Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation?

This is relevant to Brand Experience and Activation as the McDonald’s brand, and the product are at the very heart of the idea. We created a campaign that lived in all channels on the path to purchase, and then by changing the product itself, changed perception and grew love for the brand. This lead to huge commercial success.

Background

In 1991, McDonald’s New Zealand launched The Kiwiburger. It's basically a Quarter Pounder with a fried egg and slice of beetroot – two NZ favourites. They launched it with “The Kiwiburger Song.” A celebration and definition of what it means to be a Kiwi. Which they’ve had on air, unchanged ever since. In that time however, New Zealand had changed a lot. Which wasn’t reflected at all in the song. So in 2020, after the Christchurch attacks and racism surrounding the Corona Virus, in a time the nation began to reassess what it means to be Kiwi, McDonald’s wanted to make a show of solidarity for ALL Kiwis, who these days come from everywhere. Our objective was to use this Kiwi icon as a sign of inclusion when the nation needed it most.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

As a powerful sign of incusion for ALL Kiwis who today come from everywhere, we threw out the iconic song, and with the help of a diverse group of Kiwis, we wrote a new one, with a band, lyrics and sound that represented all of us. For the first time ever, we also changed the burger too, with three new variants – Chicken, Vegetarian and Gluten Free – so more Kiwis could enjoy it.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

In 2020, the original Kiwiburger song, as a definition of what it means to be a Kiwi, had not aged well, at all. We knew that by updating this relic, though much loved by many, would make a powerful statement to the nation about what McDonald’s valued. By updating the burger, an icon that had remained unchanged since its inception 30 years ago, we were following through on that value. The Kiwiburger would now be for Kiwis – all of them (the same target market since 1991).

Describe the execution (30% of vote)

We partnered with a diverse range of Kiwi musicians and singers from across NZ’s multicultural landscape and created a band that represented the true New Zealand. Together, we then wrote a song in the same format as the existing track, set to the same tune, but this time with lyrics and sound that represented every major cultural group. This song, and the making of process, played as a music video online, instore, on the radio and digital radio. The new burgers launched a week later with dedicated TVCs, OOH and radio, and remain on the menu today.

List the results (30% of vote)

• Biggest ever sales week in McDonald’s NZ history. • Classic Kiwiburger is up 124% year on year. • Total Kiwiburger sales are up $423k versus last year. • Top 10 NZ most viewed YouTube ads in 2020. • 95th percentile for emotional impact 2020. • 187% ROI

Please tell us about the cultural insight that inspired the work

2020 was a hard year in NZ cultural history. With the Christchurch terror attacks, followed by the Corona Virus and the racism that ensued, NZ had never looked so hard at what it meant to be a New Zealander. We realised that with the Kiwiburger and it's song, as living icons of "true Kiwiness" (though far outdated), we had a unique opportunity to make a powerful statement about what McDonald's believed and take a leadership position in the cultural debate - all with a smile and lightness of touch as is the McDonald's way. By sacrificing our much loved icon, then giving nation a new anthem to rally around, we didn't just join in, but lead the conversation for the betterment of ALL Kiwis.