McDonald’s UAE has launched a purpose-driven campaign to spotlight the quick-service restaurant’s (QSR) initiatives that give back to its community.
With ‘The Good You Don’t Order’, McDonald’s challenges menu favourites such as the Big Mac or McChicken Nuggets that spring to mind to show how the brand serves much more than food but also meaningful initiatives centered on creating change behind the counter.
Therefore, the brand is turning the spotlight on its do-good initiatives that some may not know about.
“‘The Good You Don’t Order’ isn’t about sharing the good we do – it’s about celebrating our customers,” said Walid Fakih, CEO of McDonald’s UAE. “None of this would be possible without them. Every order they make helps support local communities, drive sustainability efforts, and empower our employees.”
At the heart of this platform launch is a campaign with an inventive take on the cultural classic, Old MacDonald Had a Farm. Reimagined as a modern tune, the iconic song takes on fresh meaning, celebrating McDonald’s UAE’s positive impact behind the scenes.
The soundtrack backs a narrative about how every McDonald’s meal supports something greater. From converting used cooking oil into biodiesel for its delivery fleet, to creating youth sports programs with the McDonald’s Junior Sports Academy.
“This campaign is a way to say thank you, to highlight the meaningful impact they create with every meal, and to show how, together, we’re making a difference every day,” said Fakih.
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Paired with a vibrant music video shot in Dubai, the work uses the universal language of music to connect with audiences and tell the brand’s story in an entirely new way. FP7 McCann, the creative agency behind the campaign’s design, employed this strategy to share this narrative in a way that’s fun, memorable, and engaging.
“Old MacDonald Had a Farm is a song that feels destined for McDonald’s, yet it had never been part of the brand’s story – until now,” said Federico Fanti, Chief Creative Officer at FP7 McCann.
“ With ‘The Good You Don’t Order’, we transformed this familiar melody into a platform for purpose. By weaving it into music, film, and in-restaurant experiences, we’ve captured the powerful, often unseen role McDonald’s UAE plays in everyday life in a way that’s relatable, impossible to ignore, and totally ownable by the brand.”
The brand has also put its people in front and center of the campaign, celebrating the team members behind the everyday experience. Employees across McDonald’s UAE restaurants volunteered to appear in the campaign video and out-of-home activations, bringing their own personalities, stories, and energy to the spotlight.
McDonald’s UAE claims their participation reflects the diverse voices and reinforces the brand’s belief that its impact starts behind the counter and is built by the people who show up, serve with passion, and connect with customers every day.
The campaign also shows up inside the restaurants in a small but meaningful way. Alongside the usual receipt, customers receive a second printed receipt highlighting some of the positive initiatives their order helps support, as a simple reminder that every visit contributes to something beyond the menu.
Blending music, storytelling, and out-of-home activations, the campaign thoughtfully reimagines every touchpoint to make ‘The Good You Don’t Order’ platform visible and meaningful for customers.
Credits:
McDonald’s UAE
CEO – Walid Fakih
Senior Marketing Director – Hassan Abouezzeddine
Senior Marketing Consultant – Reem Bitar
Senior Marketing Consultant – Osama Elchamaa
Senior Marketing Coordinator – Carma Al Younes
Creative: FP7 McCann MENAT
Regional Chief Creative Officer – Federico Fanti
Executive Creative Officer – Nayaab Rais
Group Creative Director – Jonathan Cruz
Associate Creative Director – Francesco Negri
Associate Creative Director – Diego Fernandez-Cid
Associate Creative Director – Manar Abdulla
Senior Art Director – Roy Sebastian
Video Editor – Murilo DePaula
Motion Graphic Designer – Shahbaz Ahmed Ghais
Junior VFX Compositor – Vikram Ajay
Production
Head of AV Production – Jessica Younes
Senior Producer – Elias Achkar
Account Management
Managing Director – Tarek Ali Ahmad
Group Account Director – Bachir Zouein
Account Director – Karim Takieddine
Senior Account Manager – Mariel Abou Samra
Strategy
Head of Strategy – Nick Salter
Strategy Director – John Lai
Production House: Tomorrow Film Agency
CEO – Antonio Sabatella
EP/Partner – Rula Bevilacqua
Senior Producer – Tania Baaklini
Director – Luis Cerveró
Head of Post – Andreea Gurbina
Music House
2WEI
Post Production House
SAUVAGE.TV
PR Agency
Weber Shandwick MENAT
