LGBTQIA representation in the Philippines is growing but local queer representation remains limited. Mainstream media strongly favors gay men as the representation of these communities - failing to take into account diversity and intersectionality. And even these narratives were limited to queer-exclusive challenges.

So McDonald’s Philippines launched the country’s first ad featuring a lesbian love story. It was a purely happy and feel-good tribute to a love that’s almost never given the local spotlight. The results of this work prove that normalized queer existence on screen helps normalize queer existence in reality.

Cementing its significance to local culture, the spot was claimed by Gen Zs as their own by dubbing it “The Sapphic Ad”

Since 1981, when McDonald’s first opened its doors in the Philippines, inclusivity has always been at the heart of the brand. From hiring practices to advertising, McDonald’s has welcomed everyone regardless of who they choose to be, or who they love. It’s why today, women make up more than half of their total workforce and their leadership team. And as Gen Z leads a culture that embraces a more inclusive representation, McDonald’s value for DEI is evolving along with them.

Stepping up its efforts, McDonald’s wanted to make its stand on inclusivity clear. It wanted to show Gen Zs that the brand they grew up to love is with them in their fight for equal representation.

So, it created a feel-good film, which was also the country’s first ad featuring a lesbian love story. The film’s plot was purposefully written to be a normative display of a queer couple rarely given the local spotlight. Moreover, showing a lesbian customer and a lesbian crew member shows how McDonald’s welcomes you, whether you’re an employee or a customer. This further highlighted the brand’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Though it is growing, LGBTQIA+ representation in the Philippines remains limited to stereotypical portrayals largely due to the country’s highly-conservative Catholic roots. With the popularity of BL (Boy Love) Asian dramas, gay men was the textbook queer love story. And even their stories, locally, were boxed to queer-exclusive challenges like coming out.

However, this did not stop Gen Zs to lead a culture that embraces a more genuine and inclusive queer representation - it only strengthened their resolve. To date, they are fighting for underrepresented groups to be spotlighted as well in order to normalize different SOGIEs (sexual orientation, gender identities and expressions). Before the pandemic, Manila had the largest Pride March in Southeast Asia, largely driven by Gen Z.

So, when McDonald’s shared a feel-good lesbian love story, it became culturally significant. Mostly because it was the first local ad that featured a lesbian love story - which led Gen Zs to dub it as “The Sapphic Ad”. But also because it was the love story they deserved: A love story with no negative nuances. It was just a happy and sweet tribute to a segment that’s rarely given the mainstream spotlight.

The spot was the first local ad that featured a lesbian love story. Beyond the local industry, it was also a first among McDonald’s markets across the world. This was intentional after analyzing the local landscape that limited queer representation to gay men.

Another aspect to the film that endeared Gen Zs was its feel-good nature free from overly-dramatized plots distressing to queer audiences. In the film, a skater girl circles the Drive-Thru. However, it’s her cheeky smiles at the female Drive-Thru Crew Member that tickles audiences. By the end, the story reveals they’re a romantic couple as they share a Sundae Cone along with a sweet moment.

66% of Gen Zs believe gender equality is a critical issue (HeForShe), making them the experts in SOGIE representation and inclusivity.

So, we took their lead and understood the advocacy from their perspective. Despite living in a conservative Catholic country, Filipino Gen Z is shifting culture to one that bravely champions inclusivity. Pre-pandemic, Manila had the biggest Pride March in Southeast Asia with 70,000 attendees. They however, can still sniff out inauthentic brand campaigns engaging them through this value. Not because they hate brands, they just want brands to genuinely understand it.

McDonald’s Philippines has championed inclusivity since 40 years ago and knows that this requires a deeper understanding. Analyzing the local social climate led to a principle: A normalized existence of queer characters on screen, normalizes queerness in reality.

So, the Philippines’ first ad featuring a lesbian love story launched - a segment almost never given the local spotlight.

McDonald's strategically launched the film a few days ahead of Pride Month. The move avoided any rainbow-washing calls, and set the tone for the local Pride Month scene.

Queer influencers that Filipino Gen Zs loved - both seeded and organic - filmed their genuine reactions and expressed support. Some of them involved their partner, making it more endearing to watch.

McDonald’s also amplified this on ground. A flagship store changed its golden arches to rainbow arches, demonstrating support. It also sponsored the Metro Manila Pride March where attendees applauded the film when organizers played it. McDonald’s also had a booth during the event with couple games inspired by the film and photo booths for friends and loved ones.

With efforts that go beyond the film to champion inclusivity, the message became louder. Every Gen Z heard that McDonald’s stood for love, in and out of Pride Month.

With Gen Z's backing, McDonald's garnered cultural fame. Despite zero media spend, it trended on X for 12 hours, and increased conversations by 46% across social media. It generated 123M views (59% organic), 190M reach, 11M engagement (59% organic) and $8M in media values. Brand Imagery Scores increased by +8.7pts for Innovative Brand and +6.8pts for Favorite Brand among Gen Z.

Many created fan art and edits inspired by the ad. To spread its reach, Gen Zs took it upon themselves to share it on their platforms like Reddit, TikTok, Discord and Twitch - reaching queer communities abroad.

Gen Zs claimed the McDonald’s spot as their own by dubbing it as “The Sapphic Ad” - even the McDonald’s branch the spot was filmed in became known as “The Sapphic McDonald’s branch”. Through a proper understanding of local queer representation, McDonald’s culturally cemented itself as a staunch supporter of inclusivity.