McDonald's celebrates its 20 years in India with a new brand campaign

The campaign 'A lot has changed. Nothing has changed' captures how McDonald's has been a part of consumers' lives in the last two decades.

McDonald's, a global food service that has multiple outlets across India, is celebrating its 20th year in India. To commemorate the occasion, the brand is all set to celebrate the milestone in style with the launch of a thematic brand campaign called, 'A lot has changed. Nothing has changed'. The campaign focuses on the brand by chronicling a life-cycle of a couple with McDonald's over the years in India through a TVC. The new TVC will take you through McDonald's astonishing journey in the emerging QSR industry established in 1996 in India, and how it has transitioned to stay relevant today with its presence of over 400+ restaurants across India and serve over 320 million people annually.

The campaign thrives on the idea that every day, millions of people visit McDonald's and it has not just been about grabbing a quick bite. In fact, a lot has happened in the last 20 years at McDonald's where the brand has noticed its customers' evolved lifestyle and preferences, traversed through their various emotions, ups and downs in life. McDonald's has been there constantly witnessing these changes and evolving itself by introducing digital platforms and brand extensions to ensure convenience and broaden accessibility, refreshed interiors of the restaurants to offer a modernised experience to consumers.

Speaking on the new integrated campaign, Kedar Teny, director marketing and digital, McDonald's says, "We are extremely excited and proud as we celebrate the completion of our 20 years landmark in India. McDonald's through its marketing communication has always strived to create differentiation and strike a chord with its ever evolving consumers and their needs. While creating 'A lot has changed. Nothing has changed' brand campaign, we were inspired by real life experiences between a beautiful and steady relationship, there are some things that haven't changed when it comes to McDonald's and its consumers. The fight over the last fries, the feeling of mayo oozing out of the burger while taking a bite, the 'softy' moustache, taking pictures with Ronald McDonald, both, as a child and as an adult - some moments remain the same no matter what. The campaign takes this same paradoxical proposition forward, through the story of a couple, who have seen some of their most important life-changing moments at McDonald's."

He further adds, "Over the years, McDonald's gave people an opportunity to bond with their family and friends and create those special moments which have lasted with them forever. We hope after seeing this ad, our customers will remember and cherish the memories built at our restaurants."

The campaign is conceptualised by Leo Burnett India and the film, directed by renowned ad film director Ram Madhvani of Equinox Films, opens to a teenaged boy and girl at McDonald's first outlet in Bandra, Mumbai. The boy opens his Happy Meal box with sheer excitement, but the girl next to him can't find her toy. The boy hands over her toy from the floor, and thereon begins the friendship that blossoms into a companionship over the years. The film captures various phases of life and the different moments of joy, sadness, celebrations, responsibilities shared between the couple at their favourite destination, McDonald's, which has become a part of their life.

Speaking about the campaign, RajDeepak Das, chief creative officer, Leo Burnett, South Asia, says, "It has been sheer joy partnering with an iconic brand like McDonald's for over half its journey in the country. Our new campaign 'A lot has changed. Nothing has changed' articulates how the small, but important joys have remained the same, despite so much else changing. Even 20 years later, a child opening a Happy Meal box will have the same unparalleled joy on his face, like children did 20 years ago. While executing the campaign, we tried recreating the details from the past 20 years for the story to come alive - right from the staff's uniforms, the events that happened around the time, the whole hog."

McDonald's has evolved according to consumer habits and lifestyle encouraging people to celebrate while constantly bringing in innovations to drive convenience and deliver quality products at great value through various brand extensions and formats like McCafé , McDelivery, Drive-Thru, Dessert Kiosks, and Breakfast. In the past, McDonald's has showcased many brand initiatives with campaigns such as 'McDonald's Mein Hain Kuch Baat', Aaj McDonald's Ho jaye' to '#KuchPalOffline' have built strong brand connect with the patrons of Golden Arches in India. The new integrated campaign will have a multi-pronged approach, with reach on TV, in-store and across digital and social platforms.