McDonalds is putting the coffee bean to work this week with a slew of new espresso-based drinks for its coffee house-style food and drinks chain, McCafé. In the process, the brand has put itself in direct competition with Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Second Cup and Coffee Time.

In an effort to rise above competing coffee houses, Joel Yashinsky, senior VP and CMO, says that the brand is offering consumers a range of coffee products with a price tag that is agreeable with everyone.

And for that reason, he adds, the product is worthy of the brand’s largest campaign launch in its history.

McDonald’s is positioning the addition as a “natural evolution” from its premium roast coffee, says Yashinsky, adding that this is another step in the brand’s efforts to refresh and reinvigorate its restaurants.

“Obviously we are a proud purveyor of Big Macs and French fries but we certainly see the opportunities with espresso drinks, and other opportunities to develop McCafé beyond just espresso coffees,” he says.

Starting this week, McDonald’s will have advertisements – created by Cosette and planned by OMD Media with Tribal DDB spearheading the digital component – placed on TV, radio, online and OOH across Canada. The creative is simple, showcasing the richness of the ingredients in the coffee.

Also, a whopping 12 million Canadians (95% of households) will be greeted with a McCafé coupon for a free small specialty beverage and buy-one-get-one-free offer in their mailboxes this week.

Yashinsky says that Canada is #2 in the world, behind the US, with regards to the number of McCafé restaurant locations, which is why the brand decided to launch its highest-budget campaign in this market.

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