Commercial creativity and business growth stories rooted in ad agency ideas take “genuine collaboration and a whole lot of ambition”, according to the top creative at McDonald’s ad agency of record DDB Sydney.
Fresh off the aroma of last week’s launch of Australia’s new national coffee from McCafe, the Australiano, DDB Sydney executive creative director Matt Chandler said the agency’s conception and launch of the large-scale product rollout for the business demonstrates the power and growth of commercial creativity.
“Making ideas like the Australiano just takes genuine collaboration and a whole lot of ambition,” Mr Chandler said.
“It’s a great example of where commercial creativity is going – thinking that connects with cultural truths and enriches a customer’s experience.”
Despite being a nation of coffee connoisseurs, Macca’s wasn’t happy not having a coffee to call its own. A professed champion for Aussie coffee culture – particularly having launched its Coffee Fit For An Aussie ad platform last year – McCafe wanted to right this wrong by creating the Australiano.
Launching with a major TV, out-of-home, radio, digital, and social rollout campaign, as well as a sampling truck that will tour the nation, the drink is made with native Australian wattleseed, chai and McCafe’s locally roasted coffee beans.
Mr Chandler said as part of the process in repositioning McCafe with Coffee Fit For An Aussie last year, the creative team realised that unlike the Americans, with their Americano, the coffee-obsessed nation of Australia doesn’t have a cup with its name on.
“Once the idea of creating a coffee with a native Australian ingredient was on the table, the geniuses in the Macca’s test kitchen went to work on what the recipe would actually be,” Mr Chandler said.
“There were numerous iterations and attempts, but the infusion of wattleseed, chai and coffee was one that really hit the spot.”
Marketing director at McDonald’s Australia Tim Kenward said the Australiano had been in the making for more than a year and with more than 1000 McCafes across Australia, described it as “an exciting and large-scale product launch for the business”. Stressing how proud of the collaboration between the brand and its agencies it was, including OMD Australia, Mr Kenward said when DDB presented Coffee Fit For An Aussie at the time they accompanied the creative response with the opportunity to develop a product that would elevate the creative idea and give its customers a “really great, delicious and fun product”.
“We believe that all partners can influence and grow our business beyond mainstream advertising opportunities,” Mr Kenward said.
“It’s an excellent example of how you can use creativity in many facets of your business, including product development.”
With McCafe being a core part of the McDonald’s Australia business, being one of its biggest local and global success stories, Mr Kenward said one in four coffees sold every day in Australia are brewed at a McCafe.
While Australiano is a limited-time offer, Mr Kenward said the brand is keen to see what Australians think of the coffee and will “never say never” to the Australiano being a permanent item on the menu.