Montreal Canadiens Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk battle to create customized Angus burgers in a new Quebec-specific campaign for McDonald’s Create Your Taste platform.
Created by Cossette, the TV spot shows the players in friendly competition to create “the best Angus burger” ever by selecting from 30 ingredients and using a self-order kiosks. At the end, the players try each other’s creations.
“Not bad considered it’s made by a pint-sized winger,” Galchenyuk said of Gallagher’s burger.
“Yours isn’t bad either. My grandmother would love it,” Gallagher replied.
The campaign aims to increase awareness of the Create Your Taste platform and encourage customers to try The Gallagher or The Galchenyuk or make their own creation, said Carl Pichette, senior marketing manager for McDonald’s Canada’s Eastern Region.
McDonald’s introduced the self-service kiosks in Canada late last year, allowing customers to personalize their orders as McDonald’s added a premium-priced burger to the menu with nearly 30 different options including five types of cheese and a dozen different toppings.
At the time, McDonald’s Canada CEO John Betts said the chain was giving the modern consumer more options in a world where on-demand services such as Netflix are gaining huge popularity through personalized experiences.
Burgers ordered from the Create Your Taste platform take at least eight minutes to make and are accompanied with table service. Because of the time it takes to make them, they’re not available at drive-thru, said Pichette.
The five-week ad campaign also runs in print, out-of-home and digital. Shot in late August, the ad appears in 15 and 30-second versions on TV while the online version runs for 54 seconds.
The association with the Montreal Canadiens is part of a longstanding relationship with the team and is “a way for our brand to win the hearts of Quebecers,” said Pichette.
In addition to Gallagher and Galchenyuk, captain Max Pacioretty and defenceman Jeff Petry have had burgers named after them.
The Galchenyuk is comprised of Angus beef, garlic aioli, Swiss cheese, bacon pieces and pickles on an artisan-style bakery roll.
The Gallagher is made of Angus beef, Sriracha, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and bacon strips on a black and white sesame seed brioche-style bun.
Both burgers are being sold through the end of 2016.
