McDonald’s split: Longest client-agency partnership in Australian advertising comes to an end
McDonald’s Australia will part ways with its creative agency partner DDB Group Sydney at the end of 2025, Mumbrella can reveal.
It marks the end of the longest current client-agency partnership in Australian advertising, with DDB Group Sydney having serviced the account for 54 years.
McDonald’s confirmed the news with Mumbrella on Thursday afternoon.
“I want to personally thank DDB Group Sydney for being a long-term partner of our brand and business. DDB has been a true partner, pushing us, supporting us, and ultimately ensuring we continue to grow,” Annabel Fribence, recently appointed chief marketing officer, said in a statement.
“Together, we have evolved the iconic Macca’s brand, and we are proud of the incredible creative legacy we have built.”
Earlier this year, DDB Sydney lost a portion of the account — the McCafe and Chicken portfolios — to Wieden+Kennedy. The remainder of its agency village remains the same — Akcelo, Digitas, Wieden+Kennedy, and DDB’s Omnicom Oceania stablemates OMD and Annalect. It has also welcomed Eleven to support it in earned media.
McDonald’s in Yangoona, NSW, 1973 (State Libary of NSW)
Mumbrella understands the account will not go to pitch and no new agency will be added to the village. DDB has worked with McDonald’s since the brand entered the Australian market in 1971.
At 54 years, the McDonald’s-DDB relationship was the longest existing in Australian advertising, but not the longest full stop. That honour goes to Arnotts and GPY&R, a relationship that ended in 2012 after around 70 years.
Stand out campaigns in the 54-year partnership include the Big Mac chant, which was resurrected in last year’s “The Original Mouthful”, “Jimmy Dean & Mac Time Rocks On”, “Nugg-boots”, and its 50th anniversary campaign “We arrived as McDonald’s. You made us Macca’s”.
Sheryl Marjoram, CEO of DDB Group Sydney, thanked McDonald’s in a statement to Mumbrella.
“Our partnership with Macca’s has been defined by more than shared goals, it’s been powered by determination, proving longevity is earned, not given,” she said.
“Our partnership navigated change, seized opportunities and built solutions. We’re proud of the success we celebrate today.”
She extended her thanks to Fribence and the marketing team, the senior leadership team, franchisees, and the wider agency village.
It signals a big challenge for the new Omnicom Oceania boss, Nick Garrett. DDB Group Sydney also parted ways with Westpac in February this year, after 13 years. Shortly after, the agency shared that 15 employees would be affected by redundancies.
DDB Sydney has, however, welcomed new clients this year including TK Maxx, Mumbrella understands.
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Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the agency beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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Annabel Fribence
client agency relationship
DDB
DDB Group
DDB Sydney
Macca's
McDonald's
Sheryl Marjoram
Someone is not a fan of DDB…they got the knife when someone was at Westpac too!! No Happy Meal for you!!
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