After a decade of closing at 10 p.m., McDonald’s of Western Washington extended restaurant hours to 24/7. The challenge: sell a whole lot more Big Macs between midnight and 4 a.m. by reaching out to the Young Adult Males (YAM).

The competition has monopolized the late-night YAM by delivering messages with irreverence, bathroom humor and sexual innuendo. We took a very different path.

Our business objectives were to:1)reduce drunk driving2)increase late night sales/guest counts by 15% 3)increase early evening sales/guest counts by 5% 4)spark positive McDonald’s brand halo/create talk value around the brand

DUI arrests were down 14% Late night sales increased 20% - $1.6 million additional sales Guest count rose 17% - 63,000 new customersEarly evening sales over-delivered on goals - increased 5% 4%, of coupons redeemed - twice McDonald’s averageNearly every passenger sang “I’m lovin it” during their ride.

We created unique “media” in bars that aimed to not only increase appetites but decrease drunk driving.

Developed coasters and oversized French fry “walk the line” sobriety checks. Wobbly walkers received a free ride home in a “Fry Cab” with a trip to McDonald’s.

We “lost” 10,000 of Ronald McDonald’s wallets in cabs. The wallet contained his driver license, a list of McDonald’s locations, coupons, and a discount for a summer concert featuring YAM acts.

Who wants a 4 a.m. second supper? Young Adult Males and friends.

Connecting with YAMs in an authentic way that pushes the boundaries but doesn’t alienate core McDonald’s consumers like soccer moms and seniors is a monumental challenge. We met this target on their own turf, visiting bars and clubs at night. Providing an engaging message on safety allowed us to connect with the YAM and still stay true to the McDonald’s brand essence.