Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation?

My Happy Table gave Muslim families separated by the border closure the opportunity to celebrate Ramadan at McDonald’s, as if they were physically together. The activation connected two party rooms in Malaysia and Singapore, creating the illusion of one seamless table that the whole family could share while breaking their fast. Thanks to the custom-built set-up of My Happy Table, workers stranded in Singapore could feel closer to their loved ones across the border.

Background

Ramadan in any normal year is a particularly popular time for food delivery as many Muslim families prefer the convenience of having the iftar (breaking fast) meal home delivered. With delivery even more popular during the pandemic, this was expected to be the most hotly competitive period for food delivery ever seen. We were asked to create the cut-through needed to help McDonald’s become the most thought of food brand during the Ramadan period by delivering the same McDonald’s breaking fast experience at home.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

My Happy Table used technology to reunite families at a table during Ramadan and bridged the distance felt by many through the closed Singapore / Malaysia border. It gave families the shared moment around a table that they were longing for After all, the table at home is what binds families together. It’s where we meet to eat, laugh, and enjoy each other. It’s both a vital part of family life and the focal point for many celebrations.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Our strategy was to create tangible evidence that that spirit of Ramadan is stronger than the border that divides us. As a brand that is deeply connected to the community in Singapore, McDonald’s could embody the true values of Ramadan by helping others in a way that goes beyond filling empty stomachs after a day of fasting. To do so, McDonald’s tapped into their restaurants in Singapore and Malaysia to build a special table that magically extended between the two neighbouring countries. The activation was announced on the brand’s social media pages, via a touching film showcasing real Malaysian workers being reunited with their families at My Happy Table. People in a similar situation could then book their slot to share a meal at My Happy table too, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Describe the execution (30% of vote)

It took just 2 days to install My Happy Table at McDonald’s Canberra (Singapore) and McDonald’s Taman Desa Tebrau (Johor, Malaysia). This was done discreetly so we could surprise some of McDonald’s Malaysian staff and document their experience. These heartbreaking stories of separation and then visible joy of reunion were placed on McDonald’s YouTube and Facebook channels to tell Singapore about the activation and encourage them to book their own Happy Table. Within days and with no paid media, thousands of re-shares and audience reaction videos flooded the internet. Knowing that the core McDelivery audience is digitally savvy and used to app-based technology, we focused the bulk of our efforts on social media and used McDonald’s Facebook platform to invite consumers in Singapore with families in Johor Bahru to book the Happy Table for their Ramadan iftar meal. The activation ran for between 23 - 28 April 2021.

List the results (30% of vote)

Our objective was to drive top-of-mind awareness of McDonald’s during Ramadan and we achieved: 166% increase in top-of-mind awareness compared to the month prior. 25.5 million organic media impressions #1 Trending Ramadan video on YouTube Singapore 416% increase in video engagement in past 6 months My Happy Table became a viral sensation. Without any paid media behind our video of the Happy Table activation, the video received 25.5 million organic media impressions. The film became the #1 trending Ramadan video on YouTube in Singapore.