Normally we don’t show typical Dutch commercials, because the humour is often culturally challenged and thus not very funny for an international (and critical) crowd. But this guy telling his girl she still owes him money for the burger he bought her during a ‘romantic’ dinner at McDonald’s made us laugh. Especially because it highlights one of the most famous preconceptions about the Dutch; they are all stingy bastards! And since McDonald’s – with its think global act local strategy – sells a ‘Dutch Deluxe’ this week (on a brown bun, yuck!), the execution is spot on briefing; “deliciously Dutch”. Created by TBWA\Neboko and produced by CZAR.
Stockholm/New York/Amsterdam based agency Perfect Fools created a whole new, unexpected and daring campaign for McDonald’s in the Nordic countries. The most striking thing about it, is that the campaign doesn’t revolve around bad burgers and salty fries, but around 60 minutes of “satire”. The story, written and directed by Jens Jonsson, was created together with TV production company Happy Fiction and is told over seven episodes on the website Dreaming In Mono. It is also broadcasted on four Nordic TV networks. The story is about a rivalry between two ski legends of which one wants to break a ski record on a monoski – this topic proofs how McDonald’s always thinks global but acts local. The first episode definitely made us curious to see more. Since the only link to McDonald’s is that the fictional characters buy their food there, we can easily imagine that this campaign will change the McDonald’s brand into a more exclusive brand – or at least less mainstream. And if McDonald’s would simultaneously upgrade its food, we can even imagine ourselves eating there! All in all, a beautiful example of branded content.
This website was made by EuroRSCG Amsterdam. Through a security camera, you can follow the indecisiveness of a KFC customer ‘live’ – but not really. As if to say, at KFC it all looks so good, it’s too hard to make a choice. If you guess what he will eventually choose, you can win ‘fantastic prizes’. In itself a nice idea. But it immediately made us think of the subservient chicken, made by Crispin Porter + Bogusky for Burger King in 2004. It went very viral and was one of the first great examples of the interactive potential of online advertising. Although the KFC guy is not dressed up like a chicken (he only wears a fake beard) and does not do funny moves on request, it is the poor quality of the footage, the fake perception of live action and the funny ‘highlights’ that it has in common with the Burger King ad. And of course the CP+B campaign was (ironically) also promoting chicken. If you think the link to the Burger King campaign is too farfetched; the website even more reminds us of a commercial from the other big fast food chain; McDonald’s. In 2007 TBWA\Neboko made a commercial with kids not being able to choose at the counter. The pay-off: lots of variation in our happy meals, makes it a tough choice.
