McDonalds Monopoly

ADVERTISER:

McDonalds

MARKET:

Vancouver, BC

BACKGROUND:

In Canada, McDonald’s was heavying up campaign efforts to rollout their Monopoly campaign on dual levels. Monopoly was back in 2005 and there was a great opportunity to garner more play and excitement towards the national promotion while localizing the efforts. The advertiser was introducing the 2005 Monopoly game with a more simplified prizing structure. The task at hand was to communicate prizes and drive people into McDonald’s to play.

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES:

They began with a national McDonald’s Monopoly launch consisting of TV spots (English and French), Radio spots (English and French), newspaper, Billboards, Transit and Online ads. To increase store traffic and brand awareness in Vancouver, OMD needed to create an additional regional launch that would:

Leverage the marketing calendar

Bring Monopoly to life in Vancouver

Ensure the program’s success by capitalizing on what McDonald’s knows works:

Create buzz and excitement around the game to build consumer awareness and interest in
British Columbia.

Engage consumers early in the game

Get gameboards into customer’s hands early in the program

Maximize and capitalize on an established property/brand

MEDIA STRATEGY:

OMD’s campaign concept was to work Vancouver media efforts together with an Event Promotions team to distribute Monopoly game boards on the first day of the game starts in an exciting and unique way. The OOH Monopoly creative could adapt to interior station advertising) and skytrain wraps (exterior and interior train car messaging), horizontal OOH boards, and skytrain interior promos with game board takeaways. This presented the agency with a unique opportunity to turn the highly populated stations and trains into life-size Monopoly games.

The complete implemented out-of-home media plan in Vancouver consisted of:

Broadway, Granville and Metrotown stations held event promotions – Street Team dressed as Monopoly’s Uncle Moneybags and Game Board street locations handed out game cards on launch day. These three stations are the busiest stations in the market, all of which have a McDonald’s location located close by.
Skytrain Granville Station Domination 7 trains wrapped with McDonald’s Monopoly messaging which included interior advertising (horizontal backlites and posters) Train floor interiors

RESULTS:

McDonald’s exceeded their sales and guest count goals for 2005 in this market.
Program successfully informed and engaged McDonald’s customers in the game.
The unique media push caused over 60 Media outlets to cover the program.
Total gameboards distributed:  21,200/ day
Total prizes* distributed:  approx. 1000/ day

McDonalds Monopoly Success Story (pdf)