Young people in Finland are lonelier than ever. As a result, more and more are turning to anonymous social media channels to meet new people – often ending up meeting complete strangers in places that aren’t public or safe. These meetings can happen without knowing who the other person really is, and without the basic safety of being around others. McDonald’s saw an opportunity to offer a better alternative. As a public, familiar space with a constant flow of people, it’s a place where meeting someone new feels safer and more comfortable. And on top of that, there is already one thing powerful enough to bring almost anyone together: fries.
Friends’ Fries is a new activation in the McDonald’s app. People can sign up for the friend search by answering a few simple questions about their hobbies, interests, and, naturally, their favorite McDonald’s product. Based on their answers, participants are matched into groups and invited to meet at a set time and place at McDonald’s. They also receive a fries deal to share.
The first friend meetup took place on Saturday 18 April, and over 4,000 people – with an average age of 29 – signed up to meet in every single McDonald’s restaurant in Finland (90 in total). Friend Saturdays will be organised again on selected dates throughout the Spring.
“Seeing nearly 6,000 people sign up to the first two Friend Saturdays shows that there is a strong desire for people to find new and real connections. We’re proud that McDonald’s can offer a place for these new friendships to begin,” says Satu Ylikortes, Head of Marketing, McDonald’s Finland.”
Later this summer, the campaign will expand into festivals with a “festival friend search,” designed to bring together people looking for concert company. The campaign features three of Finland’s top pop artists: ANI, Sara Bee and VIIVI.
“It’s not often that we get to create something that can genuinely bring people together. McDonald’s already plays a role in so many friendships, and hopefully through this campaign, it can be the start of many new ones too,” says Ayan Aden, Associate Creative Director at NORD.
