McDonalds: #ChildhoodIsInside by TBWA\Paris

In the wake of news that its quarterly sales are down, McDonald’s is exploring the special relationship children have with its iconic Happy Meal red box in its latest ad campaign from ad agency TBWA\Paris.

The tradition of McDonald’s Happy Meal box has been around since 1979, originally established as a way to help mothers feed their children more effectively while at the restaurant.

Since then, many children have tugged at their parent's sleeve, directing them towards McDonald’s to get a Happy Meal and toy to play with.

Understanding that the red box has been a cherished component of McDonald’s offering for a long time, its ad agency TBWA\Paris wanted to capture the story surrounding the Happy Meal box as a tradition passed on from generation to generation and wanted to find a way of celebrating that.

To capture this special relation, TBWA\Paris has created a short film that sees a young boy and his best friend – a red Happy Meal Box – that his grandmother gives him. From that point they are inseparable, and the box becomes part of the kid’s daily life.

In the red box, he collects little bits and piece from his world; soap bubbles, pebbles, good test marks, laughter and his mother’s perfume scent are among the items he keeps safe within his best friend.

When he returns to his grandmother’s home, he shows her the keepsakes he has meticulously chosen and kept carefully in the box. The items were in fact collected with the sole purpose of being shared – and the campaign name #ChildhoodIsInside becomes clear.