The challenge for this recruitment brief – and for McDonald’s Australia – was immense, requiring a complete strategic reset of what it meant to be “working at Macca’s”. The final creative solution was a direct interpretation of a key insight uncovered from employee satisfaction research, which – when layered with COVD’s impact on Gen Z’s social life – presented a huge opportunity to reposition working at McDonald’s, from just earning a salary, to a place for genuine social connection and mateship.

During a nationwide labour shortage and the toughest employers’ market in over 50 years, McDonald’s Australia needed to recruit 14,000 new crew members in just four months AND overcome young Aussies’ negative perceptions of what it means to be working at “Macca’s”.

In a nutshell, in an impossible job market our brief was to help McDonald’s recruit a record number of young Aussies… for a job they didn’t want.

In Australia, a 'mate' is more than just a friend. It implies a sense of shared experience, mutual respect and unconditional assistance.

The word has many uses & nuances in how it’s applied in everyday Aussie speech, from straightforward “Morning mate” (good morning) or congratulatory “Mate!” (well done), to the disappointment of “Aww mate.. ”(oh no!) or jokingly saying “He’s your mate…” (he’s definitely not my mate…).

Whilst the original focus was 18-29-year-olds, through analysis of Macca’s staff base we identified that 66% of existing crew were 14-17. This helped reframe the brief and provide greater focus on audience targeting. Whilst we needed to ensure the campaign engaged all audiences, we had to make sure the focus was on younger Australians.

The Marketing Objective was to generate 4,666 applicants a month to deliver 1,166 new crew members (based on a typical 25% conversion rate), and Brand Objectives to increase metrics of “Is a good employer” – 40% (current 39%) and “Is a brand for someone like me” – 46% (current 44%)

So the work needed to perform two roles — drive applications to recruit the appropriate number of people to meet service needs AND perform a brand role to make working at Macca’s a more attractive prospect for young Australians.

Employee satisfaction research conducted by McDonald’s uncovered an interesting insight; of staff members who said they were happy at work, 92% said it was because they worked with a great team.

This insight also tapped into a broader cultural truth: Covid had a massive negative impact on young Australians ability to socialise and by 2022, they were hungry for human connection.

This represented a huge opportunity to reposition working at McDonald’s, from just earning a salary and ‘joining a team’, to a place for genuine social connection and mateship.

At the end of the day, it’s not about where you work or even what you do there – it’s who you work with. And no other workplace is better proof of this simple truth than McDonald’s. So we distilled years of crew data, research, stories and traditions into a simple, undeniably Australian idea: ‘‘Mates make it Macca’s’. This idea redefined working at McDonald’s, from a place of flipping burgers and serving fries, to a place where you can come as you are, to work, laugh, learn, banter, fail, win and grow, with your mates.

In the 36 weeks prior to the campaign, Macca’s had seen a continuing decline in applications and hires, which saw no sign of stopping. The campaign not only stopped this damaging trend in applications, but actually reversed it.

‘Mates make it Macca’s exceeded all expectations. At the height of the campaign, McDonald’s Australia were receiving 9,700 applicants per week, a 250% increase in applications vs target, with a 21% increase in conversions.

Macca’s had publicly stated that by the end of 2022 they needed to hire 14,150 new staff to meet consumer demand in 1023 restaurants nationwide. Thanks to the campaign, by the end of the year, 26,311 new mates had been hired, 86% over target in just over four months.

The campaign's effectiveness faced potential challenges influenced by economic factors, labour market conditions, and pandemic-related uncertainties. The competitive landscape was crucial, with the success hinging on the appeal compared to rival employers. The pandemic, while initially leveraged for its impact on social lives, presented a risk with unforeseen developments.

Negative incidents related to McDonald's or the industry could harm brand perception and recruitment efforts. Cultural shifts and evolving values might impact the campaign's relevance, necessitating ongoing adaptation. Changes in technology and media consumption, coupled with internal operational challenges or external events, posed potential threats. However, the campaign showcased resilience, exceeding application targets and reversing staffing decline, highlighting its effectiveness despite these factors.