Cooling down with McDonald’s

McDonald’s has taken over the world and now it has challenged the power of the sun.
 

Saturday 4th July 2015 looked set to be a record-breaking day in Amsterdam.

 

Experts predicted that the city’s heat record of 38.6 degrees (101.4 Fahrenheit) would be broken.
 

If this was to be the case, there would likely never be a better moment to cool down with a refreshing ice cream.
 

So the smart-thinking fast food giant decided to unveil a very special billboard at the Damrak. This great example of live event technology combined a weather detection monitor with a motorised door, designed to open the billboard casing once it got too hot. The reward for those patient enough to wait for the big opening? A free McFlurry.

Over 100 special promotional cups were up for grabs by the waiting crowds in what was a simple but effective idea that both embraced the enduring lure of the free sample and drove traffic to the restaurant. It did more than that though: it created a lasting memory. For those that waited patiently on that hot summer’s day, it created a clear emotional link with the ice cool experience of a McFlurry. That link will be hard to break.
 

The novel billboard also built anticipation and drew a healthy crowd, generating buzz for the restaurant in the process. It attracted a lot of attention, and rightly so. There is simply no beating free ice cream on a scorching day.

What better way to extend McDonald’s brand messaging that its food is for everyone?
 

Of course, this is not the first time that an interactive billboard has been used to great effect. One of my favourite recent examples has to be the yawning billboard from Brazilian coffee brand Café Pele: a brand experience that did a great job of blending together digital and physical environments. 

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