A Playable Bacon Record! Why Macca’s Punted Its US Creative Agency

A Playable Bacon Record! Why Macca’s Punted Its US Creative Agency

In a move that few saw coming, two weeks ago McDonald’s shifted most of its creative in the US from long-time incumbent DDB to famed indie agency Wieden & Kennedy, New York.

And now the reason for the move has been revealed – a bacon record!

According to reports on Business Insider, the relationship between agency and client – already a frosty one – broke down irrevocably when DDB’s creatives pitched an idea for a record made of bacon that was “playable and edible”.

Sadly, the piggy stunt never saw the light of day, neither did DDB’s other idea – a bespoke agency inside the Omnicom business solely dedicated to McDonald’s called Now We Are Unlimited.

Apparently, the playable porcine treat was the final straw for a frustrated Macca’s marketing team and it switched most of its creative to Wieden & Kennedy a fortnight ago.

DDB will continue as Macca’s creative partner in Australia while DDB in the US will retain some parts of the account – Happy Meals, apparently.

Wieden & Kennedy currently do KFC’s creative in the US, although both parties have insisted there’s no conflict of interest.

Macca’s has 14,000 restaurants in the US that generate a staggering $US38 billion ($A56 billion) in sales annually.

Commenting on the move to Wieden & Kennedy, Macca’s US CMO Morgan Flatley said he was not concerned about the agency’s affiliation with rival KFC, adding: “We wanted to make the decision around getting the best work that this business deserves.

“Creative excellence is a huge passion point of mine,” Flatley added, noting that the Wieden & Kennedy team understood “the heart and the soul of this brand”.

 

 




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DDB McDonald's Wieden + Kennedy

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