McDonald’s Australia Formally Ends 54-Year DDB Run, Appoints Eleven to Lead Earned

McDonald’s Australia has ended the local industry’s longest-running partnership, confirming it would officially part ways at the end of the year with DDB Sydney after appointing Wieden+Kennedy at the start of the year. The fast food giant had worked with DDB since it entered the Australian market 54 years ago, in 1971.

McDonald’s has also appointed Omnicom’s Eleven, part of TBWA Group, to support its earned media. Previously Mango, part of DDB, held the PR account. 

In her first public statement since being announced as McDonald’s Australia CMO in April, Annabel Fribence thanked DDB for its work on the account, notably for campaigns such as Jimmy Dean & ‘Mac Time Rocks On’, and the more recent, Silver Lion-winning Big Mac campaign, ‘The Original Mouthful’.

Annabel rejoined McDonald’s from her previous role as Westpac CMO, which was also a DDB client before she took it to pitch. In February, DDB Sydney ended its 13-year partnership with Westpac in “a bittersweet farewell.” The account was later won by BMF. 

“As the longest-running partnership in the industry, we have so much to be proud of and have built an incredible legacy,” said Annabel of the relationship between DDB and McDonald’s.

“DDB has been a true partner, pushing us, supporting us, keeping us brave and ultimately ensuring we continue to grow. Thank you for the partnership and all the best for the future.

"The Omnicom Oceania Group will continue to be a core part of our village, flexing as our needs change. An example of this is that we welcome Eleven to support us in earned media."

Publicis agency Digitas retained the CRM business in October. The McDonald’s Australia agency village includes Wiedens, Akcelo, Digitas, and DDB's Omnicom Oceania stablemates Annalect, OMD, and now Eleven.

DDB Group Sydney CEO, Sheryl Marjoram, wished the village well and said, "Our partnership has been defined by more than shared goals, it's been powered by determination, proving longevity is earned, not given. Our partnership navigated change, seized opportunities and built solutions. We're proud of the success we celebrate today.”

After revealing the McDonald’s creative account was subject to a closed pitch among existing agency partners at the end of last year, in January LBB reported Wiedens had won the business and would set up a Sydney outpost.

At the time, the agency exclusively told LBB of its growth plans that the "priority first and foremost is McDonald's".

"Our approach to expansion will always be built around growing relationships with current clients first, vs growing to get bigger for ourselves," an agency spokesperson said.

Wieden+Kennedy originally began with the McCafe and Chicken businesses, with its first work in Australia involving a cryptic billboard and a new permanent menu item: Chicken McWings. LBB understands both Wiedens and Akcelo have expanded their remits.

This year, DDB Sydney has won the creative accounts for DoorDash, and TK Maxx, both revealed by LBB.