WE WERE AIMING TO WIN OVER GEN Z, AGED 18-24.

They are tech-savvy digital natives, who care about brands that cater to their needs and interests, make them feel valued, and that help simplify their lives and improve their skills. They value authenticity, reliability, and innovation above all.

To rebuild its connection with the UAE youth, McDonald's aimed to get to know them better and offer an experience that resonated with them, reigniting their brand love.

OUR STRATEGY

WE SPENT TIME AT MCDONALD’S DRIVE THRUS AND DISCOVERED SOMETHING INTERESTING.

We discovered that the customer service staff struggled with catering to errant Gen Z drivers across the UAE who did not know how to drive safely or effectively in Drive Thrus.

THEN, WE WENT TO DRIVING SCHOOLS TO DIG IN FURTHER.

In our pursuit to uncover the root cause, we went to driving schools, met new drivers, spoke to instructors, and even took a few driving lessons ourselves. As a result, we found a significant gap.

In partnership with Emirates Driving Institute, a leading driving institute, we also did quantitative research that delved into younger drivers and their challenges across the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah), and revealed that 66% were anxious when driving through Drive Thrus to pick up their orders and didn’t enjoy the experience.

THIS GAVE US OUR INSIGHT INTO YOUNG DRIVERS.

Driving schools equipped young drivers with essential road skills, but they often overlooked a skill that young drivers needed in the United Arab Emirates - How to navigate a drive-thru.

The last thing they wanted to ruin their McDonald’s buying and enjoying experience was a nasty bump or a scratch on their car while they ploughed through a Drive Thru!

AND LED TO A DISRUPTIVE STRATEGY.

We chose to help young drivers across the country improve their driving skills at Drive Thrus across the UAE, creating a unique learning experience that also improve their connection to McDonald’s.

IDEA: THE DRIVE THRU SCHOOL:

A first-of-its-kind experience teaching young drivers to navigate McDonald’s Drive Thrus.

ROLLING OUT THE INNOVATIVE EXPERIENCE:

A unique experience was designed to create a bespoke and custom-built drive-thru learning experience for young drivers, in turn, feeding their love for McDonald's.

• We partnered with Emirates Driving Institute, a leading driving institute, integrating McDonald's Drive Thru experiences into their driving lessons across training facilities in the UAE.

• Working with experience architects, a unique and first-ever McDonald’s Drive-Thru was built inside the driving practice circuit.

• Young drivers across the UAE were guided through usual driving routines, but with a special additional lesson from instructors: Driving through a McDonald’s Drive Thru.

• While experiencing the Drive Thru School lessons, young drivers had the opportunity to buy and enjoy their favorite McDonald's products. And upon successfully completing the Drive Thru test, they earned a Drive Thru License that they could show off to their world.

• With just one promoted tweet, along with user-generated content on social media, we promoted The Drive Thru School, generating buzz and talkability for McDonald’s.