McDonald’s turns password hygiene into a public message

McDonald’s rolled out a striking OOH campaign that uses its most recognisable visual asset—the iconic red background—to deliver a message that has nothing to do with food, and everything to do with digital safety.

Displayed across high-traffic transit corridors and underground passageways, the billboards feature what appear to be passwords typed into a login field: phrases like “fr3nch_fr!es” and “Ch!ck3nMcN4gg3ts.” The familiar menu items are intentionally distorted into weak, hackable password formats, immediately readable to commuters passing by.

The execution plays on habit and recognition. Viewers instantly decode the brand cues, but are then nudged to rethink how easily predictable choices—even beloved ones—can become vulnerabilities online. The line at the bottom, “You’re lovin’ it. But hackers too.” followed by #ChangeYourPasswordDay, ties the idea together without overwhelming the visual.

By stripping away product imagery and relying on typography, colour, and cultural recall, McDonald’s turns a public space into a moment of behavioural reflection. The campaign uses scale and repetition to reinforce its point, allowing the message to land in seconds—much like the weak passwords it warns against.