Call me by my name / Everyone has their own way of referring to grabbing a McDonald’s. The Raise Your Arches campaign, launched in January 2023 in the UK, celebrated the universal invitation to enjoy a McDonald’s by simply raising one’s eyebrows – suggestive of the brand’s Golden Arches. Here, the QSR chain embraces its various nicknames, cleverly highlighting how the universality and fame of McDonald’s have transcended into global culture.
McDonald’s picked the perfect event to do so. According to French news and current affairs radio station Radio France Internationale, 358,500 people attended the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, of which 62% were international visitors. By incorporating different languages in the campaign during a time when so many foreigners are visiting France, McDonald’s not only caters to the diverse language needs of its customers but also reinforces its global brand status, which surpasses cultural and language barriers. The campaign underscores the brand’s recognition worldwide, proving that no matter what you call it, McDonald’s remains a beloved and accessible dining option for everyone.
What is love? / Draw Ketchup flaunted how people associate ketchup with Heinz Ketchup, and Every Coca-Cola is Welcome emphasised Coca-Cola’s cultural status by celebrating people’s interpretations of its iconic logo. Similarly, Welcome as You Are demonstrates how McDonald’s, a globally renowned brand, allows people to take ownership of its identity.
In August 2021, we wrote about how McDonald’s in Malaysia ran a nationwide poll asking people to vote for their local store signage to be changed to its local nickname, Mekdi. Sarthak Ranka, former strategic planning director at Leo Burnett Malaysia, told Contagious, ‘When you involve people in your cause that takes your campaign to another level. As marketers, we are protective and possessive about our brands, but we shouldn’t let that come in the way of people and their relationship with the brand.’
The same approach applies here; rather than imposing its messaging, McDonald’s embraces how people interpret and refer to the brand, using its nicknames to celebrate and promote the deep emotional connection people have with McDonald’s.
