This year the star of the McDonald’s Christmas Advert is ‘Archie the Reindeer’, a loveable reindeer brought alive by one girl’s imagination. The advert was hosted on Sunday 17th November during ITV’s flagship show, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! and tells the story of a young girl called Ellie at Christmas.
In the film, we follow the animated journey of Ellie who is eager to play a game of ‘reindeers’ with her older sister Jenny. Uninterested in her younger sister, Jenny slams the door on her, and Ellie heads to the garden where she meets Archie the Reindeer.
The two begin to play and form a close bond. When Ellie runs out of ‘Reindeer Treats’ to feed Archie, the whole family set off to McDonald’s to buy more.
At the Drive-Thru, Ellie’s Dad orders ‘Reindeer Treats’, and the scene switches from animation to real life, where we discover that Archie is in fact Ellie’s dog dressed up in a tutu and reindeer antlers. To help families get Reindeer Ready this Christmas and to celebrate the ad campaign, McDonald’s will again be giving our ‘Reindeer Treats’ for free this Christmas Eve.
Ben Fox, Marketing Director, McDonald’s UK and Ireland said: “We’re proud of the role we play in getting the nation Reindeer Ready each Christmas and this year is no exception. We’re celebrating the magic of Christmas through the eyes of Ellie, an imaginative little girl, in an advert which illustrates scenes recognised by parents across the country, as the whole family comes together to get Reindeer ready. We hope the public enjoy Ellie and Archie’s adventure as much as we do.”
Commenting on the campaign, Chaka Sobhani, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett London said: “This campaign celebrates the power of a child’s imagination which comes even more to life at Christmas time. Kids have that incredible ability to embrace the magical side of Christmas and see wonder where we struggle to especially when teenagers. We hope this Christmas tale of a little girl and her tutu wearing dog warms the heart and gets the country Reindeer Ready.”
As part of the campaign, McDonald’s will be launching a brand-new ‘Archie the Reindeer’ storybook, also available in ebook and audiobook form. Books can be ordered and downloaded from 17th November from the McDonald’s Reindeer Ready Hub. The Reindeer Ready Hub has everything you need to get you and your family in the Christmas mood this festive season, including a competition to win this year’s McDonald’s Christmas jumper, inspired by their festive cups, also launching on 17th November.
Reindeer Ready Live is also returning on the hub this year. This augmented reality tool allows parents to share with their children the magical moment Father Christmas’ reindeer enters their home at Christmas, and will be available for parents to use in the run up to Christmas from 18th December.
With media planning and buying led by OMD UK, families can also create a magical digital experience on Snapchat, with a lens that transforms the user and their dog into a reindeer. Snapchat filters are also available for customers visiting McDonald’s restaurants.
About McDonald's
McDonald’s has run its business in the UK since 1974 and currently operates just over 1,300 restaurants across the UK. McDonald’s is one of the UK’s largest private sector employers, employing over 130,000 people. It is estimated to provide 70,000 jobs to young people aged 16-25, making it one of the largest employers of young people in the UK.
About Publicis Communications
Publicis Communications is one of the four solutions hubs of Publicis Groupe, alongside Publicis Media, Publicis Sapient and Publicis Healthcare. Publicis Communications unites the Groupe’s creative offering: Publicis Worldwide, Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, BBH, Fallon, Marcel, Prodigious, a global production leader, and MSLGROUP, specialized in strategic communications. Present in 20 markets, Publicis Communications aims to be the indispensable creative partner in their clients’ transformation. Publicis Communications draws upon the expertise of over 30,000 employees.
About OMD UK
OMD UK is an integrated media and marketing company that represents some of the world’s biggest brands, including Google, PepsiCo, Barclays, McDonald’s, Hasbro, Channel 4, Storck, Clarks and easyJet. OMD UK is part of a global OMD network, the most awarded media network globally with more than 12,000 people in over 120 offices.
