After a recent heated shootout for ideas to refresh the McDonald's brand, Leo Burnett walked away with the prize, and are expected to put this idea to the test in a significant campaign later this year or early next year. Leo Burnett is already on the McDonald's roster for work on their Happy Meals, and the agency's 'Arc' brand activation agency also produces marketing work for the company, but DDB has been in charge of the lion's share of the fast-food behemoth's national advertising and digital. Both were invited to pitch ideas for the refresh, which means this is an even more significant win for Leo Burnett, considering they are part of Publicis, whereas DDB are an Omnicom agency. Despite this win, however, DDB is expected to remain on board for national ad business.
Leo Burnett is already on the McDonald's roster for work on their Happy Meals, and the agency's 'Arc' brand activation agency also produces marketing work for the company
Leo Burnett will likely be handling most of the creative work associated with the refresh, which will not be a complete departure from the brand's famous “I'm lovin' it” work, but more of an evolution of that work, which has global recognition. The concept spearheaded by Leo Burnett are likely to be utilised beyond the US, but it's not clear how this work would be spread, as outside America, DDB, Leo Burnett and TBWA (another Omnicom agency) all handle work for the brand.
A McDonald's billboard from last year designed by DDB
The concept was described at a meeting last week, where McDonald's bigwigs met to discuss the chain's future marketing calendar. It's been said that McDonald's US CMO, Deborah Wahl made it clear during the meeting that the quality of the brand's food was to be a thread that would run through all future communications. Of course, this is all vaguely speculative. A spokeswoman for McDonald's said that they "Value agency partners” who help them “Share and engage with different audiences," but warns that it's “Highly premature to speculate about early creative concepts that were shared at an internal meeting.” DDB and Leo Burnett have both thus far declined to comment.
Company CEO, Don Thompson, has said the company needs to focus on becoming “A more trusted and respected brand,” luring people away from competing chains
This brand refresh arrives at a time when McDonald's sorely it. The chain saw a small sales growth in early 2012, which turned into a steady decline, with US sales in stores that have been open for at least a year slipping 1.5% from the period a year earlier, following a 1.7% decline in the first quarter. This March, the chain referred to 2014 as something of a "Reset" year for the brand, with executives reiterating their commitment to paring down the menu to focus on core products, as well as improving marketing and investing further in digital. Company CEO, Don Thompson, has said the company needs to focus on becoming “A more trusted and respected brand,” luring people away from competing chains, which are perceived as fresher and healthier. It would appear they are counting on Leo Burnett to help inspire this renewed good faith.
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK who gave up McDonald's for Subway many moons ago. It would take something pretty spectacular to draw him back.
