If you’re going to introduce a new breakfast menu to a country used to eating breakfast a certain way, what better spokesman than a guy named Ronald McDonald? In a new campaign for Taco Bell’s breakfast menu, which is launching nationwide, 25 real Ronald McDonald’s were invited to try Taco Bell breakfast—-and they loved it.

The 25 Ronalds in “Wake Up, Live Más” are real people, found by talent agencies that specialize in non-actors for things like reality shows. The agencies combed through social media, including Facebook and LinkedIn, to find our stars. Some of the Ronalds, who’ve been teased about their names their whole lives, thought it was a prank call.

“Wake Up, Live Más” was shot by Oscar-winning documentarian Errol Morris of Moxie Pictures in order to bring a documentary style to the ad and help these non-actors open up on camera.

“The advertising had to have a scale that befitted the challenge of launching an entirely new day-part for Taco Bell. Something that had food and price wasn’t enough,” said Deutsch LA CEO Mike Sheldon. “It had to be something that caused a cultural conversation about what we eat for breakfast.”

Credits

Client Taco Bell Agency Deutsch LA Pete Favat, chief creative officer; Brett Craig, executive creative director; Daniel Chu, experiential executive creative director; Jason Karley, Josh DiMarcantonio, creative directors; Xavier Teo, integrated creative director; Jeremiah Wassom, sr. art director; Armando Samuels, sr. copywriter; Amy Boe, experiential associate creative director; Catharine Ogletree, experiential copywriter; Vic Palumbo, director of integrated production; Paul Roy, executive producer; Alison McMahon, sr. producer; Dave Rocco, music supervisor. Production Moxie Pictures Errol Morris, director, Dariusz Wolski, DP; Robert Fernandez, exec producer; Julie Ahlberg, line producer; Rick Lange, 1st assistant director. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Grant Surmi, editor; Arielle Zakowski, assistant editor; C.L. Weaver, exec producer; Shada Shariatzadeh, producer. Postproduction a52 Paul Yacono, colorist; Andy Barrios, VFX supervisor; Brendan Crockett, lead Flame artist; Megan Meloth, exec producer; Meredith Cherniack, producer. Music Kusiak Music John Kusiak, composer. Audio Lime Studios Mark Meyuhas, mixer; Matt Miller, assistant; Jessica Locke, producer.

MySHOOT Profiles