Page 59 - MA2025-Souvenir-Programme

Now TV Gold Award

“The McGriddles Fever”
McDonald’s Hong Kong

Breakfast is an important yet highly competitive daypart for McDonald’s business. In 2024, McDonald’s sought to inject new
product excitement into its breakfast offering. Through ongoing social listening McDonald’s revealed the perfect opportunity –
the McGriddles.
To turn the McGriddles’ launch into a cultural phenomenon, McDonald’s tapped into the McGriddle’s social status as a “must-eat”
McDonald’s Japan item, positioning the product as “direct from Japan” launch from communications to packaging. FOMO and
anticipation for the product grew as new of the McGriddles’ arrival leaked prior to its launch. Leveraging the Paris Olympics
ceremony, the McGriddles was launched at 4am, enticing people to give the product a try in the early morning right after they were
finished watching the ceremony. To further double down on McGriddles’ Japanese identity, McDonald’s even collaborated with
FoodPanda to invite legendary Japanese actor Takuya Kimura as its spokesperson.

The launch was an immediate success, selling an unprecedented 1 million units in three days, becoming McDonald’s Hong Kong’s
most successful product launch to date.

For the return of the McGriddles with a new flavour, McDonald’s aimed to inject the McGriddles into Gen Z’s pop culture world
through partnering with a new generation Japanese pop star and McDonald’s Japan’s famous brand ambassador – Ano. With Ano’s
signature singing style and finger dance, the McGriddles further became a social media phenomenon among youth, again taking
sales to new heights.

All in all, the McGriddles helped to boost McDonald’s breakfast business and injected the brand into youth pop culture.

Comments from the Judges:
It was commended as an exceptional and insight-driven campaign that reignited citywide enthusiasm by introducing the much-
anticipated McGriddles directly from Japan. With impeccable timing and strategic clarity, McDonald’s turned a breakfast relaunch
into a headline-making phenomenon that amplified the brand’s leadership in both creativity and execution.

The campaign demonstrated outstanding mastery of consumer insight and integration. Through real-time social listening,
McDonald’s identified the rising online demand and transformed it into mass anticipation. The partnership with Japanese pop
singer Ano infused authenticity and cross-market synergy, while the synchronized rollout across digital platforms, in-app exclusives,
and partner collaborations created a seamless, high-impact brand experience. Every element — from influencer storytelling to
music-driven engagement — worked cohesively to sustain excitement and relevance far beyond the initial launch.

The results were phenomenal. The campaign achieved record-breaking sales, remarkable media value, and significant brand uplift
in key perception metrics. “The McGriddles Fever” exemplified how strategic, social intelligence, and cross-cultural alignment can
redefine a product launch — turning everyday routines into moments of joy across the city.

Parties to be Recognized for Contributing to the Success of the Programme:
1. DDB Hong Kong
2. OMD Hong Kong

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HKMA / VIUTV & NOW TV AWARDS FOR MARKETING EXCELLENCE 2025