12th July 2024, London, UK— McDonald’s and Leo Burnett are celebrating the brand’s 50th anniversary in the UK, by tapping into the insight that, for millions of people living in the UK, no party has ever hit quite like a McDonald’s party.
The festivities will be announced with a 60 second film transporting the viewer back to a nostalgic 80’s McDonald’s birthday party. Directed by SMUGGLER’s Fenn O’Meally, the film shows a young boy losing himself in the rhythm of the iconic 80’s hip-hop track ‘Know How’ by British-born rapper Young MC. As the film progresses, the dancing proves contagious, and the rest of the party join in the fun demonstrating that there’s no feeling like McDonald’s. The film ends with a montage of restaurants from the past 50 years, encapsulating the nation’s unique connection with McDonald’s and then extending the invitation for everyone to celebrate with them.
To create the film, Leo Burnett and SMUGGLER meticulously recreated an 80’s McDonald’s restaurant in Woolwich London – the site of the first UK location 50 years ago. The set features retro menu boards and kitchen to a joyful party area, including throwback furniture such as Cheeseburger Stools, Apple Pie Tree and a mural featuring iconic characters such as Hamburglar, Birdie, Mayor McCheese and Grimace.
The campaign will encourage the nation to join in the celebrations with bold OOH posters, modernising iconic birthday invites from the past 50 years. Leo Burnett collaborated with the D&AD winning illustrator Sofie Birkin to create the five original artworks, each based on a different era of McDonald’s history.
McDonald’s and Leo Burnett have also announced the release of exclusive 50thanniversary merchandise, which will be available later this summer initially on MyMcDonald’s Rewards. The ‘I Had My Birthday Party at McDonald’s’ collection is based on the iconic slogan from the 80’s and patterns, prints and characters from the past. Items include, stripe sweats, bomber jackets, printed denims, birthday t-shirts, scrunchies and even a McDonaldland Rubix cube.
To rekindle customers’ beloved memories, Leo Burnett and McDonald’s have also taken to social media to share tutorials for the hero dancer’s moves, nostalgic ‘fit checks’ of vintage McDonald’s crew uniforms, and announcements around the My McDonald’s Rewards activity on the brand’s owned channels.
As another part of the campaign, starting from the 17th July, McDonald’s, supported and led by Linney, are also bringing the festivities to its restaurants. This includes retro birthday stylings, and an ultimate special-edition party food menu, including a Double Big Mac, a limited-edition Birthday Cake Donut, and what the brand playfully describes as ‘one last big surprise’ in the weeks to come.


Finally, like any good Birthday, the fun also includes a party bag. A digital activation, developed by The Marketing Store, within the McDonald’s app invites users to open a digital ‘Party Bag’ to get the Birthday Cake Donut* and even exclusive merch items for the superfans, all designed to evoke the nostalgia of McDonald’s from the past. This will all be supported with CRM developed by CRM agency Armadillo.
Matt Reischauer, Marketing Director – UK&I, McDonald’s, added: ” Our campaign celebrating our 50th birthday taps into the countless memories we’ve made with our fans…and of course invites everyone to make new ones. From exclusive merch, to our digital party bag and special-edition menu (the birthday cake donut being my favorite) we wanted to make it possible for everyone across the nation to celebrate…with a few surprises along the way. Who doesn’t love a surprise at a birthday party?”
Andrew Long and James Millers, Executive Creative Directors, Leo Burnett UK, said, “It’s a true privilege to help McDonald’s celebrate it’s first 50 years in the UK, and to do it in the most joyful way possible – by inviting the nation to enjoy the incomparable feeling that only McDonald’s gives you. We can’t wait to watch the festivities unfold!”
- Credits
- CAMPAIGN TITLE: McDonald’s 50th Birthday
- CLIENT: McDonald’s UK
- ADVERTISING AGENCY: Leo Burnett UK
- CCO: Mark Elwood
- EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTORS: Andrew Long & James Millers
- CREATIVE DIRECTOR (REWARDS): Ben Hooper
- SENIOR CREATIVE (AFFINITY, FOOD & REWARDS): Alice Pearce
- CREATIVE (REWARDS): Clementina De Ruiter & Anna Wilkins
- JUNIOR CREATIVE (AFFINITY): Jed Small & Evan Bryant
- CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN: Dave Allen
- DESIGNER DIRECTOR: Rupert Knowlden
- DESIGNER: Georgia Glen
- MOTION DESIGNER: Bey Redding-O’Brien
- DESIGN PRODUCER: Ethan Lynton
- STUDIO DIRECTOR: Richard Pettiford
- DEPUTY CSO: Tom Sussman
- HEAD OF PLANNING: Joe Beveridge
- STRATEGY DIRECTOR: Ben Obadia
- COMMS PLANNER: Jen Leung, Imo Gowen
- BUSINESS LEADS: Steph Bates, Tom Molyneux
- ACCOUNT TEAM: Alice Pavey, Karolina Dovgialo, Nicola Kuan, Sian Davidson, Brittony Kelly, Harry Anfilogoff
- PROJECT MANAGER/SOCIAL PRODUCER: Laura Taylor
- AGENCY PRODUCERS: Graeme Light, Alice Konstam
- ILLUSTRATOR: Sofie Birkin
- JUNIOR ART PRODUCER: Farah Ikhlas
- MEDIA BUYING AGENCY: OMD
- EXEC BUSINESS DIRECTOR, CLIENT LEADERSHIP: Ellie Start
- BUSINESS DIRECTOR, CLIENT LEADERSHIP: Steph Holman, Erin Kelley, Emma Gilmore
- ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, CLIENT LEADERSHIP: Elise Grimstone, Holly Rosier
- MANAGER, CLIENT LEADERSHIP: Eddie Fisher, Lewis Michael
- HEAD OF PLANNING & COMMS STRATEGY: Helen Barber
- BUSINESS DIRECTOR, MEDIA PLANNING: Anna Greathead
- PR AGENCY: RED Consultancy
- PR LEADS: Caitlin Hocking, Niamh Baird, Barbara Watson, Julianne Power
- CRM AGENCY: Armadillo
- CRM LEAD: Rosie Whyley
- BTL/IN-RESTAURANT: Linney
- Strategic, Creative, Technology and Sourcing Agency: tms
- STRATEGIC LEAD: John VICCARS
- ACCOUNT TEAM: Alina Miculescu, Kristen Lane, Yagna Carreno
- SENIOR DIGITAL PROJECT MANAGER: Joana Carvalho
- ASSOCIATE DIGITAL PROJET MANAGER: Kieran Sommariva-Nagle
- SENIOR ART DIRECTOR: Anna O’Callaghan
- SENIOR COPYWRITER: Masha Shukkore
- SENIOR DESIGNER: Dan Fitzpatrick
- DIGITAL DESIGNER: Phillipa Knight
- JUNIOR UI DESIGNER: Ines Botequilha, Shardai Dawkins
- UX DESIGNER: Alessandra Maccario
- GAMES OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE: Veronica Brophy
- DEVELOPERS: Rowan McMahon, Eohan Moran, Mark Wong
- Headline campaign
- PRODUCTION COMPANY: Smuggler
- DIRECTOR: Fenn O’Meally
- EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Lucy Kelly
- PRODUCER: Luca Chapman
- DOP: Arseni Khachaturan
- CHOREOGRAPHER: Holly Blakey
- PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Fiona Crombie
- CASTING: Coralie Rose @ Road Casting
- EDITOR: Toby Heard @ Pundersons Gardens
- POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Black Kite (VFX Paul Wilmot)
- COLOURIST: Richard Fearon
- AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: 750MPH
- SOUND ENGINEER: Jake Ashwell
- SOCIAL PRODUCTION COMPANY: Prodigious
- CONTENT PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Yiani Andrikidis
- FOOD campaign
- PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Darling Films
- DIRECTOR: Scott Grummett
- EDITOR: Adam Rudd/ Whitehouse Post
- DOP: Tim Green
- PRODUCER: Clare Timms
- POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Framestore
- COLOURIST: Stef Perry
- AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: 750MPH
- SOUND ENGINEER: Jake Ashwell
- REWARDS campaign
- PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Knucklehead
- DIRECTORS: Broken Antenna
- EDITOR: Ben Boullier
- DOP: Ahmet Hussseyin
- PRODUCER: Tim Katz
- POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Framestore
- COLOURIST: Stefan Perry
- AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Sine Audio Post Production LTD
- SOUND ENGINEER: Phil Bolland and Michele Covio
- McDonald’s:
- CHIEF MARKETING OFFICE, S.V.P: Michelle Graham-Clare
- MARKETING DIRECTOR: Matt Reischauer
- DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL: Kat Howcroft
- HEAD OF MARKETING AFFINITY, TRUST & FAMILY: Hannah Pain & Chloe Bissell
- HEAD OF MARKETING FOOD & BEVERAGES:Ben Sherburn
- MARKETING MANAGER (AFFINITY): Emma O’Neill
- BRAND MANAGER (AFFINITY): Emma Pellegrinelli
- CAMPAIGN ASSISTANT (AFFINITY): Abi Campbell
- MARKETING MANAGER (FOOD): Jo Conlon & Ana Saffer
- SENIOR BRAND MANAGER (FOOD): Nasia Vassiliou
- CAMPAIGN ASSISTANT (FOOD): Dan Kaye
- MARKETING MANAGER (REWARDS): Steph Pullen
- SENIOR BRAND MANAGER (REWARDS): Ciara Reddington
- ASSISTANT BRAND MANAGER (REWARDS): Annie Ranken
- MARKETING EXECUTIVE (REWARDS): Alice O’Rorke