McDonald’s Release ‘Here for the Sauce’ Campaign

Launched 14 July, McDonald’s has partnered with creative agency Leo Burnett UK to create its ‘Here for the Sauce’ campaign to invite fans to participate in their shared love of McDonald’s sauces and celebrate the release of three new flavours.

The three new flavours (Hot Honey, Korean BBQ and Ranch) are the key focus of this campaign and are advertised in an obsessive angle as a playful way to refer to the fan truth that for many McDonald’s customers, the sauce is not merely an afterthought or a side addition – it is the main event. 

The brand new Hot Honey sauce heroes the campaign with its own limited-time range and can now be found alongside popular menu items such as: Hot Honey McCrispy, Hot Honey Sausage & Egg McMuffin and Hot Honey Mini McFlurry.

This six-week campaign, distributed across the UK and Ireland, will run across social media, creator content, live activation, OOH (Out-Of-House), radio and CRM (Customer Relationship Management).

What does sauce mean to you?

McDonald’s is inviting its fans to co-create in its campaign via social led moments to show channels which sauce means the most to them and why.

The current creation sparking most engagement is The Sweet Curry Suitcase, a limited edition suitcase shaped like the iconic sauce pot and based on real fans who have taken McDonald’s sauce with them on holiday – because eating a meal without a sauce would be ridiculous, of course.

Across its social channels, McDonald’s has begun spotlighting video clips of real fans demonstrating the important role that the company’s dips play in their life, from stockpiles of sauce pots to fans who lick the lid to ensure no sauce is left behind.

The lighthearted nature of this campaign brings a sense of authenticity to McDonald’s and reflects what fans have always believed – the sauce is the star of their order.

James Hodson, the Creative Director of Leo UK adds: “whenever I go to McDonald’s, I always think: 'should I get some food with my sauce?' And I am not alone. This campaign is all about letting fans participate in their shared love of sauces, giving them the platform to co-create with the brand. It’s a big idea that’s poured across every possible channel and touchpoint, like sauce over McNuggets.”

Simple marketing does not mean boring marketing

Stripping it back, the ‘Here for the Sauce’ campaign takes on a simple yet impactful strategy with advertising. The heart of the campaign includes five TV spots whereby Stephen Graham’s voiceover attempts to advertise some of the most well known items from McDonald’s menu – such as McNuggets and Chicken Selects – yet the cameraman has other plans.

Repeatedly shifting from the chicken to the sauce using techniques such as pans and focus shifts, attention spans are diverted and the cameraman locks focus on what really matters and further confirms the sauce is anything but an accompaniment to a McDonald’s meal.

The OOH (Out-Of-Home) advertising continues to deliver the campaign's message, with simple yet intentionally bold visuals. The four-grid format shows the three new sauces on full display with the fourth grid advertising McDonald’s Spicy Mayo dip, released earlier this year.

Whilst a Chicken Select is featured with the sauce, McDonald’s have made it clear that it couldn’t play less of a part in the campaign if it tried, distinguishing its sauces as McDonald’s lead on the posters distributed nationwide.

Instead of overcomplicating the advertisements, McDonald’s and Leo UK have combined creative forces to create conversations with this campaign. It is paying homage to the company's strong relationship between its sauces and the customers and bringing fun back into marketing. The fast-food chain has one simple message with its campaign: McDonald's is 'Here for the Sauces'.