Ingenious McDonald's print ads are going viral (again)

McDonald's sign — (Image credit: McDonald's)

Few brands are as synonymous with clever print ads as McDonald's, so it's little wonder that old campaigns are constantly resurfacing on social media and Reddit. Some of the best McDonald's ads use minimalism to emphasise the ubiquity of its brand identity, and here's an example that's up there with the best.

Designed by Leo Burnett Germany in 2018, the 'McClocks' campaign was designed to advertise McDonald's restaurants that are open for 24 hours. At first, they look like simple close crops of a digital clock interface. But look closer at those minute markers (or as they're technically known, graduations) and you'll see some ingeniously hidden products.

McDonald's print ad — (Image credit: McDonald's)

From the Big Mac to the Fillet-o-Fish, several famous McDonald's items are depicted through mere dashes. It's a testament to the clarity of the brand's iconography that these are all recognisable, just from a few small lines representing the different ingredients. The ads are currently back at the top of Reddit's r/DesignPorn channel, with over 5.4k upvotes.

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McDonald's Big Mac Ad from r/DesignPorn

We've seen plenty of brilliant examples of minimalist design from McDonald's over the years. From burgers depicted using only text to road signs featuring just a slither of the golden arches, the brand has proven time and time again just how recognisable its marketing assets are.

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Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles. He has interviewed leaders and designers at brands including Apple, Microsoft and Adobe. Daniel's debut book of short stories and poems was published in 2018, and his comedy newsletter is a Substack Bestseller.