To support the launch of the Crispy McBacon range, McDonald’s wanted to make an impact with a multi-channel campaign that utilised all main touchpoints, from TV to digital and social channels like Instagram and TikTok. It was the perfect occasion to test an innovative activation in the Italian advertising landscape, using an audience-driven approach on TV devices. 

An exclusive partnership between Omnicom Media Group Italy and Publitalia (Mediaset), one of the most important TV broadcasters in Italy, enabled a direct integration between both parties Data Management Platforms (DMP) Omni and Publitalia that reached custom audiences of around 7M through connected TV. 

In a first of its kind for Italy, McDonald’s tested this audience-driven approach via connected TV using a video creative with an overlay QR code to push users into downloading the app and measure the install rate. The campaign ran for two weeks between the end of May and the beginning of June. 

Audiences were accurately selected on McDonald’s DMP, which sat within Omni, by analysing the visitors of the Crispy McBacon’s website section and identifying the most relevant targets. Three clusters (young and social influencers; entertainment, TV series and gaming; fast-food lovers) were synced with Publitalia’s DMP and enriched with the broadcaster’s ‘Look Alike’ feature to increase potential reach. At the same time, keeping the high qualified profiling coming in from the client’s first party data. 

Leaving aside the technological performance, this approach – merging offline and online capabilities – gave McDonald’s the opportunity to utilise TV planning. For the first time ever, this was an innovative way to activate first party data, reach in-market users and push app downloads. Results included a download rate 8 times higher than usual digital app download campaigns benchmarks.