It feels like McDonald's coupons have always been part of everyday life in Swiss letterboxes. Familiar to everyone, but not by a long shot. In German-speaking Switzerland, over 60 percent of households block unaddressed advertising with a "No advertising" sticker. A challenge for a campaign that relies heavily on printed coupons to announce McDonald's biggest deal weeks.

A fan moment as a strategic lever

For McDeals Weeks in January 2026, McDonald's Switzerland drew attention to the campaign in an unusual way. Inspired by the community itself: A photo of a letterbox went viral. It featured a "No advertising" sticker - supplemented by the words "Except McDonald's vouchers". A fan hack that became a meme.

McDonald's seized on this fan moment and made it the central idea of the McDeals Weeks campaign "The McDonald's Coupon Coup". The fan insight was turned into a targeted activation that starts exactly where classic coupon distribution reaches its limits.

A direct detour to the letterbox

Various OOH areas were equipped with removable stickers - designed like "No advertising" stickers, supplemented by the words "Except McDonald's vouchers". Passers-by could take the stickers with them and stick them on their own letterboxes.

In addition, letterbox installations were available in all restaurants, which were a replica of the meme, where additional stickers could be obtained.

"We didn't try to drown out a problem more loudly, but to get around it creatively with an idea from the community itself," says Sandrine de Cerjat, campaign manager at McDonald's Switzerland.

The best deals of the year

The activation is part of McDeals Weeks, the biggest deals weeks of the year at McDonald's Switzerland. Customers can save up to 50 percent via coupon flyers or the McDonald's app.

Responsible at McDonald's Switzerland: Kat Howcroft, Sandrine de Cerjat, Daria Lowe Responsible at TBWA\Zurich: Manuel Wenzel, Sabrina Brandenburger, Mark Taylor, Dorjee Gerhard, Xenia Brahm (Creation), Maryna Pavlichkova-Meier, Jenta Stalder (Consulting), Carmen Aebischer, Noemi Rubera, Toni Rubera, Nicolao Negrello, Domenico Catena (Production) Responsible at TBWA\BUZZ: Margaux Bazarganpour (consulting), Anouk Schaedler (creation) Responsible at Media: Guillaume de Grave, Laetitia Furegati, Guillaume Mousset (OMD), Adriano De Filippo (Goldbach) Photo & Video: Eliad Lienhardt (Director)

What does it feel like to eat one of McDonald's particularly sumptuous burgers? Quite intense, as the commercial by TBWA Zurich shows: The experience of indulgence is totally exaggerated and translated into a surprising dream world.

The posters and digital assets with their opulently photographed burgers prepare the McDonald's audience as well as possible for the McExtreme - because it can only be enjoyed to the extreme. The delicious burger now awaits customers in eight versions, from Cheesy Jalapeño to Bacon & Egg.

In addition to TV, (D)OOH and digital, the campaign will be supplemented by in-store measures.

Responsible at McDonald's Switzerland: Kat Howcroft, Severine Caspard, Jessica Dumoulin. Responsible at TBWA Zurich: Manuel Wenzel, Sabrina Brandenburger, Mark Taylor, Mark Levay, Nadine Fer, Martin Stulz (creation), Marion Schwager, Patricia Straumann (consulting), Nicolao Negrello, Domenico Catena, Agnes Meier, Carmen Aebischer, Toni Rubera, Noemi Rubera (production). Responsible at Hillton: Alex Schiller (Director), Mona Bertschinger (Producer), Raya Al Souliman (Post Production), Jinglejungle (Recording Studio).

It's time for sharing with taste again: McDonald's and TBWA\Zurich are focusing on popular classics in new variations for their latest national campaign. The Chicken McNuggets and Fries, known as perfect sharing products, are getting a taste upgrade with the Garlic & Black Pepper Chicken McNuggets and McFlavor Fries with Cheddar and Cheddar & Bacon variants.

Back in 2023, McDonald's revolutionized the concept of sharing with the "Chicken McNuggets of Love" - the world's first individually available Chicken McNugget. This clever solution to the classic dilemma of the "last Chicken McNugget" is now celebrating its comeback.

William Hanson, the most renowned etiquette and good manners influencer, was recruited for the campaign. With his characteristic sense of style and fine British understatement, he demonstrates the art of polite sharing in several online clips. "Good manners don't just start at big events. They show themselves in small moments, like when sharing a Chicken McNugget," explains Hanson.

Severine Caspard, Food Marketing Manager at McDonald's Switzerland, emphasizes the importance of sharing for the brand: "Sharing is more than just a gesture for us. It is part of our culture."

Responsible at McDonald's Switzerland: Kat Howcroft (Chief Marketing Officer), Severine Caspard (Marketing Manager, Brand & Strategy), Morgane Zillweger (Senior Marketing Consultant), Jessica Dumoulin (Marketing Consultant). Responsible at TBWA\Zurich: Manuel Wenzel, Sabrina Brandenburger, Mark Taylor, Mathias Bart, Dorjee Gerhard, Xenia Brahm, Jil Pettenhofer, Gvozden Milosevic (creation), Maryna Pavlichkova-Meier, Patricia Straumann (consulting), Nicolao Negrello, Agnes Meier, Toni Rubera, Noemi Rubera (production). Responsible for production: Markenfilm AG (film company, post), Mokohmusik (music), JingleJungle (recording studio), Roland Kniel (photo). Responsible at Media: OMD Switzerland AG

But McDonald's is celebrating even more than the Swissness of its ingredients and products. It celebrates the country as a whole: for example, with August 1 motifs or a promotion that offers hamburgers for just 1 franc whenever the Swiss women's football team is playing.

And last but not least, it's not just the beef, raclette cheese and bread rolls that are made in Switzerland, but also everything to do with the campaign. For example, the picturesque visuals, which are used on everything from posters to digital and POP. They were designed by hand by Swiss artist Dexter Maurer, who works in the Jura.

In addition to TV and (D)OOH, the 360-degree campaign will be played out with a strong digital focus and supplemented by in-store measures.

Responsible at TBWA\Zurich Manuel Wenzel, Sabrina Brandenburger, Mark Taylor, Davide Schenker, Mathias Bart, Jil Pettenhofer, Gvozden Milosevic, Sabine Grossmann (Creation) Marion Schwager, Maryna Pavlichkova- Meier (Consulting), Nicolao Negrello, Agnes Meier (Head of Production), Toni Rubera, Noemi Rubera (DTP). Media OMD Switzerland. Film production Markenfilm AG (production & audio), Joel Scheidegger (producer), JingleJungle (sound studio).

McDonald's Switzerland is praised and recognized as an exemplary employer. In addition to excellent working conditions, the career opportunities in particular are considered a strong asset: anyone who starts at McDonald's on the grill or behind the till has every chance of making it from the proverbial dishwasher to millionaire.

In the battle for new talent, this fact is being deliberately exploited as part of a new recruiting campaign by TBWA\Zurich. The means of communication are real careers of leading McDonald's heads from all over Switzerland. Their LinkedIn profiles provide the creative template: like a burger, the various career steps are layered on top of each other and result in a career that makes you want to stack salad, patties and promotions at McDonald's.

Several franchisees, who have worked their way to the top at McDonald's step by step, made themselves available for the campaigns. Their respective subjects are used in the surroundings of their restaurants.

Responsible at McDonald's Switzerland: Severine Caspard. Responsible for TBWA\Zurich: Manuel Wenzel, Sabrina Brandenburger, Mark Taylor, Mark A. Levay, Pedro Velasquez, Monelle A. Kanza, Sabine Grossmann, Marion Schwager, Melanie Furrer. Responsible at OMD Switzerland: Christina Schumann.

McDonald's is primarily associated with products such as Big Macs, cheeseburgers and fries. In order to position the fast food restaurant more strongly as a chicken destination, TBWA\Zurich is relaunching the McDonald's global brand: the burger roaster is becoming the specialist for chicken - not only on all advertising channels, but above all at 183 locations in Switzerland.

The rebranding is implemented consistently: The employees wear the new CI on their new uniforms, including the Chicken logo on the chest. On the illuminated menu above the counter: only Chicken products. Two McDonald's restaurants in Zurich and Geneva underwent a complete rebranding and opened on March 4, 2025 for all chicken lovers.

McDonald's CEO Lara Skripitsky greets the old and new chicken fans on the tray with a statement: "Dear Chicken Lovers, this is for you. Crispy, spicy or juicy - sometimes it just has to be chicken. That's why we serve you chicken in our 183 restaurants for chicken lovers throughout Switzerland."

Television also switches to chicken: Under the claim "The Place for Chicken Lovers", TBWA\Zurich celebrates the opening of a new restaurant and guides viewers through the selection of chicken specialties in an entertaining way. As sound branding, the jingle "Da-da-da-da-daaa" is given a "chicken-iesque" touch. The McDonald's lettering rises into the sky with the new chicken emblem. The film was realized with the directing duo Giger Brothers and Stories.

In addition, opening posters for the rebranding are being used in (D)OOH, and the story is being told digitally and on social media in numerous videos.

Responsible at McDonald's Switzerland: Kat Howcraft, Severine Caspard, Dana Canizares. Responsible at TBWA\Zurich: Manuel Wenzel, Sabrina Brandenburger, Mark Taylor, Monelle A. Kanza, Mathias Bart, Davide Schenker, Gvozden Milosevic, Patrick Milles, Kinga Hadobas, Marion Schwager. Responsible at ViDo VideoStefanie Bollag Bereiter, Domenico Catena, Fabrice Studer, Nicolao Negrello. Film production: Stories, Giger Brothers.

Meeting friends, enjoying yourself, socializing. These are things that come to mind when you think of going to a restaurant. This can be a problem for families, because children - fortunately - don't always behave the way others would like them to.

Anyone who visits a McDonald's branch experiences the restaurant as a lively meeting place for everyone and families in particular. Children can be who they are - loud, fidgeting and eating with their fingers.

TBWA\Zurich developed a new platform for this unique selling point compared to most of the competition. Based on the claim "Where children can be children", there is now the first campaign that describes McDonald's and its products through the eyes of children.

The campaign plays with children's perception of McDonald's. In the TV commercial, children break with the usual restaurant conventions, while print and online subjects stage humorous misinterpretations of product names - such as "Ham Bergah" or "Schiken Nageds". This playful perspective is intended to establish McDonald's as a place where families feel welcome. The campaign has been running since Monday on various channels, including social media, online platforms and at the POP.

Responsible at McDonald's: Severine Caspard (Marketing Manager, Brand & Strategy), Inga Roxburgh (Marketing Manager Media & Calendar Planning), Alison Isler (Marketing Specialist). Responsible at TBWA\Zurich: Manuel Wenzel, Sabrina Brandenburger, Mark Taylor, Katharina Binder, Davide Schenker (creation), Maryna Pavlichkova (consulting), Toni Rubera, Noemi Rubera (DTP), Nicolao Negrello (motion design). Film production: Gregory Barth (Director), Leonardo Sanfilippo (Producer), Nathalie Maibach (Producer).

At McDonald's, the whole of society comes together: Big Mac, Fries, McFlurry and Co. make no distinction in terms of origin, status, age or religion. And not just in the dining room, but also in the kitchen. Especially in times when many things are drifting apart, the more than 180 restaurants throughout Switzerland are an important, common meeting point - a safe haven where everyone experiences genuine hospitality.

This spirit is being brought together for the first time in the current TBWA\Zurich winter campaign: The platform "A place that shines for everyone" communicates all seasonal offers, products and promotions. The focus is on the message that there really is something on offer for everyone.

For those who like to play, for example, the game "Golden Slide": exclusively playable in the McDonald's app, fans and guests have been able to win various prizes since the beginning of December. A quirky TV commercial was created for the game, in which a family glides along the road to McDonald's on their way to the Christmas vacations in dreamlike safety and at the same time wonders about all the winners of the game on the side of the road.

As always, the McRaclette will also be back on time - with or without crispy bacon. And for those who love to reflect, there's a Big Mac Christmas bauble that can be purchased with bonus points.

The campaign's message also radiates from billboards across the country: "A place that shines for everyone" is effectively presented by McDonald's as a refuge for everyone in the dark winter.

Responsible at McDonald's: Sandrine de Cerjat, Daria Lowe, Audrey Parance, David Smadja, Jessica Dumoulin, Morgane Zillweger, Dana Cañizares. Responsible at TBWA\Zurich: Manuel Wenzel, Reto Clement, Monelle Kanza, Mathias Bart, Patrick Milles, Davide Schenker, Katharina Binder (creation), Julia Kerschbaumer (consulting/project management), Agnes Meier (Head of Production), Toni Rubera, Noemi Rubera (DTP). Contact at ViDo Production: Nicolao Negrello (Video Producer). ProductionStories, Giger Brothers, Swipe Back. Image processing: Lorenz Wahl.

McDonald's and TBWA\ Zurich celebrate the return of the original burger in a 360-degree campaign with a nostalgic retro look.

The name is a tribute to the burgers that were sold at the newly founded McDonald's restaurant in Illinois USA in 1955. With its rustic recipe, the 1955 promises the "authentic taste of yesteryear".

To set the scene for this journey through time, the campaign brings the greatest icons of the rock'n'roll era into the present in a 20-second TVC featuring Elvis and Marilyn Monroe.

The subjects of the national campaign also convey the original McDonald's flair of the 1950s and stage the return of the burger with a classic and minimalist look.

Responsible at McDonald's: David Smadja (CMO), Severine Caspard (Marketing Manager, Brand & Strategy) Morgane Zillweger (Senior Marketing Consultant). Responsible at TBWA\Zurich: Manuel Wenzel, Reto Clement, Monelle Kanza, Mathias Bart, Patrick Milles (Creation), Marion Schwager, Maryna Pavilchkova-Meier, Kinga Hadobas (Consulting), Nicolao Garcia-Negrello (Motion Design), Agnes Meier (Head of Production), Toni Rubera, Noemi Rubera (DTP);. Responsible at Stories: Yves Bollag (Executive Producer), Michèle Seligmann (Head of Production), Meret Früh (Producer), Nicola Tröhler (Director), Fabian Vettiger (DOP), Céline Bindy (Editor), Lutz Forster (Colorist), Torin Pocock, Natalie Lauren Woodward (Cast), Jingle Jungle (Audio Postproduction).

With the "Order&Pay" function in the McDonald's app, guests can place and pay for their order in advance with just a few clicks. This eliminates queuing and the order is served directly to the seat. The offer is also available at McDrive or as a take-away option.

To make "Order&Pay" even better known, TBWA\Zurich collaborated with Shining Film and director Sidney Van Wichelen to create three commercials that are very similar in structure. The main protagonist introduces the app and guides viewers through the entire process - from ordering to menu service. The advantages of the function are staged along well-observed typical McDonald's ordering moments of various guests who do not yet use "Order&Pay". It is shown, for example, that "Order&Pay" can skip the distracted teenagers at the ordering kiosk, the people waiting at the take-away or the McDonald's greenhorn at the McDrive.

The three films will be shown on television and online. A banner campaign with the core messages is also intended to generate even more visibility. There is also a special pre-roll for YouTube.

Responsible at McDonald's Switzerland: David Smadja (CMO), Audrey Parance (Customer Engagement & Digital Manager), Brenda Henry (Digital Marketing Consultant). Responsible at TBWA\ Zurich: Manuel Wenzel, Reto Clement, Davide Schenker, Dominik Bruelisauer (Creation), Marion Schwager, Maryna Pavilchkova-Meier (Consulting), Domenico Catena (Senior Video Producer), Agnes Meier (Head of Production), Toni Rubera, Noemi Rubera (DTP). Responsible at Shining: Caroline Braun, Leonardo Sanfilippo (Executive Producer), Meret Früh (Line Producer), Sidney van Wichelen (Director), Sander Vandenbroucke (Cinematographer), Alessandro Biffi (Editor), Simon Hardegger (Grading), Gregory Caron (Music), Jingle Jungle (Audio Postproduction).

OMD Switzerland developed the "Display Story Ad" in collaboration with Conect Digital and YOC to create awareness for the "Big Tasty Mexican" specialty burger from McDonald's Switzerland. The intuitive advertising title is inspired by the well-known story ads in social media and has a variety of features to offer, from storytelling to real-time brand interaction.

With the story function, different content is shown one after the other in an advertising medium. This allows creative scope for targeted storytelling, as OMD writes in a press release. The seamless integration of moving images, graphics and interactive elements should also enable direct interaction with the target group and promote engagement with users. The new ad combines high visibility with a positive user experience. In addition, existing social media advertising media can be used in the display universe, which reduces production costs.

McDonalds_DisplayStoryAd_DemoPR

"Display Story Ad" is now available to all advertisers and offers numerous customization options to meet individual requirements.

Responsible at McDonald's Switzerland: Severine Caspard (Marketing Manager), Morgane Zillweger (Senior Marketing Consultant). Responsible at OMD Switzerland: Cristina Savastano (Communication Director), Athina Savvidou (Communication Consultant). Responsible at Conect Digital: Nina Schirmann (Co-Founder), Cedrick Wolf (Co-Founder). Responsible at YOC: Dario Piccinno (Managing Director).

At the heart of the campaign is a film in which a father and his daughter are accompanied through the years. Situations are shown in which the father empathizes with the girl's painful experiences. Because this is also part of being a parent: The love you feel for your child makes you unexpectedly vulnerable. That is why it is most important to always be there for them. However, this is often not possible in the case of serious illnesses - because many parents do not have the opportunity to make the often very long journey between home and hospital on a regular basis.

The Ronald McDonald Children's Foundation has six houses throughout Switzerland in the immediate vicinity of hospitals where parents of seriously ill children can stay overnight - even for longer periods and for a symbolic amount. In the houses, parents can continue their everyday lives as if they were at home: Being together, cooking, washing, relaxing and, above all, always being close to their sick children.

The foundation is largely financed by McDonalds. But customers can also make their contribution, for example by rounding up the amount of their order the next time they buy a burger.

The campaign's insight that parenthood also brings with it an unprecedented emotional vulnerability is musically supported by a cover version of the Platters classic "Only You". The light-hearted, cheerful love song is radically reinterpreted as a piece about emotional vulnerability.

The commercial can be seen in various lengths on TV, in cinemas and online and is supplemented on posters, banners and at the POS by a visual that implements the campaign sentence "Parents must be able to be with their sick children" in a striking way using only typography. The campaign has been on display throughout Switzerland since the end of February.

Responsible at the Ronald McDonald Children's Foundation/McDonalds Switzerland: Severine Caspard (Marketing Manager), Yvonne Mauer (Ronald McDonald Children's Foundation Switzerland). Responsible at TBWA\Zurich: Manuel Wenzel, Reto Clement, Martin Stulz, Katharina Binder (creation), Maryna Pavlichkova-Meier(consulting). Responsible at Czar Films: Marit Weerheijm (director), Martijn Melis (cinematographer), Florian Nussbaumer, Vincent Taeger (producers), Mokoh Music GmbH (music), DubDub Studios (sound design).