Effies
Australia
Grimace’s Very Important Purple Tour
Agency
Akcelo
Client
McDonald's Australia
Awards
Finalist
Restaurants and Food Delivery
Bronze
Return on Investment
Finalist
Short Term Effects
Summary
In a year of declining sales, McDonald's Australia adapted the expired Grimace Shake viral trend for local success. The campaign made a key strategic shift, moving from a Gen Z cultural play to a mass consumer action. It rewrote the narrative from "death shake" irony to a fun, inclusive, and self-aware experience for a broad audience. By taking ownership of the cultural moment and elevating Grimace into a loveable local icon, the brand proved how smart localisation can transform fleeting virality into a hugely profitable campaign. NO CASE STUDY AVAILABLE.
Credits
| Aden Hepburn | CEO | Akcelo |
| Dave Di Veroli | Chief Strategy Officer | Akcelo |
| Sarah Tan | Strategy Director | Akcelo |
| Louise McQuat | Group Creative Director | Akcelo |
| Oskar Westerdal | Creative Partner | Akcelo |
| Paul Critchley | Creative Lead, Restaurant Experience | Akcelo |
| Max Bennett | Business Lead, Marketing | Akcelo |
| Lea Nguyen | Account Director, Marketing | Akcelo |
| April Tunstall | Business Lead, Restaurant Experience | Akcelo |
| Ilya Aronovich | Creative | Akcelo |
| Misha McDonald | Creative | Akcelo |
| Brandon Piggott | Creative | Akcelo |
| Justin Borromei | Creative | Akcelo |
| Stephanie Ceccaldi | Senoir Producer | Akcelo |
| Edward Krause | Integrated Producer | Akcelo |
| Digitas | CRM | Digitas |
| Mango Communications | PR & Influencer | Mango Communications |
| Maxine Netrayana | Senior Brand Manager | McDonald’s Australia |
| Samantha Lau | Assistant Brand Manager | McDonald’s Australia |
| OMD | Media & Partnerships | OMD |
| Rabbit | Producer | Rabbit |
| Rumble Studios | Sound | Rumble Studios |
| The Editors | Post Production | The Editors |
| The Pool Collective | Photography | The Pool Collective |
| Trailer Media | Sound | Trailer Media |