Macca’s takes creative to pitch
McDonald’s Australia is pitching its creative account, looking within its existing global roster for an additional agency to take on the Australian remit, alongside DDB.
The fast food restaurant confirmed the pitch to Mumbrella on Monday morning.
“McDonald’s Australia can confirm we are currently recruiting for an additional creative agency partner from our existing global agency roster,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
“The successful agency will become part of our award-winning agency village, as we look to deliver highly effective and culturally relevant campaigns that drive our brand and business forward. It is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure we have the best partners and capabilities in place and follows on from our recently completed CRM pitch process earlier in the year.”
The incumbent, DDB, has worked on the brand’s creative since its Australian launch in 1971. Its current remit includes brand, retail, sponsorship, and social.
Mumbrella understands DDB will remain the main agency of record for McDonald’s in Australia, while the pitch will look for an additional agency for various projects.
In 1974, DDB introduced the original Big Mac chant, developed by then-creative leader and now Chairman Emeritus, Keith Reinhard. Earlier this year, the chant was recreated in a new, fully integrated campaign.
“Bringing the Big Mac to a new generation was an awesome task. It’s an icon and part of Australian culture – it’s The Original Mouthful,” DDB Sydney’s ECD, Matt Chandler, said in April.
Also this year, DDB supported the ‘#BootPursuit’ PR campaign, where Chicken McNugget aficionados could get in on some fun and potentially win a pair of nugget-inspired boots, or ‘Nuggies’.
Just three months ago, DDB Sydney appointed Jack Nunn as creative partner to lead the account.
He rejoined the agency after a two-year stint at Special and Ogilvy in London, where he worked with brands including Jack Daniel’s, Coca Cola, and Molson-Coors.
McDonald’s also engages DDB’s Mango for its communications and PR, and Omnicom peer OMD for local media. Meanwhile, Akcelo works on the brand’s retail and activations, including the recent launch of the Grimace Shake.
In the statement to Mumbrella, McDonald’s said it expects the pitch to be completed by the end of the year.
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DDB Auckland would be up in the odds to win this. Their recent work on this brand has been outstanding.