Yum Only Takes A Moment

McDonald’s drive-thru is known for being fast and easy, the perfect fix when you’re on the go. But with traffic being one of life’s biggest daily frustrations, DDB saw an opportunity to turn that pain point into something positive. By tapping into the universal annoyance of being stuck on the road, they reminded drivers that a quick detour could lead to something satisfying, a delicious treat waiting just minutes away.

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In collaboration with LUMO, six creative variations—two for breakfast and four for the afternoon—appeared on 14 billboards in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch during rush hour. These billboards updated in real time with Google's Traffic API and McDonald's Drive-Thru API, showing ads only when drive times were five minutes or less, perfectly aligning cravings with convenience.

By leveraging data and technology to transform frustration into opportunity and tapping into live traffic and drive-thru information, McDonald’s and LUMO highlighted the brand’s speed and convenience in a bold, contextual way. They reminded drivers that even in traffic, a quick, tasty reward is always close by.

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