The Golden Arches have been McDonald’s brand identity for over 80 years. But due to rising competition and clutter in the F&B category, this symbol was losing its connection with people. We turned the Arches into a playful experience to re-activate the brand and its true connection with people.
Giant Golden Arches with swing seats sturdy enough to accommodate people of all ages. Placed in office campuses and universities, it became a natural invitation to play and revisit the carefree days of childhood, reminding everyone what we have always been about.
Strategy
Our audiences live a fast paced life in a fast moving environment. We needed to grab the attention of young university students and older working professionals, who are key consumers of this category.
For an audience category this wide, we knew that we had to do something that appeals to everyone, regardless of age, color, race and employment.
So we took the Golden Arches and turned it into a nostalgic experience. Our playful logo became Swings that people could not only see, but touch, feel, play with and take their mind of the hectic life they live. Our strength is our logo which unlike any other brand in the category, is playful and inviting by nature.
EXECUTION
We placed the McSwings in high stress areas such as office campuses, universities, and IT districts. Over a period of one month the McSwings surprised and engaged people to play and take a break from their stressful day. Soon the conversations spread online, and the McSwings made its way to other parts of the world, such as music festivals in Brisbane, Adelaide, etc.
RESULTS
Over 19,000 people engaged with the McSwings. 94% admitted stress relief and Brand Connection reached 124%. Earned media amounted to US$ 535,000 for a cost of US$ 20,000. And while brand love grew by 19%, the McSwings made headlines in several blogs and articles. Mashable quoted it as ‘The logo that says play’.