THE MOST-LOVED GEN-Z HIT OF 2023 WAS A RECRUITMENT AD.

A pop song about McDonald's recruitment policies fine-tuned to suit the sensibilities ​​of Gen-Zs, this song harnessed the profound messaging power of music to gain a huge boost in recruitment efforts.

Strategically utilizing audio-centric viral media, the artist performed this on her radio programs, television programs, and live tours. Furthermore, it was broadcast daily as in-store music at 3,000 McDonald's across Japan. There was also an AR live performance only available in-store.

It turned Gen-Zs who love the song into potential McDonald’s crew.

CULTURAL BACKGROUND: Japan, the land of hospitality, was also the land of forced smiles.

Visitors to the country encounter many smiling faces. This is because the Japanese are hospitality-minded with a culture of respect for others. However, the excessive customer-first mentality can mean hardship for workers. There was pressure to smile at all times.

INSIGHT: Gen-Zs suffer from pressure to smile

The pressure to 'smile all the time' was prevalent in the daily lives of Gen-Zs, negatively affecting their mental health. Japan has one of the highest rates of depression and suicide in the world; only in Japan was there a significant increase in the rate of suicides among Gen-Zs.

BRAND STANDPOINT: McDonald's was complicit in this.

McDonald's Japan, which has upheld the smile since its establishment in Japan, was one of the brands involved in creating this stifling 'smile culture'.

No Smiles　- The company was filled with genuine smiles, when you didn’t have to smile -

McDonald's, which always placed great emphasis on 'smiles', delivered a message to through music: it's okay not to force a smile and to work authentically. The music resonated with many users and spread rapidly.

CHANGE IN HIRING POLICY: "Work with your smile" to "Work with your style"

Before creating the song, McDonald's, known as a smile-laden brand, thoroughly reviewed all its hiring criteria and manuals to create a more -friendly work environment.

COLLABORATION: When a Non-Smiling Idol Met McDonald's.

Ano, an artist immensely popular among Gen-Zs, was cast for the collaboration. She is known for her authentic no-nonsense personality and as a "non-smiling idol." She also had a true story of being fired from a part-time job for not being 'smiley' enough.

Those fries I ate while watching TV

I’m stuck in this room escaping from reality

Buns! Patty! Mustard! Ketchup! Cheese! Have a nice day!

Morning set, my reward for waking early in your hand, have a nice day!

I live on the edge If I get scolded, I lose a life

I'll be 1 UP, if you praise me for a job well done

I won't give you a smile so easily

I want to be my own self

I'll fry the world a juicy one, and sprinkle some of my saltiness

I won't give you a smile so easily

I just get my job done right right right~~

I’m not good at working with others, but I hold the power

I’m a player that jumps in without knowing the rules

If I don’t have a manual for survival, it’s game over

Communication is a little bit difficult but I think I can do it with telepathy

Work is fun once you get the hang of it

and if you praise me I’ll be a little happy

Chicken Chicken Nugget Nugget Barbe Barbe Que (Que!)

Chicken Chicken Nugget Nugget Mustard! (Mustard!)

Happy Happy Meal has a treasure (A treasure)

Take out the pickles to customize (Customize)

I live on the edge If I get scolded, I lose a life

I'll be 1 UP, if you praise me for a job well done

I won't give you a smile so easily

I want to be my own self

I'll fry the world a juicy one, and sprinkle some of my saltiness

I won't give you a smile so easily

I just get my job done right right right~~

I’m not good at working with others, but I hold the power

I wonder if I can smile one day,

but for now, I can't give you my smile

Let’s go!

MCDONALD'S SUSTAINED BY GEN-Zs.

3,000 shops nationwide. 100 million visitors every month. Behind this mega-business was Gen-Zs, which accounted for about 60% of the total workforce. However, with Japan's birthrate declining, the number of crew members is decreasing year by year and the company suffered from a chronic shortage of staff.

THE BIG HANDICAP OF THE 'ZERO YEN SMILE'

McDonald's 'zero yen smile', which it had upheld since its inception, was a symbol of hospitality for customers, but it was a becoming a barrier for those considering part-time work. It went against the values of Gen-Zs, who wanted to live life on their own terms.

ALSO A SOURCE OF CURIORSITY ON SNS

Prank videos were being uploaded on YouTube and TikTok ordering smiles and forcing people to smile, reducing the appeal of working at McDonald's.

- MV VIEWS: OVER 10M.

- OVER 36M including user contributions and views on other social networking sites (as of April 2024). This equates to all of Gen Z in Japan having seen the video more than twice.

- Number of recruits, the biggest goal of McDonald's Japan: OVER 100,000. The largest number ever in the company's 5 decades of operation in Japan. A recruitment impact that far exceeded the target.

- Brand Score "The Good Employer" among Gen-Zs increased by 130%.

- The word 'smile'in the manual, which had been untouched for 50 years, has also changed. Changes to the rules have also been made in line with the the values of.

- This movement spread to other companies across Japan and the song became a hallmark of the 'Be yourself' working style.

GEN-Zs DON'T WANT TO BE FORCED TO SMILE.

Gen-Zs respect diverse values and outlooks. For those who want to live their lives exactly as they are, being forced to smile is unacceptable.

GEN-Zs DON'T LIKE MANUALS.

Gen-Zs dislike being bound by rules, not only regarding smiling but also clothing and hairstyles. McDonald's reviewed these workplace rules and created a piece of music to symbolize their policy change.

GEN-Zs HATE FAKE.

True stories are strong in social media. Wildly popular Gen-Z artist, ‘Ano’ once got fired from her part-time job because she wasn’t 'smiley' enough. This story of hers, along with the song spread widely on social media.