đ McDonaldâs innovative ad strategy
Would you like fries with that?
đ° Ad Careers
Advance your career and fill your pockets with these fresh opportunities.
Direct Response Copywriter [Full-time, US Remote]
Direct-response Copywriter writing VSLs, sales pages, and funnel copy with performance bonuses. Requires 3+ years DR experience, long-form sales page & advertising chops, and fluency with AI tools.
E-Commerce Creative Director [Full-time, Remote]
Performance Creative Director leading ad strategy, scripts, and video editing across Meta, TikTok, and short-form to drive e-commerce acquisition. Requires proven DTC creative strategy experience, fluency in CTR/hook rates/ROAS. You must own creative outcomes measured by paid performance metrics.
Want daily opportunities like this, delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe here to the Ad Careers substack.
Ad Catalyst paid subscribers get 5 additional job vacancies every day â for free! (The subscription pays for itself with just one offer letter.)
Brands pay millions of dollars to make their logo easily recognizable.
And after they finally earn the right to be a household name, they can create new ad strategies just because they can.
McDonaldâs creates something you donât usually see by leaning entirely on its massive cultural equity in their classic ad. The ad below is one of them. Letâs analyze why it works:
McDonaldâs knows youâre already familiar with their Big Mac. So they can get away with a layout that is pure, high-awareness minimalism.
There are no typical features youâd expect in a fast food ad, like a picture of a burger, a price point, or even a CTA to drive action.
Instead, by pairing the product name and the company logo, it forces you to recall the iconic burgerâs distinct smell, look, feel, and taste.
In addition, oversized typography bursts past the borders to reinforce the message: a Big Mac is a BIG burger.
To adapt to your industry, command attention by scaling your font size, slashing the copy, and letting your audience finish the sentence. Something like:
Media: A stark, high-contrast black background is dominated by massive, elegant serif text reading â...he New York Tim...â bleeding off the borders, with a small, iconic gothic âTâ logo in the corner. Copy: âThe truth is worth it.â
Gaming: A vibrant blue billboard features massive, chunky white text reading â...layStatio...â spilling completely off the left and right edges, anchored by a small, classic four-color âPSâ logo in the bottom corner. Copy: âPlay has no limits.â
Automotive Industry: A billboard with a solid, sleek matte black background features massive, cropped silver typography that reads â...911...â, with a tiny Porsche crest in the bottom right corner. Copy: âIf you know, you know.â
đĽWhatâs Hot in Advertising Right Now
Stay up-to-date with the latest advertising trends and news.
Indeed Addresses Job Market Disconnect With Ads That Put People First
Instead of selling features, the brand is betting that empathy and human connection can cut through a cynical market.
DoorDash Ads Becomes a Global Commerce Media Platform with 400,000 Advertisers
The app you order dinner from just became one of the most ambitious retail media players on earth â and its pitch to brands is built on something Google and Meta can't offer: intent at the moment of hunger.
YouTube's AI Remix Push Exposes a Looming Reckoning for the Creator Economy
A fascinating look at how AI-generated content may reshape the economics of creators, brands, and sponsorships.
Apple Turns Rival Browsers' Trackers Into Creepy Chrome Stalkers
More than a privacy story, it's a masterclass in competitive positioning and brand messaging.
đ˘ Ad Pick
Vote for the ad you want us to tear down next week by clicking on the option you want to see.
Option #1: This ad is a short, high-energy video that reflects a premium supplement brand.
Option #2: This ad stops the scroll by reflecting the viewerâs reality back at them.
McDonaldâs Big Mac ad is widely considered a classic.
But this next ad represents a widely popular format that creative strategists are using right now.
Upgrade to premium to read it (and get the full Ad Careers list):
