Creators help McDonald’s turn promos and pop-ups into headlines

Creators have a proven track record for promoting products, but McDonald’s also sees them as key players in spreading news.

“Consumers are looking at creators as a way to dissect information,” said Jacob Duarte, who handles communications, culture, and engagement at McDonald’s. “From a PR standpoint, we’ve really started leveraging influencers the same way we’d pitch a reporter.”

As traditional public relations and influencer marketing continue to blur, Duarte often invites creators to break news under embargo. This approach not only maximizes reach and offers a personalized touch beyond what traditional outlets provide, but also builds trust and rapport between the creator and the brand.

Duarte, who joined McDonald’s in 2021, has expanded his role from media relations to include the brand’s culture and engagement initiatives. He has been instrumental in McDonald’s shift to view both media and creators as key stakeholders.

By inviting creators into the news cycle while crafting memorable experiences they’re eager to share, McDonald’s is developing a PR workflow that merges traditional and modern media.

Building creator buy-in 

Beyond initial affinity, long-term relationships can naturally come with deeper brand knowledge. McDonald’s has a longterm relationship with creators @mnmtwinz, and took the duo to New York to celebrate Grimace’s birthday earlier this year. 

When Duarte hosted them at McDonald’s HQ in Chicago for the Chicken Big Mac launch in October, he was impressed when they asked for directions to a Ronald McDonald statue they had discovered through their own research.

“They had seen photos taken inside MHQ and wanted to capture that themselves,” he said. “We take creators under our wing and build those relationships because we know they work really hard for us, too.”

Creating memorable experiences

Duarte highlighted the brand’s creator marketing strategy, and how creator endorsements are reshaping media and news amplification. One standout tactic is unique delivery drops, which help McDonald’s stand out among brands competing for a spot in a creator’s meal lineup. In October, they presented the Chicken Big Mac to creators using a barbershop quartet.

“While traditional food drops focus on the food itself, we aim to present it in a fun way that encourages the creator to share their experience,” said Duarte. “Creators were posting content of the actual experience itself, but also their reviews of the sandwich. It was just complete gold in my eyes.”

Boosting outlet attention

When considering paid promotions with creators, Duarte recalls a 2022 campaign tied to Mercury in Retrograde. The brand partnered with tarot card reader Madam Adam, who hosted a live reading on TikTok to promote a limited-time offer in the McDonald’s app: a free McChicken or McDouble with the purchase of medium fries.

“It was a tongue-in-cheek way to promote an offer that was live on our app for two days,” he said, noting the campaign’s appeal to lifestyle outlets like Cosmopolitan and Teen Vogue. “It was an opportunity to break through in verticals we typically wouldn’t reach with a sales-driven announcement.”

While McDonald’s maintains close ties with creators who focus on food news, Duarte aims to tap into the broader cultural impact of the brand, beyond just those interested in the latest menu item.

“We always say we want to be at the forefront of culture, and to do that, we need to look beyond food creators and engage other communities,” he said, mentioning fashion and sports creators as examples. “Everyone has a different connection or appreciation for the brand.”