MANILA, PHILIPPINES — QSR giant McDonald’s Philippines has made hearts melt with its latest ad.
Truly a McDonald’s signature, this film’s feel-good story makes it impossible not to smile. A young skater girl circles the Ride-Thru over and over, ordering all sorts of menu items. Her cheeky smiles at the female Ride-Thru crew tickle the audience and keep them intrigued.
Apart from the film’s cute twist at the end, what was even more pleasantly surprising was how McDonald’s broke category conventions by featuring a GL (Girl Love) story. McDonald’s Corporate Relations Director, Adi Hernandez, shared, “Despite its rare representation locally, it was important that this love story is depicted as a regular, everyday occurrence at McDonald’s Philippines. Gender inclusivity is ingrained in our brand experience from our customers to our employees. No matter who you are, you are welcome and safe to come back here again and again. That’s what we wanted our audience to know.”
The brand, along with its advertising agency TBWA\SMP, factored in proper representation in casting and tapped a real member of the LGBTQ+ community. “We wanted to do it right, and we wanted to make sure they (the actors) felt comfortable,” said Adi.
Last year, McDonald’s gained praise for sponsoring Pride March 2022, and now with this feel-good film, the brand is constantly proving that it’s not shying away from gender inclusivity. Adi shared, “There’s more to come. This is a part of a broader campaign to show our commitment to ensuring McDonald’s continues to be everyone’s happy place.”
