McDonald’s signs Shearer for World Cup ads

McDonald’s is using England captain and Newcastle United player Alan Shearer for a new campaign which breaks during the FA Cup final on ITV this Saturday.

The Geordie striker was alleged to have kicked Leicester City’s Neil Lennon in the face during a match in April and faced the embarrassment of an FA inquiry just weeks before the World Cup in France.

But yesterday evening (Tuesday) it was announced that the FA charge against Shearer was “not proven”.

McDonald’s maintained its support for Shearer despite the controversy and said earlier this week: “We’re happy with the relationship.”

The commercial, through Leo Burnett, is the first in a series featuring Shearer in the build-up to the World Cup. It will be shown on ITV during the half-time break for the FA Cup final between Newcastle United and Arsenal. ITV, which has exclusive terrestrial TV rights to the final, is showing the match live for the first time since 1988. Sky also has rights to show the game live.

The execution shows a teenager trying to get an autograph from Shearer in different situations. After four or five vain attempts to get him to sign his autograph book, he gives up.

Shearer is then shown going into a McDonald’s outlet to buy a Happy Meal for his daughter where the young man is working behind the counter.

Recommended

Arty tails are no feather in BA’s cap

Marketing Week

Michael Wolff may well be right that “BA’s world tails will evolve into an ever more magnificent collection of images that celebrate diverse cultures” (MW May 7). That would be fine if it were running an art gallery. It is not, it is trying to build an airline brand that will be recognised quickly and […]

BG division loses marketing chief

Marketing Week

British Gas Services, the central heating, services and air conditioning arm of Centrica, has lost marketing director Roy Gayton, who left last week after six months in the job. He is being replaced by Jamie Buchan, executive director of OIL – part of the Ocean Group. Buchan was previously divisional manager for gas marketing and […]

Vodafone chief in sudden departure

Marketing Week

Vodafone Retail managing director Peter Edwards has left the company less than 12 months after spearheading the 35m radical revamp of its 240 outlets. According to a source close to the company, Edwards’ departure is linked to a disagreement over spending on advertising and marketing. Money earmarked for spending in these areas was apparently spent […]