McDonald’s has officially launched its Chicken Big Mac, perhaps the latest volley fired in the chicken sandwich wars.

In the creative, a foodie meticulous and painstakingly creates her own Chicken Big Mac on a plate, with a voiceover announcing “an official” one is finally available.

McDonald’s Canada has a track record of releasing limited-time, customized versions of its most recognizable menu item. Though it is arriving somewhat later in the winter than things like the Big Mac Bacon, it is similarly based on an existing customer behaviour. As is shown in the campaign, the Chicken Big Mac is something fans have been “hacking” and sharing with the brand on social media for years now, by replacing the beef patty with McNuggets or other chicken-based items from the menu.

“The campaign was built on the truth that it was our fans who ‘invented’ the Chicken Big Mac,” says Alyssa Buetikofer, CMO, McDonald’s Canada. For years, she says it’s seen fans trying to perfect their own chicken versions of the iconic Big Mac, and this was a means of celebrating those die-hards.

Buetikofer tells strategy there continues to be a significant opportunity to expand the QSR’s chicken lineup.

“We saw an incredible response from Canadians when we launched the McCrispy in 2022, and we know that menu items like Chicken McNuggets and the McChicken sandwich continue to be favourites,” she says. “We know our guests love our chicken offerings and are always looking for new chicken options to give them more of what they love. As a company, we’re focused on continuing to offer food that aligns with current consumer trends and taste profiles.”

As Buetikofer explains, McDonald’s took a unique approach to this campaign by announcing the upcoming arrival of the Chicken Big Mac ahead of the national media launch. Leveraging its social channels, as well as earned media and influencers, the brand teased that the LTO was coming soon by acknowledging posts about their hacking behaviour.

“While our campaign leverages a traditional media mix, we have leaned into social platforms, where we could have one-on-one conversations with consumers who had hacked their own version of a Chicken Big Mac in the past and celebrate their inspiration,” Buetikofer says. “We also leaned into contextual messaging in channels like bus stops and Waze.”

According to Buetikofer, sales have already exceeded forecasts since it arrived on the menu earlier this month. The ad spend for the campaign is comparable to those for other LTOs from McDonald’s.

Creative was led by Cossette, which last fall announced it was staffing up to handle the account. PR is by Weber Shandwick with OMD on the media buy.