Dive Brief:

• McDonald's has teamed with married rap superstars Cardi B and Offset for its first-ever celebrity duo meal, per a press release. Beginning on Valentine's Day, the pair's meal will be available to order from the chain.
• The effort includes an ad that debuted during the Super Bowl pregame show that features a diverse array of couples, including the rappers, who share their McDonald's memories, traditions and orders. 
• To boost the campaign, McDonald's will tie up with dating apps like Tinder, BLK and Chispa and will run a "truth or dare" game on its own app. In addition, the brand will host a kiss cam billboard at its Times Square location.

Dive Insight:

McDonald's is building on the success of its Famous Orders platform with a campaign that hopes two rappers are better than one. Timed to Valentine's Day, the effort goes beyond its celebrity element to explore more universal truths about relationships.

The brand's "Knowing Their Order" spot, which aired during the Super Bowl pregame show, features a range of couples, including Cardi B and Offset, recalling memories about their McDonald's experiences, including the idea that knowing your partner's order at the chain is a sign of true love. The couples are diverse across age, race, ability and sexual orientation, giving the campaign a purpose-driven angle.

Starting on Valentine's Day, McDonald's will make Cardi B and Offset's shared order — a cheeseburger, BBQ sauce and a large Coke for her, a Quarter Pounder with cheese and a large Hi-C Orange Lavaburst for him, as well as a large fry and apple pie to share — available for order at its stores. It has used a similar approach with its Famous Orders platform to drive sales and app downloads.

To boost the effort, McDonald's is using a variety of mobile and out-of-home elements. The brand will tie up with dating apps like Tinder, BLK and Chispa to let people break the ice by sharing a meal at McDonald's, while adding a "truth or dare" game to its own app. Plus, it will host a kiss cam billboard by letting customers snap a photo in a kissing booth that will be projected on the billboard at its Times Square location.

McDonald's fourth-quarter earnings and revenue beat Wall Street estimates, with higher menu prices and increased demand driving same-store sales growth of 10.3% in the U.S.

The burger giant’s past celebrity-centered menu offerings, including collaborations with Travis Scott, BTS, Saweetie and Mariah Carey, have driven strong results. In October, McDonald’s extended its line of partnerships with buzzy fashion brand Cactus Plant Flea Market to create a line of adult Happy Meals.

“Customer excitement was palpable and it’s fair to say the program exceeded expectations,” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said of the Cactus Plant Flea Market promotion on the chain’s Q4 2022 earnings call. “This program drove the highest weekly digital transactions ever seen in the U.S.”

McDonald’s has also been investing in marketing around existing menu items, such as the McRib, to capitalize on nostalgia while “fueling top line momentum with limited added complexity in our restaurants,” CFO Ian Borden said.

“Our scalable insights are helping us tap into our fans love for McDonald's and create culturally relevant campaigns that resonate across markets and drive growth,” Kempczinski said.