McDonald's Sponsorship of London 2012: We All Make The Games

This case study describes how fast-food chain McDonald's overcame controversy surrounding its sponsorship of the 2012 London Olympic Games by focussing on collective experience.

McDonald's Sponsorship of 2012: We All Make The Games

Principal authors: Kit Altin, Leo Burnett London; Alistair Macrow, McDonald's RestaurantsContributing authors: Mike Treharne and Josh Bullmore, Leo Burnett London; Natalie Redford, OMD UK; Louise Cook, Holmes & Cook

Summary

The brief was to drive affinity for the McDonald's brand by making people feel good about its sponsorship of The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The problem was that while McDonald's was the highest profile Games sponsor, a lot of people were emphatically not "lovin' it". A firestorm of criticism enveloped sponsors who were felt to be...

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