For Children’s Day, McDonald’s China launched “We Love to See You Play”—a vibrant, character-led world crafted with Jelly and Dutch illustrator Eva Cremers, and amplified by a Leo Burnett TV spot. A limited holiday menu, collectible merchandise, exclusive packaging and pop-up themed restaurants brought the idea to life for Gen Z, Gen Alpha and anyone eager to embrace their inner child.
What makes ‘We Love to See You Play’ stand out?
A unified creative universe turns McDonald’s icons—nuggets, Grimace, Birdie and Hamburglar—into playful heroes. The result is a colorful, cohesive world that invites families to explore, collect and share.
How was the visual world developed?
Eva Cremers designed a fun-filled “theme park” where nuggets and characters interact, sprinkled with McDonald’s easter eggs. This system connects every touchpoint—TV, social, packaging, toys, in-store and pop-ups—so the experience feels seamless and memorable.
Where did the activations appear?
The campaign rolled out across pop-up themed restaurants and special retail moments in cities including Xiamen, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Shanghai and Changsha, supported by collectable merchandise and limited-edition packaging.
Why does this behave like OOH?
Physical touchpoints—packaging-as-media, pop-ups and themed restaurants—deliver high visibility, tactile engagement and word-of-mouth. Like impactful OOH, these moments create frequency and talkability far beyond traditional billboards through place-based, shareable storytelling.
FAQs about this campaign
What is ‘We Love to See You Play’?
McDonald’s China’s Children’s Day campaign, a colorful character-led world spanning menu, packaging, pop-ups, merch and a TV spot.
Who created the visual identity?
London-based agency Jelly and Dutch illustrator Eva Cremers, with Leo Burnett leading the TV spot.
Where did activations appear?
Across pop-up themed restaurants and stores in cities like Xiamen, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Shanghai and Changsha.
Why were chicken nuggets the hero?
The nugget is iconic and instantly recognizable, making it the perfect focal point for playful, character-led storytelling.
How does it connect to OOH/experiential?
Packaging-as-media and pop-up spaces create place-based visibility, tactile interaction and shareable moments—key to OOH-style impact.
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