McDonald's UAE is back with another monumental, bold Ramadan campaign, and this time around, it's all about the joy of togetherness. Taking over Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman streets, the foodservice brand launched a series of bold OOH ads that encapsulate the meaning of iftar and suhoor, because let's not forget, there's nothing quite like food to bring people together. Reputed for incorporating cultural moments into its advertising, McDonald's has long been accustomed to capitalizing on the warmth and hospitality of Ramadan, and this year is no exception. From earlier campaigns commemorating good deeds, to this newest campaign about meals shared, the golden arches are aglow once more during the holy month. The core imagery of the campaign is a red-and-gold color scheme that subtly invokes the brand without overpowering the festive Ramadan colors. The line, Bigger Gatherings, Bigger Joy, speaks directly to the essence of the season, focusing on the importance of the gathering. The accompanying image shows friends and relatives gathering around the table for a meal, continuing to highlight the social and emotional aspects of iftar. The secondary campaign piece, The Big Feast offer, is placed across different touchpoints. It revolves around a one-time meal offer—39 AED for a feast of burgers, fries, nuggets, and a McFizz beverage—to place McDonald's as a destination for a tasty yet pocket-friendly iftar option. Warmth and golden crescent moons are employed as a subtle convergence of Islamic symbolism without overpowering the overall brand identity too much. The places for this campaign were chosen carefully. The giant uni-pole billboards at the highways in Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman offer greatest visibility during rush hour, especially practical for drivers going home just before iftar time. The lamppost ads at malls and major business areas reinforce the messages in high-traffic locations, making the most of last-minute meal decisions. Through spaced-out campaign efforts across multiple emirates, McDonald's ensures its visibility in front of an extensive audience base that runs the gamut from young professionals in Dubai to families throughout Sharjah, to commuters resident in Ajman. The ramped-up OOH launch not only heightens visual prominence but also makes McDonald's a familiar brand as a breakfast-busting meal option via its drive-thru, delivery, or dine-in formats. The campaign struck the UAE in the second week of March, on uni-poles and lampposts.
