‘It’s a McD Thing’ Hits the Right Notes for a Fragmented Generation

By The Malketeer

In a world where advertising often chases virality at the cost of authenticity, McDonald’s India has done something rather refreshing — they’ve invited us back to the table. Not for just a bite, but for a moment.

Launched with two distinct films by DDB Mudra Group, the new brand campaign ‘It’s a McD Thing’ doesn’t just sell burgers or fries — it sells something far more enduring: connection.

At its heart, this campaign is not about food.

It’s about rituals. The unspoken, deeply human habits that come alive in McDonald’s restaurants.

Whether it’s friends tapping beats on a plastic tray after missing a concert, or night shift coders bonding over shared hunger, McDonald’s becomes the backdrop — the unscripted stage where these micro-moments of meaning unfold.

The Insight: A Place Between Places

The first spot cleverly leans into a generational truth — that Gen Z, despite being digitally native, still crave tactile, communal spaces.

In the film, a group of friends turn a missed concert into an impromptu jam session at McDonald’s.

No influencers. No filters. Just fries and friendship, framed within the universal truth that disappointment can be redirected into joy when the right space allows it.

The second film flips the script. It’s not the young and carefree this time, but the fatigued and focused — two late-night professionals discovering that McDonald’s isn’t just a place for daytime indulgence.

With the line “Your night shift, our night shift”, the brand subtly asserts its place as a constant — a companion in the rhythm of real life.

A Strategy That Serves More Than Food

What makes this campaign resonate is not just the creative execution, but its strategic restraint.

McDonald’s has avoided the pitfall of over-promising or pushing a polished fantasy.

Instead, the work taps into something powerfully grounded: nostalgia, locality, and behavioural intimacy.

By framing the McDonald’s experience as a “thing” — a set of unscripted rituals, quirks, and shared behaviours — DDB Mudra smartly positions the brand as more than just a QSR (quick-service restaurant).

It becomes a cultural landmark. A hangout. An adda. A safe haven for both spontaneity and routine.

It’s in the Language

Interestingly, the campaign’s layered messaging — from the umbrella tagline “It’s a McD Thing” to the localised “Our food, your mood” — reveals a dual intention. It speaks to the past and the present, Gen Z and Gen X, ritual and rebellion.

It acknowledges the generation who grew up with McDonald’s as a symbol of modernity — birthday parties, exam-result celebrations, college pit stops.

And it also welcomes today’s younger consumers who are scripting their own McDonald’s stories — stories filled with spontaneity, audio loops, and viral hacks.

From Brand to Belonging

Arvind R.P., Chief Marketing Officer of McDonald’s India (W&S), summarises it best: “McDonald’s has been that special place where friends gather, celebrations happen, and everyday moments become memories.”

It’s not about building new brand equity; it’s about reclaiming old emotional equity.

Something many brands struggle to do in a time of fractured attention spans and transactional loyalty.

The campaign recognises that the real brand power lies not in crafting perfect experiences, but in holding space for imperfect, authentic ones.

That’s where McDonald’s India wins — not by shouting, but by listening. Not by orchestrating moments, but by recognising the ones already happening.

Lessons for Marketers

For brands seeking to move from awareness to affinity, ‘It’s a McD Thing’ is a masterclass in subtlety and sentiment.

It shows that even in a category as competitive and commoditised as fast food, culture still wins. Not just celebrity tie-ins, but genuine rituals. Not just influencer soundbites, but behavioural truths.

It also reminds marketers of a deeper truth: the brand isn’t just what you say in your ads. It’s what people do with it — how they remix it, remember it, and retell it.

By tapping into the everyday magic of people simply being themselves — late-night workers, plan-less friends, spontaneous jammers — McDonald’s India has done more than create content.

They’ve created belonging. In a fragmented world that’s gold.