McDonald’s USA Names Wieden + Kennedy New York (WKNY) Lead Creative Agency

CHICAGO, IL– September 13, 2019 – McDonald’s USA announced today that WKNY will serve as the lead creative agency for its U.S. business, the largest market in the McDonald’s system.  The announcement comes after an extensive evaluation of its marketing agency model to support current and future growth with innovative and creative brand building campaigns.

The move builds on McDonald’s Bigger Bolder Vision 2020 business transformation strategy to bring more craveable and delicious food offerings, such as the Fresh Beef Quarter Pounder, an improved customer experience in our newly renovated restaurants and modern conveniences, such as McDelivery, to customers.

“As marketers for the iconic McDonald’s brand, we have the responsibility to continue to innovate and modernize our marketing.  We are transforming every aspect of our business, and now took the opportunity to ensure that we have the right agency partners in place to accelerate our growth,” said Morgan Flatley, McDonald’s USA Chief Marketing Officer. “We are confident the talented team at Wieden + Kennedy New York will drive the creative excellence that will influence culture and develop relationships with our customers in new ways.  We would like to thank We Are Unlimited for their work over the last three years supporting key moments in our transformation and operational excellence.”

WKNY was chosen for its strong strategic and creative output and successful track record in developing provocative content to develop relationships between customers and well-known brands including Nike, Bud Light, Coca-Cola (for Sprite and Vitamin Water) and Delta.  The agency has demonstrated agility to quickly learn McDonald’s and develop creative ideas that will influence culture and drive customer excitement.  The talent on the team will bring innovative storytelling capabilities and strategies to McDonald’s that will create more powerful and transformative experiences for our customers. 

Colin Mitchell, McDonald’s SVP Global Marketing, added, “Globally, we are trying to evolve our creative, like the rest of the customer experience.  This move allows us to push our vision for modern marketing in this very important market.”

Given the significant transformation across the U.S. business and the dynamic customer landscape, McDonald’s initiated an agency review earlier this year. Throughout the review, it became clear that the brand would benefit from additional creative horsepower to build deeper connections with customers and drive re-appraisal of the brand.  WKNY will begin work in the next month to plan for 2020.  We Are Unlimited will continue to support the business with a focus on operational excellence. 

“We’re incredibly excited and honored to be part of the McDonald’s team at this critical juncture in their business transformation,” said Managing Director of Wieden + Kennedy New York Neal Arthur “McDonald’s has created some of the most iconic branding, advertising and marketing initiatives the world has ever known, and we look forward to working across the company and agency network to continue this rich tradition.”

This announcement comes after 10 consecutive quarters of positive comparable sales growth in the U.S, including sales growth across all day parts in the first half of 2019.  

Over the last three years, the company has implemented key initiatives to improve the customer experience, including the acquisition of Dynamic Yield, with personalized Drive Thru technology, the agreement to acquire Apprente, with voice-based technology, the expansion of McDelivery, as well as the development of McDonald’s Global Mobile App, Mobile Order and Pay, indoor and outdoor digital menu boards and self-order kiosks. 

About McDonald’s USA

McDonald’s serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to more than 25 million customers every day. Approximately 95% of McDonald’s nearly 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook at www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.

About Wieden + Kennedy
Wieden+Kennedy, founded in Portland, Oregon, in 1982, is an independent, privately held global creative company with offices in Amsterdam, Delhi, London, New York City, Portland, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Wieden+Kennedy's network partners with some of the world’s most well-known brands, including (but not limited to) Anheuser-Busch InBev, Airbnb, The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Facebook, Formula 1, Ford, Nike, Procter & Gamble, and Samsung.

Following a number of agency of the year wins in 2018, in 2019, Wieden+Kennedy was named Adweek’s US Agency of the Year, Fast Company’s Most Innovative Company in Advertising, and Ad Age’s Agency of the Year.