Szechuan Returns — campaign hero

Szechuan Returns.

Listen closely. Even when it’s about sauce.

Here’s a story about doing right by your audience. And a story about a 20 year old dipping sauce. One day, out of the blue, cult TV show “Rick & Morty” called out a McDonald’s McNugget dipping sauce from two decades back. After the airing, the show’s fans lost their goddamned minds. Getting the sauce became their sole mission.  A dipping sauce. For McNuggets. After mixing up some Szechuan Sauce, we held a Periscope livestream event especially for the show’s fans and surprised three of them with this prized dipping sauce. Some of it sold it for up to $15,000. After this demand surged, so we brought limited quantities back, and guess what? The fans lost their goddamned minds again. Fans stormed McDonald’s across the country, causing traffic jams, massive lines and riots. All for a dipping sauce. For McNuggets. 

CLIENT

McDonald’s

AGENCY

We Are Unlimited

MY ROLE

Creative Direction / Art Direction

THE OCCASION

Szechuan Sauce return

The idea, in action

The original Rick & Morty clip

The livestream, condensed

Recognition

Cannes Lions

Shortlist · Digital Craft — Cross-Channel Storytelling

The One Show

Bronze Pencil · User Generated Content

Webby Awards

Finalist · Best Use of Earned Media
Finalist · Real-Time Response

Effie Awards

Finalist · Brand Experience, Engaged Community, Restaurants, Branded Content, Carpe Diem — Products

The Drum Social Buzz Awards

Winner · Best Use of Live Video
Finalist · Best Use of Twitter

Additional recognition

Agency Project of the Year · We Are Unlimited
Global Creative Excellence Award · McDonald’s / DDB Worldwide

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