In 2018, Cossette demonstrated the power of the McDonald’s brand with its world famous, Lions Grand Prix winning “Follow the Arches” campaign.

The agency snipped off bits of the famous big, rounded M to create a new wayfinding system for out-of-home ads that could work in any language and culture, and was picked up for markets around the world.

Now, five years later, the core idea of “Follow the Arches”—the McDonald’s brand identity is so powerful that just a fraction of its logo and its unmistakeable colours can deliver a clear and impactful message to consumers—is at the heart of another outdoor campaign from Cossette that launched last month.

“The Essential Pit Stop” plays with the idea that McDonald’s has an indispensable role in countless road trips. Once again, Cossette is using just part of the logo, but this time it’s to represent point A (like home) and point B (hotel), along with stop for a McDonalds snack along the way (hamburger)—no headline, tagline or explainer copy required.

“McDonald’s is always a go-to on the road, an indispensable partner for family adventures and getaways with friends,” says McDonald’s Canada CMO Alyssa Buetikofer in a release.
With countless permutations possible, Cossette created dozens of executions to share short contextual stories to remind consumers that McDonald’s is a great place to stop for a quick break when you’re hitting the road.

Other examples include motel to mountain, with a stop for a muffin in between, and condo to canoe with a cone along the way.

“In a way, the campaign picks up where Follow the Arches left off a few years ago,” said Cossette creative director Cédric Audet. “There are infinite opportunities for short and playful three-word stories and for them to be adapted to different specific parts of the country—and even the world.”

The campaign launched in July and will run until early next month (ie. prime summer road trip season), with OMD handling media.