fbpx

Leo Burnett takes a bite out of DDB’s happy meal

Leo Burnett Sydney has won the McCafé and Family portfolios for McDonald’s across Australia and New Zealand, taking the business off DDB, which has held the account for more than 30 years. 

Mark Lollback, McDonald’s chief marketing officer ANZ said in a release: “McDonald’s Australia is extremely pleased to be working with the creative talent at Leo Burnett Sydney. As a member of our global roster of agencies, we look forward to leveraging the Leo Burnett knowledge of McDonald’s to successfully drive these areas of our business. Leo Burnett Sydney created a very successful campaign launching Smoothies and Frappes last summer [when it broke DDB’s monopoly on the account], and we’re confident they will bring the same insight and creativity to upcoming campaigns.”

“We’re equally pleased to be continuing work with DDB, who have worked with McDonald’s for more than 30 years,” he says. “DDB consistently deliver innovative and impactful creative for McDonald’s Australia and New Zealand, such as our recent 40th Anniversary Service Promise and Loose Change Menu campaigns. We look forward to building on this success with them into the future.”

Todd Sampson, Leo Burnett Australia CEO said, “McDonald’s is a brilliant company and we are so excited to be back. In the past we have done some award-winning work with them including Inner Child and Name it Burger and we look forward to the huge opportunities that are coming our way. For me, working again with Macca’s was a personal mission. Today is a day to celebrate.”

Marty O’Halloran, DDB ANZ Chairman and chief executive said, “McDonald’s is a hugely valued partner of DDB’s across ANZ. They have always been able to tap into the global roster for specific projects or pillars, as they have in the past. We will continue to be the lead agency for McDonald’s and will continue to work with them in developing great output that drives their business forward.”

DDB NZ’s managing director Justin Mowday was unable to be contacted to see what effect it would have on the local outpost. 

When we talked to him about DDB NZ’s self-reflexive and pretty funny chicken campaign starring Shane Warne that ran here and in Australia, he said the two offices often shared the creative workload and “when a large, significant brief comes in, the best idea rises to the top”.  

DDB NZ’s idea to leverage McDonald’s sponsorship of the Olympics recently rose to the top, and its ’Staying Up’ ad is currently running in both countries (letting your son stay up late watching TV so he’s tired at school and then giving up and plying him with Maccas is an impressive display of bad dadding). 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcSq42jt6rY

Presumably the sharing of the creative workload will continue, but with less work now on the plate for DDB Sydney, it will be interesting to see whether it will affect the number of briefs coming New Zealand’s way. 

About Author

Avatar photo

One of the talented StopPress Team of Content Producers made this post happen.

Comments are closed.