Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews Face Off in This McDonald’s Campaign
Jordan versus Bird. Gretzky versus Sundin. And now, McDavid versus Matthews. Everyone loves a great head-to-head featuring big-name athletes, and McDonald’s has been doing it since the ‘90s, as part of its signature ‘Showdown’ campaign series.
However, avid sports fans will probably notice the generational gap in the aforementioned list, which begs the question, after all these years off, why did the brand bring back this classic? The answer is an interesting one. McDonald’s Canada, along with its partner creative agency, Cossette, observed that with the coming of age of a new generation of sports fans, things were shifting rapidly. The rise of online culture has allowed audiences to be more connected than ever before – engaging with teams and players with all-new levels of intimacy. In short, their understanding and perception of the sport, and its players, are different. And this is why it was time to reimagine ‘Showdown’ for the new era.
Of course, at its core, the work still had to focus on friendly rivalry, and keep the sense of fun purveyed by the originals. Yet, the nods to early 2000s video games and TikTok edits in the spot are a clever way of adapting to the times – striking the perfect balance between nostalgic and new. It’s all great fun which thrives off the humour of the two hockey stars, and honestly, it’s best seen to be believed.
To learn more about how this came to life, and get some recommendations about what to order from the associated ‘Showdown Menu’ that was released with the work, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with McDonald’s Canada’s marketing director of brand strategy, Rebecca Smart, as well as the team from Cossette, including executive creative director Andrew Chisholm, and creative director Darya Klymenko, for a chat.
LBB> From the top, what was the brief for this campaign, and what made now the right time to bring back ‘Showdown’?
Rebecca> The brief was open-ended – we challenged the team to create a cultural moment that would ignite McDonald’s fandom in a big way.
Hockey is experiencing a renaissance, with viewership hitting record highs among younger audiences. This demographic is redefining what it means to be a hockey fan, shifting from a wholesome, hometown vibe to a more edgy, unbuttoned take on the game – one that focuses on the players. With fans going all in for their favourite players both on and off the ice, we put those players' personalities front and center in a big, fun way that felt uniquely McDonald’s.
Andrew & Darya> We knew McDonald's had an iconic sports history, and in particular, a rich hockey heritage. What’s more, for the first time ever, the ‘4 Nations Face-Off’ is coming, and we had a hunch that the ‘Larry Bird and Michael Jordan of hockey’ facing off – one representing Canada, the other the USA – was bound to generate some serious buzz.
LBB> Tell us more about McDonald’s’ relationship with hockey. Why is it so important to the brand?
Rebecca> We have a rich hockey heritage, from supporting minor hockey in communities across Canada through our ‘atoMc Hockey’ programme, to our partnership with the NHL and the original ‘Showdown’ hockey campaign in 1997. Hockey holds a special place in the hearts of many Canadians, and it’s a perfect way for us to connect with these fans.
LBB> Building on this, how did you get Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews involved, and what made them the right headliners for this campaign?
Andrew & Darya> Looking at McDonald’s ‘Showdowns’ of the past (Bird and Jordan, then Gretzky and Sundin), Matthews and McDavid were the obvious choices.
Hockey careers aside, fans love speculating on their friendship and whereabouts. These guys have massive social media followings but infrequent posts, so we knew people would love to see more of them.
They also represent a cultural shift in hockey, which we talked about a lot. Sports media today is way more inclusive and online than it was even five years ago, making this the perfect time to be part of this renaissance.
We worked with Endeavour for talent management, and somehow the ad gods smiled down on us as both fellas loved the idea and could make time for it.
LBB> What was the writing process like? How did you ensure that the dialogue felt authentic to the two athletes, while also paying homage to the playfully competitive spirit of the originals?
Andrew & Darya> We made room for riffing while ensuring gems like ‘Nothin’ but net’ stayed in there. Our director was really great at getting the guys to try a bunch of lines while letting their natural chemistry come through.
LBB> Speaking of the director, who was responsible for the spot? What was the collaboration like, and how did the shoot go?
Andrew & Darya> Pete Marquis and Circle Productions, with Adam Marsden as DP! Pete directed last year’s ’Remix Menu’ spot with Lil Yachty and we got lucky again; he had a last-minute opening and had been working on a hockey film. So, he came in with amazing shots in mind, which was only bolstered by his wealth of experience working with athletes.
To answer the second question, shooting was so much fun! Pete’s an incredibly kind and a fantastic collaborator, and the athletes were consummate professionals. Even their casual puck shots were awe-inspiring. We were all kicking our feet and giggling between takes.
LBB> Overall, do you have any anecdotes from the experience?
Andrew> Two!
Firstly, Auston brought his dog, Felix, to the shoot. However, there was a moment when Felix snuck off set, and a bunch of kids outside were like, ‘We know you’re shooting something with Auston Matthews – we saw Felix!’. It just shows how different hockey fandom is today. Even the players’ dogs are celebs.
Darya> The other involved Connor, who shared a sweet story about growing up and getting McDonald’s breakfast with his dad after practice every Sunday. It’s one of the reasons I love working on this brand – everyone, even the most intimidatingly-talented hockey legends, has a personal connection to it.
LBB> Of course, the edit and VFX are incredible – especially the video game sequence. How did you bring the spot to life in post?
Darya> I believe when people have fun along the way, it shows. Watching the video game scene come together, even before we started shooting, was such a blast and a great way to honour one of hockey’s best subcultures.
Shoutout to Nimiopere, Feather, and Royal Muster, who really held it down. In the editing room, Graham, our editor, would text ideas directly to the Feather team. Everyone was in constant communication. It was truly ‘#teamworkmakesthedreamwork’ from start to finish.
LBB> The soundtrack also amps things up a notch. Tell us about the composition process!
Andrew & Darya> We worked with Beacon, which has tonnes of TV and film experience. The team approached the track as a score, creating an ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ vibe that we loved.
LBB> As part of this campaign, McDonald’s also developed the new ‘Showdown Menu’ with some cool offerings. What was this process like? And are there any in particular you’d recommend trying?
Rebecca> It was a collaborative effort between Cossette and our team to create a line-up that celebrates our iconic menu items while paying tribute to the love Canadians have for hockey. To do this, we took inspiration from the players’ personalities and hockey styles, with complimentary items taking root in hockey fandom.
As for recommendations, the ‘Big Mac-David’ and ‘Smoky Quarter Papi’ are the stars of the show, but I think the ‘Power Play Poutine’ with spicy maple is not to be missed. I’m not sure we could get more Canadiana in one product: hockey, plus poutine, plus maple!
LBB> What challenges have you faced during this project? How did you overcome them?
Rebecca> We immediately loved the creative idea proposed by Cossette, but it completely hinged on being able to secure Connor and Auston. So, we were forced to move quickly from concept approval to execution in order to bring the idea to life.
We really do have great partners with Cossette, Endeavour and Circle Productions, and Connor and Auston’s teams were incredible. Really, all of this relied on all of us believing in the idea and making it happen!
LBB> What lessons have you learned in the making of this campaign?
Rebecca> I learned lots of new hockey terms that I didn’t know before! But really, it’s just another reminder of how much fun and creativity you’re allowed when you tap into fandom in an authentic way.
LBB> Since launch, how have people reacted to this campaign?
Rebecca> We have seen a great response, and are so thrilled with the excitement and love we are getting from our fans and the hockey community.
Andrew & Darya> Really well! You almost forget just how much of Canada is hockey until you work on a project like this. Seeing how much of our world outside of advertising loves this has been a treat. Plus, the menu items are so tasty!
LBB> How does this campaign fit into McDonald’s’ branding for 2025 and beyond?
Rebecca> We love that we are reigniting our relationship with young hockey fans through McDonald's’ playful spirit. We’re creating a cultural moment that spotlights McDonald’s as the one thing all friendly rivals can agree on.
LBB> Finally, do you have a favourite scene from the video? And why?
Andrew> I love the Nickelback scene. It’s a great IYKYK nod to Connor. And his ‘you know you love ‘em’ line was straight from the heart.
Rebecca> My favourite moment has to be the ‘other net’ moment. I love the friendly banter between them.
However, some of my other favourites are in the social content we developed which really shows the playfulness and light-hearted fun (and you can catch some Felix moments – IYKYK).
