Fast-food lovers call McDonald’s secret number using clue from famous jingle
Back in the mid-noughties McDonald’s rolled out the ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ jingle fronted by American singer Justin Timberlake, which has since become synonymous with the brand.
McDonald’s Sweden’s ‘The Golden Number’ campaign by Nord DDB
While many people recognize the catchy song, they may not realize that you can recreate it using the keypad on your mobile phone. McDonald’s Sweden, alongside agency partner Nord DDB, is tapping into this with a unique campaign called ‘The Golden Number’ that asks fast-food lovers to play the tune with the keypad of their phone and call that number.
Finding the right combination of numbers is the tricky part, but once the correct sequence is found entrants need to phone it to be in with the chance of winning a gift card that can be used at any golden arches location in the country.
“We see this as an opportunity to spread joy. It is time for a real McDonald’s enthusiast to get the chance to lay their hands on a gold card,” said Staffan Ekstam, marketing director at McDonald’s.
“Like many of our burgers, our jingle has become a bit of a classic. If you manage to play our jingle on your keypad and dial the golden number – well, then you deserve the chance to win the golden card.”
Beginning in late December, the campaign has seen ‘The Golden Number’ displayed on staff name tags, packaging and in some commercials as a teaser, without further explanation of the meaning of the digits. The spot is supported by out-of-home (OOH) activations and owned social media channels, with the winner being announced on January 14.
“When we noticed that you could play the jingle on the phone and that the number was free to acquire, we realized that this was a golden opportunity to activate McDonald’s fans in a fun way,” added Felix Jörneman, creator at Nord DDB.
“Many of us remember how we used to create melodies with our mobile buttons as children, so for some of us it is probably also a bit of a sweet nostalgic feeling. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to compete for the golden card, but I am very excited for the one who will become the happy winner of the golden card.”
