MANILA, Philippines—In a recent release, McDonald’s Philippines makes hearts melt with its latest video ad. In true McDonald’s signature, this film’s feel-good story makes it impossible not to smile with the story of a young skater circling through the Ride-Thru over and over. Her cheeky smiles at the female Ride-Thru crew tickle the audience in a display of warmth.
As one would expect by the end of the story, what was even more pleasantly surprising was how McDonald’s chose to zoom in on a GL (Girl Love) story released days before Pride Month.
When asked about the creation of the ad, McDonald’s Corporate Relations Director, Adi Hernandez shares, “Being a brand that welcomes all, inclusivity is ingrained in our brand experience from our customers to our employees. No matter who you are, you are welcome and safe to come back here again and again – that’s what we wanted our audience to know and what we wanted to share in the film.”
And the story behind the effortless acting that made everyone feel giddy? The brand along with its advertising agency, TBWA\SMP, factored in proper representation in casting and tapped a real member of the LGBTQ+ community. “We wanted to do it right, and we wanted to make sure they (the actors) felt comfortable,” adds Hernandez.
Last year, McDonald’s gained praises for sponsoring Pride March 2022 and now with this feel-good film, the brand is constantly proving that it’s not shying away from gender inclusivity. What’s next? Hernandez says, “There’s more to come. This is part of a bigger initiative of the company to stay true in our commitment that McDonald’s continues to be everyone’s happy place.”
And we can’t help but say, we’re lovin’ this step towards inclusivity for McDonald’s.
Watch the video ad here: