McDonald’s removes the iconic smile from Happy Meal boxes to mark Mental Health Awareness Week
McDonald’s launches ‘The Meal’: new integrated campaign removes the iconic smile from Happy Meal boxes® for the first time ever to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.
McDonald’s UK and communications agency Ready10, together with Leo Burnett UK, have created a multi-channel campaign following research commissioned by McDonald’s which reveals that almost half (48%) of UK children feel like they must be happy all the time, even if they do not want to be.
McDonald’s has created and distributed 2.5 million limited-edition Happy Meal® boxes to over 1,400 McDonald’s restaurants across the country. Selected locations will also receive stickers showcasing an array of emotions children experience, allowing kids to communicate how they are feeling by placing stickers directly onto the boxes.
The campaign has been developed in partnership with BBC Children in Need, and a dedicated hub has been designed to provide families with access to a whole host of resources to encourage candid conversations on emotional well-being with children. The hub will be available to access via a QR code on the limited-edition Happy Meal® boxes, as well as via the McDonald’s website and social media channels.
Launching the campaign is a short film directed by Jake Mavity, through Rogue Films. The two-minute film showcases the importance of children openly expressing the range of emotions they feel.
The film begins with children reacting to being handed an expressionless Happy Meal box.
The children choose from a range of expression stickers to place on their Happy Meal box, prompting each child to explore and discuss their own emotions. The film will run from May 13th to 19th.
The voiceover for the film was provided by football legend and broadcaster Rio Ferdinand, who was recruited by Ready10 to front the campaign as someone familiar with having to tackle conversations around emotions with children. Drawing on his own personal parenting experiences, Ferdinand participated in photography, media interviews and social media amplification to support the campaign, as well as providing the voiceover for the launch film.
A comprehensive media plan across OOH, social and SFVOD will support the creative, with a variety of parenting influencers recruited to provide their own viewpoint on family conversations around conveying emotion.
Louise Page, head of consumer comms and partnerships, McDonald’s says: “We know how important it is to help stimulate open conversations about mental health in families, and through this change to our Happy Meal® box, we hope many more families are encouraged to kickstart positive conversations around children’s emotions and wellbeing.”
Kate Addy, managing partner, Ready10 says: “The Happy Meal® smile is one of McDonald’s most iconic brand marks and we knew suggesting it was removed from the boxes would be a big ask, but we were delighted when McDonald’s also saw the potential to positively impact millions of children with this important campaign. We know the insight at the heart of the idea is one that will resonate with families across the country, and it’s been a privilege to create something which will encourage children and parents to be more open about their emotions.”
Andrew Long and James Millers, executive creative directors, Leo Burnett UK, said: “Happy Meal® is all about bringing families together, and to do that, it’s important we’re open with all our emotions. By using the most famous children’s meal in the country to deliver this message, we hope this populist campaign will reach and resonate with families across the nation, and foster important conversations around children’s mental health.”
Ready10 developed the idea, working with Leo Burnett to build the campaign, with Ready10 being responsible for PR, talent and influencer recruitment, and Leo Burnett developing the creative executions and website build. OMD UK handled all media planning and buying, with CRM by Armadillo.
Credits
CAMPAIGN TITLE: The Meal
CLIENT: McDonald’s UK
HEAD OF CONSUMER COMMS & PARTNERSHIPS: Louise Page
COMMUNITIES & PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER: Melodie Richards
CONSUMER PR MANAGER: Charlie Madsen-Pilcher
COMMS AGENCY: READY10
MANAGING DIRECTOR: David Fraser
MANAGING PARTNER: Kate Addy
CAMPAIGN LEAD: Tom Stroud
DIRECTOR: Laura Coleman
SENIOR CREATIVE STRATEGIST: Dana Hanna
SOCIAL AND DIGITAL ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Nader Ghahreman
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Francesca Martin
ACCOUNT MANAGER: Immy Omole
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Sophie Donne
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Chloe Phillips
DESIGNER: Aman Malhi
CREATIVE AGENCY: LEO BURNETT
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Mark Elwood
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Andrew Long & James Millers
SENIOR CREATIVE: Helen Rogerson
SENIOR CREATIVE: Owen Hunter Jenkins
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Hayley Power
CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN: David Allen
DESIGNER: Danny Flint
DESIGNER: Charlie Crosthwaite
MOTION DESIGN DIRECTOR: Carmen Perez
MOTION DESIGNER: Milan Mezi
PROJECT DIRECTOR: Siobhan Mulcahy
AGENCY TV PRODUCER: Georgia Morris
DEPUTY CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER: Tom Sussman
PLANNER: Hamish Cameron
BUSINESS LEAD: Steph Bates
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Charlotte Crawley
SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER: Sian Davidson
ACCOUNT MANAGER: Brittony Kelly
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Rogue Films
PRODUCER: Fred Bonham-Carter
DIRECTOR: Jake Mavity
EDITOR: Flaura Atkinson
POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Stich Editing (Offline), Black Kite (Online + Animation)
AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Sine Audio
CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST: DR MARYHAN
HEAD OF MARKETING, BRAND AFFINITY, TRUST, FAMILY: Hannah Pain
SENIOR BRAND MANAGER: Amber Myers
ASSISTANT CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Lamis Altur
MEDIA AGENCY: OMD UK
CRM: ARMADILLO
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