McDonald’s late-night hours make it a go-to spot for a meal after a movie, concert, party or late shift, but a playful campaign positions the chain as a feel-good solution to an unsatisfying fancy dinner.
The “After-Dinner Dinner” campaign, created by agency FP7 McCann Dubai for McDonald’s UAE, shows off stereotypical tasting menu dishes with smoke and microgreens, followed by bad reviews complaining about small, overpriced portions. Gold lettering, juxtaposed with faux CCTV footage showing dressed-up customers ordering at the counter, presents McDonald’s as a solution for “when fine dining leaves you with an empty wallet and an empty stomach.”
The brand used geotargeted notifications through its application to encourage fine-dining customers to make a trip to the “Golden Arches.”
Customers who visited McDonald’s before 5 a.m. and showed a receipt for dinner that night with a spend of more than 600 AED (equivalent to $163) received a free chicken burger, cheeseburger or combo meal.
McDonald’s also promoted the offer with digital signs and tray mats positioning burgers and fries as what to eat after “three bites of sushi” or a tiny serving of steak.
“I’ve always gone to McDonald’s after some kind of event or outing because I’m guaranteed good food and a good time,” FP7 McCann chief creative officer Federico Fanti said in a statement. “When the team noticed that we all do the same thing, we knew that there was an insightful idea here. The fact that it’s the fine dining bill that unlocked the promotion made it witty and fun to engage with.”
The campaign’s success will be measured based on the number of customers who redeem the offer, and it may be scaled up based on response.
