Why McDonald's Wants Customers to Order Like Stormzy

Ever wondered what the great and the good might order from McDonald's? Well now the burger giant is sharing just that, by revealing what British rapper, songwriter, and activist Stormy's go-to menu items are.

Sharing that his signature combination is: 9 McNuggets, Fries, Sprite, Oreo McFlurry and BBQ sauce, the latest campaign from Leo Burnett sees McDonald's partner with the artist.

With a near-two minute film 'Order Like Stormzy' at the centre, the campaign also includes nationwide out-of-home activity while digital out-of-home will showcase a new visual identity crafted especially for The Stormzy Meal. The visual identity expands to a range of limited-edition merchandise for fans to collect too.

Behind the work are senior creatives Freya Purnell and Gina Ramsden who shared some of the background on the campaign and the role that Stormzy took in supporting the development too.

What is the aim of the “Order Like Stormzy” campaign?

Freya: The aim of the campaign is to get the nation excited about the collaboration between two iconic brands—Stormzy and McDonald’s. The campaign is centered around the idea that everyone has their go-to McDonald’s order, including celebrities like Stormzy. We wanted to invite fans to ‘Order Like Stormzy’ and try his signature meal: 9 McNuggets, Fries, Sprite, and an Oreo McFlurry—all packaged in a bespoke meal design.

What activity will this campaign run across?

Gina: The ‘Order Like Stormzy’ campaign is social-first but also spans OOH, radio, experiential, and VOD. We initially teased the collaboration across McDonald’s and Stormzy’s social channels, building speculation and excitement about what was to come. Then, we launched the film, lifestyle OOH, radio, and more food-focused OOH. We also created bespoke packaging, POS, and Stormzy stickers included with every order. On top of that, we produced Stormzy pin badges, posters, and cold cups, which McDonald’s app users can redeem.

What input did Stormzy put into what must be a fairly personal campaign for him?

Freya: Stormzy personally selected influencers he supports to feature in the film, ensuring they could share it across their own platforms. He had a clear vision for making the film feel clever and iconic, this was music to our ears when we were writing the script. We incorporated Stormzy Easter eggs throughout, so fans could spot them and feel a real connection. Stormzy was also keen to bring his ‘Big Mike’ brand and personality to life through the campaign’s visual identity. Our design team did an incredible job of achieving this in such a bold and striking way.

How did you go about “paying tribute” to Croydon?

Gina: Croydon and Stormzy go hand in hand—he’s always been passionate about giving back to his hometown. We wanted to ensure Croydon was at the heart of the campaign in every way so that it felt truly authentic to his fans. Positioning the campaign as a love letter to his hometown, we shot the entire campaign there and even renamed the store ‘Big Mike’s’. The Stormzy Meal was available in Croydon 48 hours before anywhere else. We also created personalised crew T-shirts featuring a black-and-white cityscape of Croydon with the McDonald’s arch. To further cement the tribute, we focused our media spend on high-impact sites across the area for out-of-home placements.

What was the biggest challenge in making it all happen?

Freya: The timings! We had huge ambitions for this campaign, especially knowing Stormzy was on board. Somehow, we managed to turn around the idea, the script, a 360 campaign, a new visual identity, three different shoots, editing, post-production, supply, and even a surprise cameo from Alison Steadman—all in just over a month, including Christmas! It was a massive team effort, and we’re all incredibly proud of what we achieved.

What would your own “Famous Order” from McDonald’s be?

Gina: Funnily enough, my go-to order is actually The Stormzy Meal, and it has been for over a decade. That’s where the idea came from—millions of people were already ordering like Stormzy every day, so why not help Stormzy to own the meal, so that it could take over the nation?

Freya: Mine would have to be a Quarter Pounder meal with a Diet Coke and a McFlurry. I’d also throw in some mozzarella sticks—and probably pinch a few of Gina’s McNuggets, if I get the chance!