.

McDonald's Big Mac four second chant promotion via DDB Sydney and Snapchat OOH Fumble

 

Credits:

Client: McDonald’s Australia Chris Brown: Chief customer officer Samantha McLeod: Marketing director Liz Whitbread: Senior brand manager Luke Elzerman: Experience optimisation manager Chloe Brannagan: Brand manager 

Creative Agency: DDB Sydney Stephen de Wolf: National chief creative officer Matt Chandler: Executive creative director Cam Hoelter: Group creative partner Stephanie Allen: Senior copywriter Andrew Torrisi: Senior art director Paul Jansen: Senior designer Sophie Hackett: Junior art director (social) Amy Morrison: Junior copywriter (social) Mandy Whatson: Group managing partner Adam Blaynee: Group business director Chloe McIvor: Senior business manager Rene Shalala: Executive producer Jess Taylor: Producer Katharina Wynne: Strategy partner Katy Andrews: Director social and content strategy

Creative Agency: adam&eveDDB London Richard Brim: Chief creative officer Sarah Todd: Chief growth and integration officer Martin Beverley: Chief strategy officer

Production Company: Revolver Leilani Croucher: Director Michael Ritchie: Managing director/co-owner Pip Smart: Executive producer/partner Serena Paull: Senior producer Andrew Commis: DOP Damien Drew:  Production designer Sophie Fletcher: Costume designer

Post Production: ARC Edit Daniel Fry: Executive producer Sally Quade: Producer Elise Butt: Editor Edel Rafferty: Colourist Richard Lambert: Online artist Patrick Campbell: Online artist/VFX

Sound & Music: Smith & Western Sound Nick West & Dan Higson

Media: OMD Emily Bosler: Head of McDonald’s Zoe May: Head of strategy Catriona Oran Barthram: Head of comms planning Hattie Dinger: Director, entertainment partnerships Taylor Hilditch: Account director Anna Heslop: Senior account manager Matt Wallace: Senior manager, sport partnerships Christian Agliozzo: Manager, sport partnerships

Platform: Snapchat Dan King: Senior client partner Bethany Rao-Davies: Senior account manager Haran Ramachandran: Head of creative strategy, APAC Claus Stangl: Senior creative strategist  Chris Lewis - Senior creative producer

PR & Influencer: Mango Tabitha Fairbairn: Managing director Ashleigh Vallance: Senior account director Nada Duyker: Account director Sidney Balfour: Senior account manager

MyMacca’s app and POS: Akcelo April Tunstall: Business lead Melanie Tozer: Senior account director Alex Kostiouk: Senior project manager

CRM: Digitas David Huang: Account director

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