| Title | WEDGES - FRIES |
| Brand | MC DONALD'S |
| Product/Service | WEDGES - FRIES |
| Category |
B10. Launch / Re-launch |
|
Entrant
|
DDB PARIS, FRANCE
|
|
Idea Creation
|
DDB PARIS, FRANCE
|
|
Production
|
PANIC STUDIO Riga, LATVIA
|
|
Production 2
|
STUDIO 5 Paris, FRANCE
|
Credits
| Alexander Kalchev |
DDB Paris |
Executive Creative Director |
| Mélanie Pennec |
DDB Paris |
Creative Director |
| Jean Weessa |
DDB Paris |
Creative Director |
| Florentin Heyraud |
DDB Paris |
Art Director |
| Thibaut Pirioux |
DDB Paris |
Art Director |
| Marion Dervaux |
DDB Paris |
Art Director |
| Sébastien Balondrade |
DDB Paris |
Copywriter |
| Cédric Ledoux |
DDB Paris |
Planner |
| Alexandra Mocanu |
- |
Photographer |
| Cédric Boit |
Studio 5 |
Sound Prodcution |
| Clément Reynaud |
Studio 5 |
Sound Prodcution |
| Stéphane Gazzo |
DDB Paris |
Managing Director |
| Fabien Donnay |
DDB Paris |
Account Manager |
| Julie Garguillo |
DDB Paris |
Account Manager |
| Laetitia de CAMAS |
DDB Paris |
Account Executive |
| Xavier Royaux |
McDonald's |
Advertiser Supervisor |
| Maurizio Biondi |
McDonald's |
Advertiser Supervisor |
| Guillaume Huin |
McDonald's |
Advertiser Supervisor |
| Céline Male |
McDonald's |
Advertiser Supervisor |
| Uriel Abalo |
McDonald's |
Advertiser Supervisor |
| Anne-Marie Gibert |
DDB Paris |
Press relation Director |
Why is this work relevant for PR?
We could resume summarize our campaign with a simple problem: how to make something new out something old?
That’s what we tried to do on April 1st. We have launched a new product not that new; more precisely a mix between two famous McDonald’s products.
We didn’t spend any euro on research and development, or new packaging. But we have developed the most viral campaign of McDonald’s France ever, which engendered a lot of conversation, and 807.555 sales.
Background
McDonald’s France has 1.7 M of fans on Facebook. 1.7 M of people who spend their entire day giving us insights about the way they like to consume McDonald’s. A lot of fast-food lovers, who are used to argue about their favorite burger, Sundae flavor, Chicken Mc Nuggets sauce, etc. And we have found a recurring discussion topic in there: the side dish.
Describe the creative idea
In France, you get two side options at McDonald’s: the classic fries, and the potato wedges. And according to our consumers, to choose between those two is always a dilemma. So, how could we generate even more conversation about McDonald’s potatoes?
To realize our consumer’s absolute dream, we have developed a third side option: the ‘frites-potatoes’: half French fries, half potato wedges in the same packaging; available in our 1400 restaurants, during one entire weekend.
Describe the strategy
To bring us maximum attention, we have chosen a special launch date: April 1st.
So, nobody believed us when we have announced it one week before, thinking it was another April Fools’ Day prank.
We didn’t deny, let our fans speaking, the media commenting, and finally reveal that, no, the frites-potatoes were not a joke and were going to be a real side choice.
Describe the execution
A 100% social media orchestration organized around two phases.
1. A teasing phase, to involve our consumers in the discussion. It is a known fact: on social media, you speak when you have doubts. So, we have created doubts.
2. A reveal phase. The challenge was a bit different: to keep talking.
I. Teasing (March 23 – 29)
03/23: Launch on Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat.
Facebook: Teaser video (377 K views – reach: 2,6 M)
Dedicated event page: (reach: 999 k)
Instagram: 3 Instagram stories (total views: 44 K)
Twitter Creation of a dedicated Twitter account: @fritespotatoes
03/29: Leak (Twitter)
II. Reveal (March 29 – April 2)
03/30: Reveal
Facebook: Facebook live (1,4 M views – reach 4,2M)
Twitter: Social room on March 30th. Personalized answers to #fritespotatoes
Instagram: 3 new stories (total view: 32K)
04/02: End.
List the results
We got more than a hundred articles, mostly concentrated about the ‘real April Fool’s’ theme.
A lot of organic national radios and press, including major titles (GQ, the Huffington post…)
Without a single euro spent on research & development or new packaging, we got:
807.555 sales in 4 days (59% of side choices)
15.176 #fritespotatoes and 20.69M impressions on Twitter
28.500 comments and 54.000 reactions on Facebook