McDonald’s rolls out brand platform to showcase its ‘positive impact’ on people and planet

McDonald’s is launching a new brand platform and campaign to champion its work on sustainability after the brand revealed it aims to be a net-zero emission business by 2040.

The ‘Change a little, Change a lot’ campaign, developed with Leo Burnett London, looks to showcase the small changes McDonald’s has made in the areas of youth, farming and waste.

The campaign features three 40-second TV ads, the first of which launches tonight (7 October) and will focus on waste, with the films on youth and farming to be rolled out later this month.

The debut ad shows examples of how McDonald’s is reducing its waste. The ad illustrates how it converts cooking oil to biodiesel for trucks, recycles McCafé cups into greeting cards and turns Happy Meal toys into kids’ playgrounds.

The ad ends with a voiceover stating how the chain plans to reduce as much waste as possible and ending with the campaign tagline “which just goes to show when you change a little, you change a lot”.

All three ads will be supported by 30-second radio spots, as well as social campaigns and YouTube activity.

The fast-food giant launched its sustainability strategy ‘Plan for Change’ earlier this week, which sets out “ambitious goals” to ensure the business leads positive change in four key areas of the business planet, people, restaurants and food.

McDonald’s CMO Michelle Graham-Clare says: “We have a long history of making a positive impact where it really matters for people and the planet. But we are at a moment now where we need to accelerate our ambition.

“This new brand platform will enable us to talk about the actions we’re taking to improve opportunities for young people, help growers adopt sustainable farming practices and ensure our packaging is made from renewable, recycled or certified sources.”

Time for change

As part of ‘Plan for Change’ McDonald’s has pledged to help 1 million people gain new skills and open the door to jobs by 2030, as well as introduce a youth worker into every restaurant by 2024 and support 3,000 apprentices by 2025.

The brand aims to source all packaging from renewable, recyclable or certified sources that are designed to be recyclable or compostable by 2024. It will also open its first restaurant built to a UK industry net zero-emission standard in Shropshire later this year.

McDonald’s will “go even further” to source quality and sustainable ingredients and support farmers and suppliers. It will also invest in its “sector leading” research, Sustainable Beef Network.

Graham-Clare was promoted to CMO in August after the brand reversed its decision on scrapping the CMO role.

The brand carried out an executive reshuffle in August, which resulted in US marketing chief Morgan Flatley being promoted to global CMO, while Alistair Macrow, who held the role previously, was promoted to McDonald’s UK and Ireland CEO.