McDonald's
Gen Z bites into McDonald’s creative Pinterest campaign
McDonald's Pinterest campaign thought outside the Big Mac box and successfully reintroduced the iconic burger to Gen Z
The McDonald's Big Mac has been a staple on the menu since 1968. And while it remains a mainstay among older generations, McDonald’s wanted to incite the same interest and passion amongst Gen Z. That’s why McDonald's turned to Pinterest where Gen Z is the platform’s fastest growing audience. One in two Gen Zers come to Pinterest every month to discover inspiration.1
Partnering with their media agency, OMD and creative agency, Cossette Toronto, the brand set out with a focus on engagement while celebrating the cultural impact of the Big Mac and inspiring consideration among younger audiences.
64% higher
engagement rate compared to benchmark2
25% lower
CPM on Video ads, compared to benchmark2
From A-wareness to Gen Z
McDonald's wanted to engage with Gen Z in a real way that would resonate with this audience. Knowing that Gen Z comes to Pinterest to build their dreams and manifest their future, it was critical that the creative delivery wasn't a repurposed ad, but something built to cater to this audience and how they interact on the platform.
Gen Z uses Pinterest to find inspiration for beauty, fashion and home, so McDonald’s and Cosette dreamed up a creative way to meet Gen Z where they are at. And the “Inspired by Big Mac” campaign was born. From nail art to fashion looks inspired by the Big Mac, the brand founded unique ways to break through by creatively showing up.
Using a mix of ad formats, McDonald’s also drove people to stay on Pinterest sending them to their Big Mac board. The Big Mac board organized Pins by color to represent the layers of the burger, a visually striking experience. One of the campaign’s most unique and effective tactics was the special contest that encouraged Pinners to explore the Big Mac board to find hidden Big Macs, which allowed them to comment for a chance to win the real thing.
“
This campaign was about more than finding a Gen Z audience. We knew Pinterest had that. But Pinterest also had the creative flexibility to create a show-stopping campaign worthy of the iconic Big Mac.”
Rebecca Smart
Director, Brand Strategy & Content, McDonald's
The Big Mac yields big results
McDonald’s two awareness campaigns drove curiosity and engagement with the highly coveted Gen Z audience. The goal was to inspire engagement and the results delivered. The campaign measured an engagement rate 64% higher than the benchmark.2
Tips for your next campaign
Try these Pinterest best practices to get more out of your ads.
Test a twist on targeting. Showcase your product in unexpected categories to stand out and capture the attention of new audiences.
Focus on creating high-quality, engaging content that is built for the platform you’re running it on.
Partner with creators who align with your brand and target audience to reach new audiences and gain credibility with your existing audience.