The Stormzy Meal; Not #MerkyMeal? McDonald's CEO Says Their UK Marketing Must Improve

LONDON – McDonald’s UK has long built its brand on a balance of cultural familiarity and affordability. Leo Burnett’s recent “Only at McDonald’s” gherkin transfer was sublime.

But in the UK, where cost-conscious consumers are increasingly turning to competitors like Greggs, McDonald’s decision to pivot instead of running with its insight-driven “Only at McDonald’s” series alongside a celebrity-led campaign with Stormzy feels disjointed.

And it starts with the name: The Stormzy Meal - why not #MerkyMeal?

To be clear, I am not in the business of rubbishing creative but they missed an opportunity to captivate fans more authentically - #merky. The strategy team had a winning formula with "Only at McDonald's"—so why not just let it run? The shift is as jarring as unwrapping a cold cheeseburger: a mismatch between expectation and experience.

And not just that, the fast food giant Stormzy-endorsed meal raises questions about strategic priorities. While creatively ambitious, the collaboration highlights a growing tension: should McDonald’s UK double down on its value-led proposition or continue investing in cultural fame?

We recently ran a poll on our weekly newsletter asking the question: Has Marketing Lost Its Monopoly on Brand Equity?

And, while 42% of you believe marketing still drives brand desirability and differentiation, 58% agree that consumers now buy into products, not just campaigns.

So, how do brands build lasting loyalty in this new landscape?

Despite strong creative execution, the campaign underscores the risks of celebrity partnerships that are not fully integrated into the brand’s commercial objectives. A celebrity endorsement can generate short-term excitement, but without a clear product innovation or alignment with consumer spending habits, it is unlikely to shift core business metrics.

It’s like when Beckham launched his Nespresso campaign—fresh off the Netflix documentary that showed him brewing coffee in his kitchen with a La Marzocco, only to now suggest he starts his day with a Nespresso pod.

From Consumer Rituals to Star Power: A Strategic Pivot

The “Only at McDonald’s” campaign works because it amplifies existing consumer behaviours—the personal quirks that define how people interact with the brand. Rituals like trading gherkins or stealing french fries resonate because they are already happening, creating a marketing exchange that feels natural.

The Stormzy Meal, however, introduced an external figure without fully embedding him into McDonald’s brand world. It encouraged fans to “Order Like Stormzy” but lacked a unique product hook or a behavioural insight that tied the artist’s identity to McDonald’s existing customer habits. The result? A campaign that raised awareness but felt one-dimensional in execution.

Take VAIN, for instance. As CNN reports, "The Helsinki-based fashion label VAIN has just released a unique collaboration with the fast food giant. The brand used McDonald’s employee uniforms as the base ingredients for a collection of upcycled garments."

This is what I mean. Stormzy’s signature is black clothing—he’s said it himself: "I’m known for black." Could the merch have gone a step further? Could it have tapped into the periphery of London Fashion Week—Vogue, perhaps?

I know there were the black T-shirts of Croydon, but let’s be honest: the only people wearing those are from Croydon. And if you missed out, you can still find one on eBay—new, without tags.

Stomzy recently shared his daily fitness routine with Men’s Health and that he has a nutritionist. Then there was the backlash reported in The Guardian and other mainstream press.

Creative Strengths and Missed Opportunities

The campaign itself was not without merit. Leo Burnett’s “Order Like Stormzy” activation was designed to be immersive and multi-channel, spanning film, OOH, digital activations, and bespoke packaging. A near-two-minute campaign film placed Stormzy front and centre, building a sense of occasion around the collaboration.

Localisation was another positive. The campaign leaned into Stormzy’s Croydon roots, temporarily renaming a McDonald’s location ‘Big Mike’s’ (MerkyDs? instead) and launching the meal there 48 hours ahead of its national rollout. Crew T-shirts featured a Croydon cityscape, and out-of-home placements focused on the area to reinforce authenticity.

There was also some level of merchandise and custom branding, including bespoke packaging, limited-edition Stormzy pin badges, cold cups, and posters redeemable via the McDonald’s app. Stormzy himself was involved in selecting influencers for the campaign film, ensuring that it reflected his personal brand.

However, the missing ingredient was a clear reason for consumers to engage beyond the name association. Unlike past celebrity collaborations, the meal itself was unchanged—no signature recipe, no unique flavour twist, and no link to an existing McDonald’s ritual. While the branding elements elevated the campaign creatively, they lacked a functional or experiential hook that would have deepened consumer participation.

Stormzy could have easily slipped into the “Only at McDonald’s” narrative—his own real-life McDonald’s habits, quirks, or menu hacks could have been the foundation for a campaign that felt more insight-led rather than endorsement-driven.

McDonald’s UK: Facing Market Pressure

The Stormzy campaign launched against a challenging business backdrop. CEO Chris Kempczinski recently acknowledged that McDonald’s underperformed in the UK market during the final quarter of 2024, attributing this to cost-of-living pressures and intensifying competition.

“We need to have better marketing in the UK. I think we, frankly, didn’t have the level of marketing execution in the back half of last year that we’re used to,” Kempczinski told investors in February 2025.

The UK business has historically been one of McDonald’s strongest markets, but declining value perceptions suggest that consumers are increasingly looking elsewhere. Greggs, in particular, has been aggressively expanding its breakfast and value offerings, strengthening its price perception while McDonald’s rating has dropped from 19.9 to 17.4, according to YouGov BrandIndex.

Given this context, the Stormzy partnership appears misaligned with the brand’s immediate commercial needs. The emphasis on cultural capital over clear affordability messaging meant the campaign was unlikely to address the core challenge of perceived value erosion.

The Risk of Untethered Celebrity Tie-Ins

McDonald’s has executed successful celebrity-driven collaborations before. The Travis Scott Meal and BTS Meal worked because they leveraged fandom culture effectively—Travis Scott’s meal introduced a signature customisation (extra lettuce, bacon, BBQ sauce), while BTS’s collaboration included exclusive packaging and a limited-edition sauce, creating genuine consumer demand.

There’s something very ’90s-nostalgic about McDonald’s releasing a celebrity-themed tie-in meal; it’s the sort of can’t-miss fast-food event the company used to pull with Michael Jordan or Batman.

"Everyone has a favorite McDonald's meal, no matter who you are," said McDonald's U.S. Chief Marketing Officer, Morgan Flatley. "Travis is a true McDonald's fan having grown up visiting our restaurants in Houston, not to mention one of the biggest musical acts and cultural icons in the world. This is the first time in nearly 30 years we've introduced a superstar's name to our menu - we're excited to bring the Travis Scott Meal to a McDonald's near you starting next week."

"I couldn't be more excited to bring the Cactus Jack x McDonald's collaboration to life," said Travis Scott. "We are bringing together two iconic worlds. Including a charitable component was key for me, and I can't wait for people to see what we have in store."

So it’s worked before. But, The Stormzy Meal had branding elements and merchandise, but it lacked a product-led innovation or a tangible consumer ritual that made it essential. Without a menu tweak, an exclusive product, or a deeper fan engagement mechanic, the campaign struggled to extend beyond a name-driven endorsement.

What McDonald’s Should Prioritise Next

For McDonald’s UK, this campaign is not a failure—but it is a reminder that celebrity marketing must be rooted in the brand’s core value proposition. Moving forward, the company must focus on:

• Strengthening value-led messaging, ensuring affordability is at the centre of future campaigns.
• Using celebrity partnerships more strategically, integrating them into consumer behaviour rather than relying on name recognition.
• Leveraging customisation and experiential elements, creating a sense of exclusivity that encourages deeper consumer engagement.
• Reinforcing brand consistency, maintaining the momentum of insight-driven marketing rather than pivoting too heavily towards one-off star endorsements.

For Stormzy, this campaign highlights the need for aligning partnerships with his existing brand credibility. His most resonant collaborations have reinforced his status as a cultural and community figure, from Adidas Originals to HSBC’s Black Business Fund. Future brand partnerships should lean into that depth, ensuring they add meaningful value beyond visibility.

Cultural Visibility vs. Commercial Viability

McDonald’s UK faces a fundamental branding challenge: how to balance cultural relevance with commercial performance. The Stormzy campaign succeeded in driving conversation, but without a strong tie to value perception or product differentiation, its long-term impact remains uncertain.

As competitors continue to sharpen their affordability messaging, McDonald’s must ensure that its marketing efforts do more than capture attention—they must also drive measurable business outcomes. The brand’s most effective campaigns have historically emerged from how real people interact with McDonald’s—perhaps its next marketing success will be found not in star power but in authenticity.

An Idea: Table Talk at Maccies

A mini-series filmed inside a McDonald’s restaurant or a pop-up “McCafé Lounge,” where cultural figures—musicians, actors, activists, and comedians—gather for unfiltered conversations over McDonald’s staples or a new limited-time menu item.

It’s YouTube native, Waitrose's Dish meets TikTok-first Burberry's Tea with campaign—relatable, relaxed, and rooted in the rituals that make McDonald’s an essential part of British life.