Fast food and French food don’t often go hand in hand, unless you’re talking about french fries…then again, these ads from McDonald’s in Paris go beyond the normal Happy Meal. The upcoming summer campaign is much more elegant than one might expect from the Golden Arches. The brand is letting their iconic offerings such as French Fries, Big Mac, and Chicken McNuggets speak for themselves – sans headlines – via flattened pictograms. The only other element: a small “Golden Arches M” reminiscent of a registration mark appears next to the image.
These striking ads certainly let the product be the hero. The illustrative style goes a bit against the traditional “appetite appeal” directive by which most restaurants (including Mickey D’s) generally abide. When these outdoor ads begin popping up in France this summer, will that differentiation work in the brand’s favor? Quite possibly. The campaign invokes heritage and modern appeal simultaneously.
It appears that, in Europe at least, McDonald’s is looking to elevate its image with these tasteful ads. Who’s loving it?
~ Denise Blasevick (@AdvertGirl), CEO, The S3 Agency
Note: This article originally ran in my Examiner.com column. Follow me there for tasty tidbits about advertising, public relations, and social media! ~ Denise
