McDonald’s Playland: something tells us it’s good
May 20 2010, 11:44 am | | 58 Comments
As reported by CB on Monday March 29, commuters arrived in Sydney’s CBD to find aMcDonald’s Playland built just for them. Adults were able to play in away that they hadn’t since childhood.
The Playland incorporated retrocharacters from the past such as a Hamburglar swing, Grimace cage andFillet-O-Fish bouncers. Built entirely by hand and scaled 2:1, it madeadults look and feel like kids again. It had a height of 32 feet, aweight of more than 15 tonnes, and a footprint of over 4,500 squarefeet. People see “i’m lovin’ it” in all McDonald’s ads. This time theyfelt it.
58 Comments
Nice work Matt and John.
O’Doyle Rules!!
i’m loathin’ it.
Loosen up, you’ve got to admit, that ball pit would have been a heap of fun. I still get jealous of the kids at Ikea!
Miggy and John are awesome! Well done boys.
Awesome work.
Great stuff for a massive/conservative client. May not be the best stunt but it’s good for the brand. Well done lads
I think this is great. However, with such a chronic hang over every Monday morning, there is no way in hell I’d have had a play. I would have needed a man diaper. So I’ll just stick to being ‘childish’ and drinking too much on a Sunday night. Nice work though.
(TG was that you “loathin it?”)
Congrats again Rosey and team. Bloody great!
when is it coming to melbourne?!
the reactions seem fake and too over-the-top. were actors used?
I loved it when I heard about it. And I love it more now that I see it. It’s just a really simple, honest idea from a big corporation. As the video says, it’s one thing saying “i’m lovin’ it”, it’s another to actually feel it. Nice work.
I think Paul Brourman said it best on BestAds “McDonald’s gets top honors for their simple and whimsical idea that, once again, captures the brand’s storied value proposition of “awakening the child within”. This idea was uplifting, effective and square on to the brand’s core essence.”
Here, here.
Real people? Sure. That’s why I saw all those paid actors standing there smoking and reading waiting for instructions.
The Big Pineapple is still king.
I wanna play!
Have to agree. Great idea let down by bad actors. That’s so Australian.
I’m jealous.
I love this idea! But I hate that they’ve used actors in the film- SUCH a shame.
If those were real people, how embarrassingly daggy.
If they were actors, how embarrassingly fraudulent.
good to get something real made, well done
I heard about those new packaging restrictions
selling burgers in generic packs, with health warning
or maybe that was ciggy’s?
FAKE! I hate it when agencies try and palm off the real thing by using actors.
McFail.
It’s an ad for McDonalds. We use actors in ads, what’s the issue?
Anyway, no one would just walk up and jump on if they didn’t see others doing it.
Can someone from DDB please comment? I think it’s brilliant and find it hard to believe this would be fake.
If they’re actors, they then they needed better direction. They look like they’re on drugs.
sure felt pretty real when i went on it. still have the bruise to prove it.
Ironically if the advertising works on you and you consume the food they sell. Chances are you’d have a heart attack half way up the first slide.
McInsurance claim
Very cool spot though, good to see some proper set building going on instead of the fix it in post that normally occurs.
A bluescreen ball pit just isn’t as much fun.
If you build it the actors will come.
So was that the making of video? When do we get to see the TVC?
I’m surprised by that quote:
‘People see ‘I’m lovin’ it’ in all the ads, but this time they felt it.’
Kind of undermines the validity of it as a strapline in all their TVC’s doesn’t it?
‘Yeah, we don’t really mean it on the telly, but this time…’
Oops.
*disclaimer.
All actors involved really did say they were feeling like they were loving it.
actors were obviously used to get other people to join in. I’m sure there was a mix of real people, agency suits and actors.
Whether the participants were actors matters not a jot. What matters is: Would you have loved it if you walked past it in the morning? I don’t know coz I didn’t walk past it, but I sincerely hope I would have loved it and taken 10 minutes out to loosen up a little. Which is what the cynics should do.
Fucking brilliant.
Don’t blame the actors. They were poorly directed.
Who gives a shit if they used actors to get people on it? I would have jumped on the thing if I’d seen it – just a shame it wasn’t up there for longer.
And to all the negative little shitbags trying to cut down a sweet idea for a big paying client – get back to your ‘pro-active’ print campaign for the charity account and see how long you have a job for fucktards,
Kudos. Well done McDonalds.
Wo,wo,wo 6:26, “fucktards”? Is that new? I don’t think anyone is rubbishing the idea and congratulations to Macca’s for being a “big paying client”. I’m sure that scooting down the giant plastic slide would have been a blast… all that said it’s a crap tvc.
Who cares if the people in the video are actors or not. The idea is lovely, and it doesn’t matter if punters joined in. What matters is if they wanted to join in.
And I’m sure everyone who walked past the installation, or has seen the video, does.
It’s feel good…but smells a bit too.
I kind of like it , but it’s also kind of gay.
it’s almost cool yet really square.
That sums up how I feel about Macca’s too
6:16pm. Poorly directed huh? In case you hadn’t noticed this is not a TV commercial, it’s a makings-of video. Knob.
Top idea. Wish I’d been there. Surely if they spent that much building the playland they’ll bring it to other cities. St.Kilda Rd first please.
Great idea let down by the use of actors.
Steve (9:05) – surely paying people to pretend to be getting into your idea cheapens it?
Well done Matt & team. I’m lovin it and can’t wait for the TVC’s.
To all the shit-baggers: the more we can get clients to put money into great brand building exercises like these, the happier we’ll all be. Don’t be misinformed sad bastards. Realise the potential.
This is big. Cannes big, hopefully.
I thought it was great. I did a wee in the balls.
1.28 Guys you are so small minded in this part of the world. Cannes big? You must be fucking joking, mate. It won’t even make a ripple at Award.
It’s a shit idea, been done a million times before.
I’m so bored of experiential adwank set up at Circular Quay or Martin Place. Just do a decent ad, this kind of crap is so easy and creatively lazy. McDonald’s probably think they’re being completely fucking radical. They would have been if they’d done this 10 years ago.
And Steve Dodds, of course it matters if you use hired actors then pass them off as ordinary punters. If you had to use actors then idea didn’t fucking work, did it?
Jeezus Christ. Is it just me?
So they built a playground and people played in it?
Quick put a logo on the end that shit!
I’m fascinated. How has this idea been done a million times before?
Well done to all involved. Ignore the gutless shit throwing.
The most interesting thing about this thread is the word fucktard.
Says it all really.
10.00 am i”m thinking that nothing you’ve ever done or will do will make a ripple at award if you can’t see that this is really good. Good luck with the career mate, you need it.
Weird, but when I think about having a burger, I don’t think about kids playgrounds. It’s just not part of most people’s experience of fast food.
If they’d built a huge maze out of neon lights and plied you with beer and jaegermeister on the way round before dumping you in Circular Quay 8 hours later with a couple of shorted skirted westy girls throwing up in the gutter, that would definitley recall McDonalds for me.
Is this truly Canne worthy ? and is that the measure of success now.
Shame they used actors. You could of used actors but just to influence the mood and encourage real people to let go and have fun if 1 group is going for it would of allowed real people to do so as well.
T-Mobile used actors.
T – mobile is shit
The general public were allowed on they just had to sign a release.
End of story.
Great job.
At least you know it’s original – in Sydney.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmNp8aec0Y4
I saw it, thought they were shooting a TV ad. Didn’t realize they where shooting a Cannes entry. What a croc of shit. We are disappearing up our own asses.
They’re not actors. These are genuine people’s expressions. I walk past there everyday on my way to work and I remember seeing it and I was shocked and amazed. It’s not everyday you see an adult sized playground come out of no where. I actually went on the slide and the grimace cage. It was a nice change from a regular Monday morning.
Yayyy!! I think it is the best McDonalds add I have ever seen….I love it so much..the song is the best and I just want to play on one of those playgrounds. Why should little children have all the fun? Bring on more big kids playgrounds Maccas!!!
is it still there ?? how long for???