DDB Mudra India creates humorous McDonald’s campaign that turns piri piri fries into a musical beat

McDonald’s India – North and East has launched a humorous campaign, “Shakashaka,” transforming their popular Shake Shake Fries into a musical instrument. Created by DDB Mudra Group, the new campaign centers around the story of Papaji, a “musically blessed gentleman” who discovers the potential of the Shake Shake Fries bag to produce vibrations of the cosmos.

Rajeev Ranjan, Managing Director, McDonald’s India – North and East, said: “At McDonald’s, we believe every meal should be more than just delicious! Our Shakashaka campaign is designed to turn dining into an interactive, fun-filled moment where great taste meets excitement. With every sprinkle, shake and bite, you become part of the flavor adventure, making each meal uniquely yours. Get ready to shake things up and make every meal a celebration of flavor, fun and excitement! Through this campaign, we are hopeful of further strengthening our leadership in offering unique and memorable dining experiences to customers.”

With Papaji, McDonald’s India – North and East takes everyone on a journey of musical discovery with its crunch and crispiness as he assembles his cult of Shakashakers. Papaji’s revelation leads to the birth of “Shakashaka,” a new avatar of the fries that teaches the world the art of Shak-ing, Shuk-ing, and Shik-ing their way to musical enlightenment. For example, he said: “Fries may be French, but the sounds they produce are universal.” Papaji has hosted live classes at select McDonald’s locations, inviting everyone to join his “cult of Shakashakers.”

Rahul Mathew, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group, said: “There’s always been something playful about the fries at McDonald’s. And we wanted to use that playfulness to announce the shake-shake fries with the peri-peri seasoning. So, we invited consumers to play with our fries in a different way. As a musical instrument.”

The campaign taps into the insight that fans love shaking the Shake Shake Fries as much as they love eating them. By leveraging the power of music, a core element of Gen Z’s identity, McDonald’s has turned a simple food ritual into an immersive and shareable experience.

Beyond entertainment, the campaign also introduced McDeal, an accessible meal option starting at Rs 69.