Play with me - McDonald's | Clapboard Ad Archive

McDonald’s Play with me campaign, executed by DDB in Peru and launched in Year: 2014, delivered a memorable Children’s Day activation that powerfully aligned the global fast food giant’s family-friendly branding with local nuances of joy and participation. Opting for an ambient approach, DDB transformed public spaces into live invitations for families to join in the universally recognized game of Rock Paper Scissors—a move that allowed McDonald’s to symbolically associate itself with the unfiltered happiness and spontaneity of play without recourse to product demonstration or transactional messaging. Centering the work around a child’s simple gesture rather than a menu item or a traditional narrative, the campaign sits squarely in Clapboard’s FORMAT#9—Symbolize the Benefit—by leveraging a playful, culturally embedded symbol to encapsulate McDonald’s role as a facilitator of positive childhood memories. The messaging was entirely implicit: by championing the spirit of play and interaction, the campaign recast its restaurants as sites where generational bonding and emotional connection are as fundamental as what’s served at the counter. In focusing on the game rather than the product, the campaign transcended advertising conventions in the food and drink category, shifting focus from appetite appeal or pricing to the deeper emotional drivers of brand affinity. DDB’s choice of ambient media enabled immediate, physical participation—children and parents were not just passive viewers but active co-creators of the brand experience, which deepened the sense of personal relevance while amplifying the thematic fit with Children’s Day. Compellingly understated, the work eschewed celebrity cameos, scripted testimonials, and problem-solution setups, instead rooting McDonald’s identity in a core human activity that crosses cultures and generations. Clapboard rates this 63/100. For the industry, Play with me is a timely reminder that even in a crowded market like food and drink, the most resonant brand activations are those that tap into universal behaviors to create shareable, lived moments rather than overtly sell.