James Byrne, marketing manager, PML Group with this week’s Out \ Look on Out of Home
McDonald’s has released the latest instalment of its “Breakfast, done properly” platform. Created by Leo Burnett, “Iconic needs no explanation” follows research by Savanta’s McVue tool, which found that up to 90% of people correctly identified McDonald’s Breakfast products even when shown without branding.
The Out of Home shows large, close-up images of McDonald’s Breakfast items, with no logos, branding or copy. Planned by Zenith and Source out of home it is running on proximity Classic and Digital 6 Sheets in proximity to restaurants.
The latest campaign also features a series of 30- and 10-second films showcasing McDonald’s Breakfast items. Each film lingers on close-ups of the Sausage & Egg McMuffin, Hash Brown, Egg & Cheese McMuffin and Breakfast Wrap.
A voiceover explains how McDonald’s Breakfast needs no explanation. “Normally, I’d say something here about this,” he says, as the camera pans over a McDonald’s Hash Brown. “I’d talk a bit about how good it looks. Then I’d throw in some glowing words about how it tastes. But I don’t really need to do any of that, do I?”
“Iconic needs no explanation” rolls out across TV, Out of Home, radio, paid social, and in-store activations.
Radio executions ask listeners to picture the breakfast: “Think of a breakfast muffin with sausage and egg. Yep, that’s the one,” the voiceover says. “Picture it now. Doesn’t it look delicious?”
The campaign also features content on Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, with looping macro shots of its breakfast items appearing across social feeds and stories.
“Iconic needs no explanation” will extend to in-store screens, Drive-Thru kiosks and CRM push notifications.
James Hodson and Jason Keet, creative directors at Leo Burnett, commented: “There’s nothing on earth like a McDonald’s Breakfast. You can spot a McMuffin from miles away. Think of a hash brown. We bet it’s a McDonald’s hash brown. So we thought our job was to just get out of the way. No logo. No product names. No catchy copy. Just the shapes and textures that we all know and love.”
Consumers set to spring into action over Easter
With Easter Sunday falling on April 20th this year, new iQ data produced by PML Group and Ipsos B&A suggests a busy long weekend is on the cards for many. Two thirds of respondents plan to meet up with friends or family, making Easter a key moment for brands to engage audiences with relevance and presence in the lead-up to the break.
It’s not just gatherings that are driving movement. Three in ten plan to head to a beach or park, while over a quarter say they’ll be taking part in a family Easter egg hunt rising to one in three among 35–44s. It’s a weekend filled with ritual and rhythm where OOH has the ability to meet audiences as they shop, explore and socialise. Interestingly plans to meet up were highest among 55+ respondents at 70%.
Retail remains central to the Easter experience and especially among younger consumers. Four in ten 16–24s say they’ll be shopping for spring clothing, with retail footfall bolstered by the 37% of Dubliners planning a trip to the city centre over the holiday period. Cinema is also on the cards for over a third of respondents, peaking at 43% among 25–34s – a cue for film distributors and snack brands to make use of relevant routes and leisure formats.
Meanwhile latest audience figures from Kantar highlight just how much Easter spending has picked up. Irish shoppers spent €24.6 million on Easter eggs in March 2024, a €9.3 million increase year-on-year, with more than half of all eggs sold on promotion. Gift-giving also plays a growing role with 39% of adults in Ireland having bought an Easter gift in the past year. One in six Easter gift buyers expect to spend over €150, rising significantly among parents of young children.
And with the DAA reporting over 500,000 passengers passing through Dublin Airport over Easter weekend last year OOH’s role in high-footfall travel environments remain a worthy consideration. From airport formats to commuter corridors there are multiple points of connection with audiences across the break.
Easter is a time when intentions translate to action. Whether it’s gifting, gathering or getting away, it presents a fresh opportunity for brands to stay visible and be useful. OOH by design is in the right place to meet consumers where their plans unfold, and to help turn brand presence into seasonal performance.
