Macca’s bursts onto the TikTok scene with the #McDSpiceChallenge campaign via Mango NZ

Macca’s has burst onto the TikTok scene with the #McDSpiceChallenge to launch the new Spicy McChicken range. No strangers to innovation, the iconic brand’s foray onto TikTok, courtesy of Mango, is believed to be the first significant campaign on the platform by a major brand in this market.

 

Mango enlisted the help of local DJ/producers Jupiter Project to create a custom, catchy tune for the challenge, enticing Kiwis to post their ‘spice face’ reactions to the new Spicy McChicken burgers on the social platform. To spread the word, macro and micro TikTok influencers were brought on board, seeding the challenge into New Zealand’s already massive TikTok community.

Using Mango’s social expertise and database of local TikTok talent, the campaign has achieved impressive organic social reach and engagement in an age of pay-to-play social advertising, with nearly a million views and 90,000 likes, comments and shares from the first 15 videos – with zero boost.

In addition, the Spicy McChicken range was experiencing sell-out demand across the country within days of launch.

Says Zoe Virtue, head of digital and social, Mango: “Clearly TikTok represents massive untapped value for brands out there. When you’re combining huge organic reach, the ability to convey clear brand messages, drive engagement, and offer good value for money – you’d be missing a trick not to explore it.”

Virtue cautions against jumping on the bandwagon without a plan, however: “A huge amount of planning went into this, including research into audience behaviour on the platform to ensure the content was a success. The custom tune from Jupiter Project is there to grab user’s attention, the McDonald’s burger provides brand recognition and interest, and then it’s up to our carefully selected talent to create something worth engaging with and recreating.

“We’re looking forward to sharing what we’ve learned with a deep dive into TikTok at our upcoming Evolution of Influence series, with some local talent joining us to go behind the scenes of the TikTok world.”

Laura Youngman, senior brand manager at McDonald’s, has enjoyed watching their first TikTok campaign roll out with impressive views and engagement rates from a range of unique content.

Says Youngman: “With TikTok on the rise, the release of the new spicy sauces felt like the perfect opportunity to make our debut on the app to engage a younger audience with a spicy challenge. We’ve loved seeing the hilarious #McDSpiceChallenge reactions, and the huge engagement from the TikTok community.”

The campaign is currently live. For further information on the TikTok – Evolution of Influence event, contact: zoev@thisismango.co.nz