McDonald’s is buying acres of fire-burnt wheat. The initiative by TBWA\Spain is the company’s response to the recent Spanish fires in the eastern province of Valencia which destroyed 47,000 acres of land, obliterating the livelihood of many of the chain’s farming partners. McDonald’s will buy a part of their ruined crops with €50,000 (AU$73,000) and is creating a symbolic burger whose funds will be given to them.
The virtual Burger That Could Not Be can be purchased through a donation of €1 at digital kiosks for three weeks. All funds raised from the campaign will go to Cobadu, the Spanish cooperative from León.
The campaign is being promoted by an emotive 90-second film directed by Rodrigo Cortés of Only 925 Productions.
“With this initiative, we’re looking to bring our brand purpose closer to society in a more tangible way,” stated Natalia Echeverria, chief marketing and digital officer for McDonald’s Spain. “That is why we’ve decided to give all our support and our aid to the farmers affected by the fires, a key sector for both our society and economy.”
The campaign is part of McDonald’s Big Good project, which was launched at the beginning of Covid-19 as a long-term commitment to its producers across the country.
“This is an act of solidarity full of magic and strong symbolism worthy of a brand like McDonald’s that demonstrates its commitment to the countryside with tangible actions,” noted Juan García-Escudero, chief creative officer at TBWA\Spain.
