Big Mac Special Sauce Integrated Communications

McDonald’s launched a nationwide campaign to create excitement about two limited-time menu items joining the iconic Big Mac family: the Grand Mac and the Mac Jr. The centerpiece of the campaign was a one-time promotional giveaway event. McDonald’s released for the first time a limited amount of numbered, consumer-size bottles of the popular “special sauce” for which the Big Mac is known. Of 10,000 promotional bottles of sauce, 250 bottles were for Houston.

The Challenge

CKP, as McDonald’s Houston’s agency of record, had to determined where and how to distribute the coveted bottles of Big Mac Special Sauce to McDonald’s fans as well as how to effectively translate the Big Mac Sauce Giveaway into both positive buzz and sales. Research had shown that an overwhelming majority of millennials had never tried a Big Mac. McDonald’s wanted to make a concentrated effort to reach this group on a local level with targeted, grassroots efforts.

CAMPAIGN GOALS

Generate awareness and buzz
Increase sales of the Big Mac with millennials
Engage the Asian, Latino, and African American consumer markets
Localize the national promotion with a distinct Houston character

The CKP Approach

We partnered with three Houston chefs with strong social media presence to produce videos featuring their Special Sauce creations. The videos were shared on multiple channels and they received local and national press coverage. Our content was prioritized and complemented with micro-influencer engagement and earned media.

These strategies were amplified with a blended advertising strategy. The creative curated and shared the brand story through original photography, videography, and copywriting for press, advertising, and social media.
We focused the giveaway to 5 locations to reach the highest possible number of fans around the city. The McDonald’s at the University of Houston was chosen to harness the passion of millennials.

CKP optimized on-site brand presence to engender user-generated content by enhancing the giveaway locations with selfie frames, props of McDonald’s items, a step-and-repeat, and having Grimace, Birdie, and Hamburglar on hand to pose with guests. A recap video was shared across local social media channels, which drove a flurry of post-event social media and publicity.

Integrated Communications Strategy

Integrated communications planning

Content Marketing

Content marketing strategy and execution

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing

Media Relations

Media relations planning and engagement

Advertising

Digital advertising strategy, execution and management

Video and Photography

New lifestyle photography

Video and Photography

New content video series

Creative Services

Event concept, brand activation and management

Meaningful Results

Our earned campaign led all US McDonald’s markets by a significant margin. CKP’s local Houston social media campaign also significantly outperformed other US McDonald’s markets. The ultimate goal of this campaign was to create awareness and interest in the new and existing Big Mac products.

Sales of Big Mac menu items increased 90% in the Houston market following the campaign. As McDonald’s would say, people were lovin’ it.

Video Storytelling

Awards

Public Relations Society of America HoustonConsumer Products & Services Marketing Campaign

Hermes Creative AwardsProduct Launch

Highlights and Objectives

Media Placements

Cumulative Impressions

Publicity Value

Increase in Facebook Engagement

Increase in Twitter Reach

Increase in Big Mac Sales

What Our Clients Say

CKP provides crucial support to Da Camera in the areas of media relations, content marketing, advertising and social media, allowing us to make dramatic forward strides in those areas. It’s invaluable to our organization to be able to draw on the deep expertise of the CKP team. CKP is always responsive and focused on our needs.

Leo Boucher

Da Camera – Chamber Music and Jazz, Director of Marketing and Audience Development

I cannot highly enough recommend CKP when it comes to PR. I thought I knew and understood PR until I started working with the brilliant minds at CKP. They look at PR differently than many of the bigger firms- more of a 21st-century approach to public relations, then the traditional way people view and use PR. They are a well-rounded group, who not only understood our business but also understood our needs better than we did, which is why our brand presence and perception have never been higher since we hired CKP. On top of the great work they do, they are a great group of people, with high integrity and work ethic. It is apparent they believe in what they do, they believe in their clients and it shows.

Matthew Kades

McDonald's Owner/Operators Association of Greater Houston, President

CKP makes my job easier because their integrated services create efficiencies, they produce quality work, and I trust them. I don’t have to worry about quality with CKP because they listen from the beginning, so I trust work is going to get done and get done well. While MassChallenge was building the plane while flying it, CKP’s flexibility and nimbleness helped us exceed our goals.