Cossette’s Follow the Arches campaign for McDonald’s reimagined one of the most recognizable symbols in branding – the golden arches – as navigational signage.
The agency realized the Golden Arches were so universally recognizable that even cropped fragments could guide people, transforming the logo itself into a wayfinding device for drivers looking for the nearest McDonald’s.The intent was to turn functional wayfinding into a design-led expression of brand.
Introduced in 2018, the campaign cropped sections of the arches to form directional indicators guiding drivers to the nearest restaurant. They were strategically placed along highways and exits near McDonald’s locations.
Each minimalist design featured only a partial arch and a few words: “Next Exit” or “On Your Left.” The simplicity was striking, making brand equity itself the message.
Advertisement
‘Follow the Arches’ won four international awards, including a Cannes Lions Gold, and has since been adopted in McDonald’s global brand playbook as a case study in visual intelligence.
The campaign proved that when a logo is powerful enough, it doesn’t need to shout – it can simply point.
See the rest of The Drum’s 50 Best Out of Home Ads Ever here.
And if you like this, you should sign up for The Drum Daily Briefing where there is great work first, and deep insights to back them.