McDonald’s global brand head says its data shows awards are good for business
The director of global brand for McDonald’s has said the company encourages their agencies to chase awards before a panel which examined the longstanding relationships the fast food giant has had with its panel of global agencies in Cannes.
Talking about why it had mandated itself to become the Advertiser of the Year at the festival fie years ago, a feat it has been awarded this year, Matt Biespiel, said its internal data showed award winning creative yields a “54 per cent increase on spend”.
“So yes awards are good for business.”
The panel examined the longstanding and unusual relationship McDonald’s has with its panel of agencies, with senior representatives from DDB, Leo Burnett, TBWA and OMD, explaining how they work together.
Biespiel said awards help create a virtuous circle where they attract the best creative talent to the agencies, who in turn create the best work for the brand.
Explaining why creativity is important to the brand he said: “Competitors can replicate the tangible aspects of our brand, but they can’t replicate the intangible assets of our brand, like creativity, culture or the five sonic notes.”
He said people who were long-term staff members at McDonald’s have “ketchup in the veins”.
Leo Burnett’s global creative president Mark Tutssel singled out the DDB Australia Day campaign where signs were changed to call the restaurant Maccas as his favourite example of recent work for the brand.
He said: “It was the brand dovetailing with people in such a beautiful way and celebrating that relationship with an authentic voice on a day of celebration and independence.”
“There’s no greater joy than seeing great work and I personally don’t are who the author is as long as it’s great,” he added.
Alex Hayes in Cannes
