Want the DROP? Get the JOB! - Workers ARE LOVIN' this fast food brand's employer branding campaign!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this yet, guerrilla marketing is an unconventional strategy that is simple to appreciate, easy to execute, and sometimes, inexpensive. I am personally fond of this strategy because it reminds me that we can never run out of creative ways to get our target audience’s attention.

So today, we’ll talk about a guerrilla marketing tactic that’s economically practical and fashionably cool at the same time. Are you ready?

Keep reading below to know how this fast food restaurant in Finland captured the attention of its Gen Z target market in 2023.

Want the DROP? Get the JOB! - Workers ARE LOVIN' this fast food brand's employer branding campaign!

The world of work has undergone a dramatic shift nowadays…

A lot more people are now prioritizing flexibility and autonomy in their jobs, and are extra selective in the companies they’ll work for.

More specifically, to get Gen Zs nowadays to apply for a job, a company has to represent and do something desirable and meaningful for this demographic.

In other words, companies have to make Gen Zs  want  to be part of their organization.

… but how could companies do that at a time when they’re struggling to get new employees?

Let’s take a look at how this fast food restaurant tackled the issue in its branches in Finland in 2023…

A Win-Win Situation for the Restaurant and Its New Hires

McDonald’s  is a multinational fast food chain founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California.

As of today, the brand is one of the largest fast food chains in the world, serving over 69 million customers daily in over 100 countries.

Here’s the thing: Being one of the largest restaurants around the globe doesn’t necessarily mean McDonald’s isn’t experiencing challenges in its workforce.

In fact, in 2023, McDonald’s Finland experienced a major struggle:  No longer being seen as a “cool” company to work at by the Gen Zs.

So, what did the brand do to make the Gen Zs want to work at McDonald’s once again and feel honored to sport the McDonald’s uniform?

Cue in a new type of employer branding campaign …

McDrip: Get the job to get the drop!

First, McDonald’s, along with creative marketing agency  Nord DDB, set out to redefine workwear for the next generation.

Afterwards, the campaign team partnered with then-upcoming local designer, Jimi VAIN, who happened to dig the McDonald’s brand.

The result of the collaboration?

A new line of never-before-seen fashion made from upcycled old McDonald’s work uniforms:

McDrip!

McDrip was an upcycled street fashion collection made almost entirely out of worn-out McDonald’s work uniforms. The collection consisted of 13 outfits that used 100% recycled materials.

Here’s the catch: McDrip was designed  exclusively  for McDonald’s employees, so to be a part of this fashion phenomenon, one had to work at McDonald’s or put in an application.

Simply said…

“Want the drop? Get the job!”

The campaign was built around the McDrip collection and launched with a fashion show in McDonald’s Kamppi branch. The campaign team also invited Finland’s hottest fashion and lifestyle influencers to the event, and they showed up in HUGE numbers!

The fashion show was streamed on  TikTok  using the social media channels of McDonald’s and the  VAIN  fashion label.

The result?

Hype was built around the brand and the campaign online!

McDrip was also advertised guerrilla style with posters distributed around Helsinki streets.

Was McDonald’s “McDrip: Get the job to get the drop” campaign effective?

Thanks to this one-of-a-kind guerrilla marketing campaign, people in Finland (particularly the Gen Zs) really wanted to get the job at McDonald’s!

Following the launch of the McDrip, McDonald’s Finland started dealing with an influx of job applications—not just from Finland but also from around the world!

Clearly, McDrip hit home with the Gen Z crowd!

Below are other results of the campaign:

• The McDrip campaign’s potential reach was over 6 million Gen Zs.
• McDonald’s guerrilla marketing strategy garnered a total of 801 earned media mentions and over EUR 9 million worth of earned media.
• McDonald’s Finland’s job applications soared to 63% in 2023.
• Through the campaign, McDonald’s employer image rose by 41% and brand responsibility image by 69%.
• Among the Gen Zs surveyed following the campaign, 40% said they saw McDonald’s as a brand they can trust and 14% said McDonald’s is a brand for people like them.
• The McDrip campaign was also featured in various media outlets such as  Forbes,  VOGUE,  CNN,  Business Insider,  WWD,  Hypebeast, and more.

See?

These results clearly show that McDonald’s marketing strategy worked in capturing the attention of its Gen Z target market in Finland!

Kudos, McDonald’s, Nord DDB, and Jimi VAIN!

*Claps claps claps*

—

McDonald’s campaign shows the power and importance of knowing AND understanding your target market to the core.

Imagine this: Do you think the campaign would be as successful if the team hadn’t carefully thought about what makes their target audience—Gen Zs—tick?

It could be, but not as successful as what was detailed above.

That’s why keeping your target market in mind while thinking of fun ways to promote your brand is a BIG deal!

After all, if you truly want to grab your customers and prospects’ attention, you might as well go all in and all out in your marketing efforts.

Also, never underestimate the power of collaboration!

By partnering deliberately AND properly with the right people, you and your business will not only level up your chances of success but will also gain fresh insights from the people you work with.

So… are you ready to position your brand as the next “cool” place to work at?

Learn from the playbook of McDonald’s McDrip campaign!

Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful.

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Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!

Do you want to know  how this popular snack brand addressed the pain point gamers experience from its product?

Find out how Doritos pulled it off in next week’s article!