McDonald's 'Welcome Back' Captures Joyous Return of the Big Mac

This Friday 17th July, McDonald’s launches their new advert celebrating the joy of reuniting customers with their beloved McDonald’s.’ Welcome Back’ will air on ITV on Friday after premiering on McDonald’s social channels at 9am.

The 40 second advert highlights the pure excitement felt across the nation as McDonald’s reopens for take-away, Drive-thru and McDelivery, and customers embrace their McDonald’s rituals.

Opening with a little girl anxiously pressed up against her window watching for her McDelivery to arrive, what follows is the anticipation and joy as McDonald’s deliver what their customers have been waiting for. 

Whether they’re team ‘Gherkin or Gherkout’, fans of fries dipped in their milkshakes, or just ready for their first Big Mac bite in weeks, the advert captures each moment of customers unadulterated delight.

And, in response to the many fan requests across social media during lockdown, it couldn’t be done without the fitting accompanying track of Mark Morrison’s ‘Return of the Mack’…

Michelle Graham-Clare, vice president food and marketing, McDonald’s UK and Ireland said: “Thinking back to the start of the year, we could never have imagined needing to close all of our restaurants, switching off marketing and despite being the UK’s biggest restaurant company – falling briefly silent. It was incredible to see the reactions from customers during our temporary closure. Homemade McMuffins, countless odes to McNuggets on TikTok and over 15,000 people urging us to return the Big Mac with Return of the Mack.

“Our return to national advertising, celebrates those rituals and moments our customers have spent the last four months telling us they’re missing. It is fantastic to be able to return with a knowing nod to the little ways our customers enjoy our food in different ways. Our restaurant teams and franchisees have worked tirelessly to return to the communities in which we operate and I am delighted to capture the joy of those must-missed McDonald’s moments in this campaign.”

The campaign is created by Leo Burnett London, and the advert directed by Friend’s Jake Mavity in collaboration with Leo Burnett. The campaign also consists of OOH, social and radio, delivering moments of milkshake dipping, fry-pinching and Happy Meal surprising joy, with the tagline ‘Gherkin or Gherkout’ making a reappearance over a mouth-watering image of the iconic burger.  

Chaka Sobhani, Leo Burnett’s chief creative officer, said: “From the opening notes of Return of the Mack to the big smiles that follow, we hope this film captures the real buzz and joy our customers are feeling at having their favourite delicious food items back and available. With joy at its heart, our lady at the end sums up that feeling perfectly and simply with “I’m so happy”.

The Welcome Back campaign, created by Leo Burnett, will appear nationwide this week, with TV, radio and social rolling out from 17th July for six weeks. Media planning and buying is led by OMD UK.  

McDonald’s has been responsibly testing its Delivery and Drive-thru services since mid-May, running reduced hours and menus to keep its customers and crew as safe as possible.