McDonald's, Wieden+Kennedy Sydney Recruit Harlem Globetrotters For 'Dunked' Range

McDonald's Australia and Wieden + Kennedy Sydney have collaborated to introduce the brand's 'Dunked Korean Sticky BBQ' range by recruiting the Harlem Globetrotters, the world’s most legendary trick-shot dunkers.

The fan truth driving the work is one that Macca’s fans know and love: there’s no such thing as too much Macca’s sauce. And who better to demonstrate mastering the perfect dunk than the Globetrotters, who are bringing their signature flair into Macca’s kitchens across Australia and New Zealand to dunk the new range into its delicious Korean sticky BBQ sauce.

The line-up of menu items includes the 'Dunked Korean Sticky BBQ McCrispy', 'Dunked Korean Sticky BBQ McSpicy' (both pre-dunked in the new sauce), as well as 'Chicken McWings' and 'Chicken McNuggets', served with Korean sticky BBQ sauce on the side.

Building on its 'Peak Chicken' era, the world-renowned basketball exhibition icons are demonstrating the best ways to dunk Macca’s chicken menu items — because for Macca’s fans, the sauce isn’t just an extra… it’s the main event.

Jack Elliott and Lochie Newham, senior creatives at W+K Sydney, said, “With a resume boasting insane trick-shots, Guinness World Records, and 100 years of dunking experience, the Harlem Globetrotters were the perfect candidates for the job."

The playful film captures the team’s dynamic energy through a stylised handheld visual approach. It follows Globetrotter team members Moose, Prince, Sunshine, Torch, and Thunder through an exciting day-in-the-life as Macca’s newest employees.

It takes viewers on a journey from the moment they clock-in as new hires, to showing off their impressively skilled basketball shots in the Macca’s kitchen, to the epic final dunk on a hoop mounted on the Golden Arches sign.

Beyond the film, the campaign extends into social where the Globetrotters impart their dunking wisdom to Macca’s enthusiasts by educating them on 'The Art of Dunking'.

In OOH, teaser boards feature a cryptic basketball hoop on the iconic Golden Arches to build anticipation. The NZ campaign OOH utilises an old-school basketball collage aesthetic to perfectly spotlight the partnership.

The work is set to run for six weeks and can be seen across TV, cinema, OLV, radio, digital, audio, OOH, paid and organic social, CRM, in-store, in the MyMacca’s app, and content partnerships with Val Morgan.

Amanda Nakad, marketing director of menu and brand for McDonald’s Australia, said, “At Macca’s, we’re always looking for ways to celebrate the things our fans love most, and for many, it’s all about the sauces.

"Partnering with the legendary Harlem Globetrotters allowed us to lean further into our 'Peak Chicken' era with a level of flair and energy only they can bring.

“By merging their world-renowned dunking expertise with our new Korean 'Sticky BBQ Dunked range', we’ve created a campaign that feels exciting and fresh for our Australian and New Zealand markets.”