The Grinch hijacks McDonald’s festive OOH campaign

McDonald’s UK successfully derailed its own festive campaign this year, but entirely on purpose. In a strategic collaboration with creative agency Leo UK, the brand executed “McDonald’s Christmas Grinched,” a nationwide push that used Out-of-Home (OOH) media as the primary canvas for The Grinch’s mischievous takeover. The campaign’s strength lay in its immediate, pervasive visual disruption across the British streetscape. 

The initial rollout was a masterclass in building anticipation through physical media. Instead of launching straight into the festive offerings, OOH sites were utilized for a subtle “tease phase.” Commuters and pedestrians were met with advertising that hinted at interference, building nationwide curiosity. This intrigue culminated in a dramatic special build OOH execution that was transformed into a literal blueprint: The Grinch’s “Master Plan.” The site was annotated with doodles and notes, making it clear that a specific, chaotic agenda was underway. 

Once the Grinch’s intentions were established, the full campaign launched with a widespread, high-visibility transformation. All Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) screens and static print assets across the country were subjected to a total “Grinching.” The creative applied The Grinch’s signature aesthetic—his clumsy handwriting, doodles, and claw marks—to physically vandalize and transform McDonald’s typically polished branding. 

This digital and print takeover immediately displayed the new, sabotaged festive menu items, such as the “Grumble Pie” and “Grinched McShaker Fries,” ensuring that the new offerings were impossible to miss in high-traffic areas. The OOH sites were infused with the character’s voice, featuring playful and disruptive messaging like “Grinched for adults,” “Disgustingly good,” and “Grinch Approved.” 

To ensure the campaign transcended standard advertising and became a public event, a high-impact special build was deployed on Great Eastern Street in London. This large-scale installation was dedicated to bringing a physical component of the campaign to life: The Grinch knitting his life-size, mismatched odd socks. As these odd socks were offered as a gift with the new “Grinch Meal,” the OOH site served as a massive, tangible advertisement for the merchandise, driving curiosity and footfall. 

By employing OOH strategically—from the initial cryptic hints to the widespread digital transformation, and finally to the memorable, three-dimensional special build—McDonald’s effectively allowed The Grinch to hijack their brand’s holiday narrative across the UK streetscape. The effective planning and buying of the outdoor media were managed by OMD.