Why are there so many wonderfully unexpected campaign ideas produced for fast food companies? This one, by Nord DDB in Sweden, is so right for now. McDonald’s has turned its Golden Arches restaurant signs into signposts that tell people where they can charge their electric cars. The company installed its first charging posts as early as 2009 and has now installed them at 55 restaurants in Sweden. This makes it the largest restaurant chain there for electric car charging and McDonald’s plans to extend the service to its drive-thrus also.

Nord DDB’s campaign idea came from a McDonald’s survey in which 48% of people said it was difficult to find out where charging stations were located. The idea is utterly simple. McDonald’s is making it easy to find one. The signs also display the prices of Big Macs and Happy Meals in petrol-station style.

The first signs have been installed by McDonald’s restaurants in Mjölby and Munkedal.

“McDonald’s has a strong history of being involved in the development of charging infrastructure along Sweden’s roads,” stated Christoffer Rönnblad, marketing director at McDonald’s Sweden.

“More and more people are choosing to travel by electric vehicles, and we want to be a part of this trend by inspiring good choices. Our sign is a new and fun take on a classic way of doing just that.”

The new good for the planet initiative follows Nord DDB and McDonald’s McHive in May.

McHive is the smallest McDonald’s in the world. It doesn’t serve burgers. It’s a beehive – a fully functioning beehive. It’s also an homage to the beehives on the rooftops of five McDonald’s in Sweden (so far). The initiative started out locally with one franchise but is growing, and is part of McDonald’s Sweden’s sustainability work.

The bees enter the hive through the main entrance and the restaurant also has a McDrive and seating outdoors. McHive was designed and built by awarded set designer, Nicklas Nilsson. It was auctioned on May 21 during a charity fund raiser for Ronald McDonald house charities and was sold to a franchisee for more than AU$15,000.