Situation:

With 182 stores dotted along the main highways, a stop at McDonald’s has long been a part of the Kiwi road trip.

Not surprisingly, for McDonald’s New Zealand, summer is the most important sales period of the year, with Kiwi drivers and their families/friends/colleagues hitting the road (and the Drive Thru) en masse. (70% of McDonald’s business comes through the Drive Thru).

Brief:

In the lead-up to and over summer, celebrate the unique role that McDonald’s plays in our customers' summer adventures.

Objectives:

Demonstrate that McDonald's is a "part of NZ culture."

We join a range of families and friends as they journey on their respective summer road-trips.

In each car, people enjoy McDonald's meals as they drive, and each complies with the fan truth, and unwritten road-trip law that is Driver Tax – which more or less entitles the driver to help themselves to the food and drink of passengers at will.

We watch as the driver in each vehicle helps themselves to the McDonald's food beside and behind them – who in accordance with the law, begrudgingly comply.

We see the pained faces of children and partners, frustration and even anger as bites, fries, nuggets and drinks are taken. And we see the joy, and smug satisfaction of the drivers as they enjoy what they've (rightfully taxed).

At the close of the film, a graphic appears which reads: It's good to be the driver.

Followed by the McDonald's logo.

This ad ran on national TV, and paid online channels.

As this commercial was run as part of a larger campaign, and is only 6 weeks into a 10-week campaign, we cannot accurately, or in good conscience, supply data on impact, behaviour change and brand perception.