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McDonald's UK McCrispy Campaign: Key Findings
- The campaign challenges habitual ordering by establishing McCrispy as a worthy alternative to customers’ long-standing go-to meals.
- The integrated rollout spans TV, social, OOH, CRM, and events to reinforce behavior change at multiple consumer touchpoints.
- Narrative-driven films and creator content make switching orders an emotional decision, strengthening McDonald’s presence in the chicken category.
McDonald’s wants you to cheat on your usual order.
With the fast food chain's new “McCrispy. Betray Your Go-To.” campaign, the brand is directly confronting this customer behavior.
Created by Leo UK, the campaign pushes the McCrispy as a bold, almost rebellious choice, one compelling enough to break that habit.
Running across the UK and Ireland, the fully integrated push spans TV, social media platform activations, out-of-home, radio, CRM, and influencer partnerships.
It puts McDonald’s chicken range front and center, particularly the McCrispy, Spicy McCrispy, and Cheese and Bacon McCrispy.
With this, the brand looks to strengthen its position in the chicken sandwich category.
"Everyone has a go-to order. Whatever it is, it’s with you for life," explained James Hodson, creative director at Leo UK.
"Betray your go-to is all jolting people out of their autopilot to consider the McCrispy.”
This line of thinking informs the entire brand marketing strategy, making the act of choosing an order a moment of internal conflict.
And maybe, just maybe, the McCrispy can finally be a lot of people's new default choice.
A Push to Ditch Your Go-To
The campaign comes to life through a series of films directed by GRANDMAS, where customers wrestle with the decision to abandon their usual order.
Each spot captures that inner debate before it is abruptly cut short by the unmistakable crunch of the McCrispy, which then becomes the customer's final and unregretted choice.
These narrative-led films are supported by food-focused AV executions rolling out in May, ensuring the McCrispy remains top of mind outside the video ads.
The campaign also dives into creator-led microdramas on social, with episodic, short-form content building ongoing engagement.
Out-of-home placements also push the message and McCrispy's visibility with bold typography and simple product visuals, urging people to reconsider their picks in real-world settings.
Lastly, a hero event at Fnatic HQ in Dalston brings the idea into a live setting, where guests are invited to try the McCrispy, but only if their companion agrees to switch from their usual order.
The experience is backed by a McFleet food truck and a content-driven program designed to generate further reach online.
The campaign runs for seven weeks and marks the beginning of a platform focused on redefining McDonald’s role in chicken.
McDonald’s Habit-Breaking Push
McDonald’s campaign shows how to push a product into the spotlight by acknowledging common customer behavior and habits:
- Habit disruption works best when framed as a relatable tension because it transforms routine decisions into emotionally charged moments.
- Product launches gain traction when you incorporate a strong narrative. This approach becomes even more effective when you translate that story across social, OOH, live events, and in-store touchpoints.
- Consistent messaging from awareness to purchase helps brands influence decisions at the exact moment of consumer choice.
According to Yahoo Finance, McDonald’s generated roughly $26.89 billion in revenue over the twelve months ending late 2025, exceeding expectations in the last quarter.
Our Take: Can You Really Break a Habit?
Most of us order the same thing not because it’s the best, but because it’s familiar.
McDonald’s zeroed in on that habit and challenged it with a product that has the potential to be your new favorite.
What stands out in this campaign is the confidence to play around with tension instead of just taste.
And when you follow that idea through from TV to the counter, it starts feeling like a nudge you can’t ignore.
If you’re a brand trying to shift behavior, this could be the play.
Introduce something new by making people question what they’ve been eating all along, and introducing a menu item that just might be better.
In other news, McDonald’s recently took a value storytelling approach with its "Saver Menu" campaign.
Looking to create an equally creative campaign for your brand? Take a look at the top food and beverage marketing agencies in our directory.
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