The quip that laughter is the best medicine is more than just a pithy soundbite. Laughter enhances your intake of air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. Laughter is good for you,  and after a year of so much loss it is, perhaps, the tonic we all need.

It is the simple joy of laughter which provides the emotional heat of McDonald’s new spot, created by Leo Burnett. An advert which serves as a masterclass in how to serve up authentic post-pandemic positivity. The ad is part of the restaurant giant’s new ‘Fancy a McDonald’s?’ brand platform. 

Steven Howells, Director of Marketing & Media at McDonald’s, explains: “Our ‘Fancy a McDonald’s?’ platform invites the nation to let go of the daily pressures and expectations of life and savour a small but joyful moment of release. McDonald’s role in society is to enable our customers to simply enjoy, which has never been more relevant or important.”

Mark Elwood, Executive Creative Director at Leo Burnett, added: “When someone says ‘Fancy a McDonald’s’ it’s rarely an invitation you turn down. In this beautifully simple film, we show what taking a moment to let go of life’s pressures feels like through the simple joy of laughter. A McDonald’s can nourish the soul as well as the body.”

The campaign is testament to the almost 40-year partnership between Leo Burnett and the golden arches. A partnership which has thrived amidst the challenges of the pandemic; reflected by the  ‘Welcome Back’ campaign which celebrated the excitement as McDonald’s reopened after initial lockdowns at a time when many brands had put marketing investment on hold.