McDonald's Hong Kong Celebrates the Future by Honouring the Past

In partnership with DDB and Tribal Hong Kong, McDonald’s is celebrating its latest state-of-the-art concept store at City Plaza in Taikoo Shing, by opening the door to a rich history. 

Through an intensive four-day campaign, DDB and Tribal Hong Kong quite literally turned back the time by recreating McDonald’s adverts from the past. Covering TV, newspaper, magazine, outdoor, radio and online placements, the far-reaching campaign, reminiscent of times before 4K, HD, digital screens and face detection, is designed to inspire shared feelings of nostalgia with its authentic, retro look hailing from the 1990s. The campaign kicked off with McDonald’s iconic ‘Fish symphony’ TV spot, coincidentally created by DDB Group Hong Kong’s Chief Creative Officer and Managing Director, Carol Lam, back in 1997. 

“Imagine paging through a glossy magazine and coming across an old McDonald’s ad, or hearing a crackly old radio spot on your favourite station,” said Lam. “The magic of our campaign lies in this stark contrast between old and new, creating a stolen moment for customers to reflect on a simpler time.”

DDB Group Hong Kong’s digital arm Tribal drove the reach of the campaign through an integrated mix of modern media channels, and further extended the nostalgic sentiments across social media with the help of key opinion leaders, encouraging people to share their memories of McDonald’s. 

Featuring over 1,000 McDonald’s toys dating back to 1980, the campaign culminated in a colourful, interactive Toy Museum at City Plaza, which was brought to life by event agency Amaz and enriched by Tribal’s QR code activation offering customers the chance to win souvenirs or redeem a classic hamburger set at a classic price.

“McDonald’s is at the heart of many special memories created over a shared meal. We are very fortunate to be able to use this rich heritage as a vehicle to celebrate our latest concept store,” said Esther Chung, Director of Marketing at McDonald’s Hong Kong. “The retro campaign and Toy Museum give us the chance to honour our history while looking towards our bright future.”