It’s hard to imagine anyone who can’t recognise the McDonald’s arches. Even glimpses of bits of the McDonald’s arches. So Cossette has put them to use – as directional billboards.

The agency has deconstructed the arches and transformed them into signs that direct (OK, nudge) people towards the nearest restaurant.

Peter Ignazi, chief creative officer at Cossette, noted, “We noticed that all over Canada, from major cities to small towns, you could find signs directing you to the nearest McDonald’s. This campaign is a nod to those signs, but with a fun visual twist. With minimal text and a creative use of the brand’s colours and logo, Follow the Arches not only translates on a national, but a global scale.”

Each billboard features a section of the golden arches logo as its only graphic element, paired with a simple instructional line, so that the ads work anywhere in the world with any language.

“The campaign is a playful example of how the arches are recognisable, even when the consumer only sees a portion of the logo,” stated Andrew Mumford, McDonald’s regional marketing supervisor.

Peter Ignazi, chief creative officer at Cossette, noted, “We noticed that all over Canada, from major cities to small towns, you could find signs directing you to the nearest McDonald’s. This campaign is a nod to those signs, but with a fun visual twist. With minimal text and a creative use of the brand’s colours and logo, Follow the Arches not only translates on a national, but a global scale.”

The OOH campaign consists of four billboards (three static and one digital) in high traffic areas across downtown Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, targeting people on the go “who might need a little reminder that the next McDonald’s is just a left or right turn away,” the agency stated.

The campaign follows hot on the heels of Cossette’s intriguing BMxB campaign, aimed at McDonald’s core (millennial) audience.

Cossette: The mysterious, pretentious BMxB campaign (hint: Big Mac with Bacon)