McDonald’s is providing a frothy new take on the snow report.
The QSR giant has launched a new digital out-of-home campaign in Western Canada that uses real-time snow conditions to promote three hot beverages: The McCafé Latte, McCafé Cappuccino and McCafé Deluxe Hot Chocolate.
The digital billboard on Highway 99, which connects Vancouver and the popular Whistler Blackcomb ski resort, features images of McCafé beverages that reflect the day’s snow conditions.
On light snowfall days, for example, the digital board will feature the McCafé latte and its light coating of steamed milk, while on moderate days drivers will see the slightly foamier McCafé Cappuccino.
On heavier snowfall days, the board features the McCafé Deluxe Hot Chocolate, which comes topped with a towering serving of whipped cream. The digital ads also include an actual snow depth for the mountain resorts.
“The new flexibility of the digital out-of-home format allowed some things that out-of-home hadn’t allowed us in the past,” said Gavin Stafford, McDonald’s senior marketing manager, Western Canada of the campaign. “It’s part of the tone and voice of our brand.”
Cossette Vancouver developed the creative concept in association with Astral Out-of-Home, which operates nearly 80 digital faces in key markets across the country.
The board is located just outside Squamish, B.C., a popular stopping point for skiers and snowboarders making their way to the mountains from Vancouver. McDonald’s has restaurants in both Squamish and Whistler.
“When [skiers] think about planning their pit-stop on the way up they might consider stopping for a McCafé beverage, but overall it’s about building awareness of the McCafé brand in a fun, playful and relevant way for skiers and snowboarders,” said Stafford.
While Stafford said it is too early to determine the impact of the campaign on McCafé beverage sales, he said initial reaction from consumers and restaurant owners in the region had been positive, with some sharing across social media.
