Waiting for Christmas morning is over. Now there’s anticipating the magical 12pm on New Year’s Eve to endure. But never fear that excruciating wait, McDonald’s and DDB Chicago have filled the void again this year in New York City. The McDonald’s Fry Countdown edition 2 has arrived. It begins with a series of time-wasting fun and ends with the 2nd annual Fry Countdown. This will go live on the massive billboard on top of the McDonald’s restaurant in Times Square (the third largest billboard in the area) ten hours ahead of the ball drop. It will start with a pile of 600+ golden fries to equal the 600+ minutes left in 2023. To simulate a live experience, one fry will be removed with every passing minute, until the last one is taken, welcoming in 2024. A teaser video appeared on the same billboard on Boxing Day (December 260. With a message featuring no text other than 12/31 to generate intrigue.
To distract from the discomfort of a cold night and long wait in Times Square (or while screen surfing) on New Year’s Eve, McDonald’s will intersperse other fun time-waster content before the famous ball drop. The 10-hour fun show includes:
Fry Pull Asset: Each pull signifies a minute closer to the new year.
Mascot Race: The mascot races will rotate within the run of show after 8pm.
Trivia: Fun facts for know-alls will rotate within the run of show after 6pm.
Photo Hunt: A series of photo hunts will rotate within the run of show after 8pm.
Credits
Client: McDonald’s US
Marketing Director: Jj Healan
Marketing Manager: Daniela Pittiglio
Client: McDonald’s UK
Marketing Director: Matt Reischauer
Creative Agency: DDB Chicago
Executive Creative Director: John Hansa
Creative Director: Tony Katalinic
Associate Creative Directors: Ivan Rivera, Camilo Ruano, Kat Dudkiewicz & Jeff Oswald
Executive Producer: David Moore
Producers: Alethya Luiselli & Katie Shutt
Business Lead: Veronica Zamiar
Account Director: Emily Kuusisto
Account Handling: John Balch
Account Executive: Jessica Bleiweis
Strategy Director: Lucy Remitz
Strategists: Tom Zauberman & Niharika Verma
Project Managers: Charlotte Thomas & Maeve O’Brien
