McDonald’s celebrates India’s diversity quite differently

On the Independence Day, McDonald’s celebrated diversity by relaying various messages around #BeDifferentTogether in a fun, engaging yet not preachy style. The brand partnered with DDB Mudra Group for an innovative, experiential campaign to bring this message alive among a captive audience base. India is a country that accommodates all differences, considering the brand conceived the idea to celebrate this very spirit of the modern India and upholds freedom of choice; freedom of celebrating differences that we Indians cherish the most.

People in cinema halls always anticipate a message on the screen to stand up for the National Anthem. But the agency surprised the audience with some powerful messages around STANDING up. For the very first time, a brand owned this space and capitalised on the behaviour to ‘Stand Up’; with no connection whatsoever to the National Anthem. The topical connect and timing of this message helped in building connect with the audience.

tand Up for what you believe in.’ was the crux of the entire activation. A video was played just before the on-screen message to Stand Up for the National Anthem appeared. While people expected the statutory message, the lights dimmed and the new STAND UP messages got displayed.

The team placed cameras all around; to capture the audience’s honest reactions. The initial hesitation was soon replaced by loud cheers and playful jostling of enthusiastic participants. Just as the entire theatre was on its feet the video concluded with the message “This Independence Day #BeDifferentTogether”. The video was screened across 20 theatres in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The act was timed with the Independence week, where amidst the clutter of patriotic messages this was a different way to celebrate the diversity and build a connect with the movie going audience

eaking about the activation, Seema Arora Nambiar, Senior Vice President – Strategy, Innovation & Capability, Hardcastle Restaurants, said, “McDonald’s launched Happy Price combos to celebrate variety, affordability and value for money offering. Happy price combos now allowed people to choose what they want without compromising. Thus the #BeDifferentTogether found its leap in terms of messaging and activation among the movie goers, to be able to celebrate their differences and yet be together”.

Brijesh Jacob, Chief Creative Technologist, DDB Mudra Group, said, “We wanted to go beyond a traditional film or a post for Independence Day. We thought that movie theatres would be the best place to conduct this activity as a theatre inherently houses different people, who are together. And being a patriotic occasion, using the ‘Stand Up’ formula just before the national anthem made perfect sense!”