McDonald's turns to Jason Sudeikis for World Cup campaign

McDonald's has enlisted actor Jason Sudeikis, TikTok star Khaby Lame, Korean pop band Itzy, and Twitch streamer Edwin Castro to star in its Fifa 2022 World Cup ad.

"Wanna go to McDonald's" is the fast-food chain's largest global campaign to date and has been created by Wieden & Kennedy New York.

It rests on the notion that football and McDonald's bring people together, wherever they are around the world.

In what the brand refers to as a "social-first" campaign, it is the first time that the same work will launch across more than 75 markets at the same time.

The brand said in a statement: "The magic of this global approach is that it invites a world of McDonald's football fans to rally together through a unifying activation, while allowing them to experience the tournament in ways unique to their local cultures."

The hero film includes 10 languages and four dialects. It was shot in four different locations around the world in a bid to "ensure every scene felt unique and authentic to the fans it represented".

It opens with children in the back of a car shouting: "Please." When the mother looks to the father and says: "Wanna go to McDonald's?"

It then continues to cut to people asking the same thing in different scenarios, such as when watching a football game, children who have just finished playing a game, people in a bar and others when the game isn't going in their favour.

The campaign has been written by Macie Soler-Sala and art directed by Dan Kenneally. It was directed by Alan Yang and Darius Marder through Caviar. OMD EMEA is handling media planning and buying.

The work is supported by several activations around the world. For example, Canada is in the World Cup for the first time in 36 years, so McDonald's will offer promotional codes every time there's a red or yellow card in the game.

This will be extended to those in the Middle East who will be encouraged to spot red cards in the games. Fans will need to take a picture and draw fries on it to receive free fries.

McDonald's UK is partnering players from the England and Wales men's and women's teams to encourage people to sign up to free football sessions. Famous football fans and pundits have also been enlisted to deliver food in limited-edition packaging.

The UK arm is partnering with food poverty charity FareShare to ensure every meal delivered during the tournament is matched with a meal for a family in need.

In China there will be a team of "midnight riders" delivering McDonald's, as it will be when people are watching the games due to the time difference.

Morgan Flatley, McDonald's global chief marketing officer, said: "The reason our global McDonald's System is excited about this campaign is because it just feels so true for our fans. While we may all root for different teams in this World Cup, what we can all agree on is that every celebration is a little bit sweeter with McDonald's World Famous Fries, and every missed goal or yellow card stings just a little less when you're enjoying a Big Mac."