We represent local McDonald’s franchisees across Washington, the DMV, and Philadelphia/Jersey and Delaware—markets where hyper-local relevance isn’t just important; it’s mission-critical. In these communities, authenticity is the currency of trust, and trust is what drives lasting connection and business growth. By championing voices that are deeply rooted in their hometowns and aligned with the pride, culture, and passion of each region, we unlock the power to create meaningful relationships that extend far beyond traditional marketing.
To bring this vision to life, we partnered with three standout NFL athletes to launch a community-driven athlete program designed to build fandom, amplify local relevance, and forge deeper emotional connections with fans. Our roster included Jihaad Campbell, the Philadelphia Eagles’ first-round draft pick; Malaki Starks, a first-round draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens; and AJ Barner, a rising star and second-year veteran with the Seattle Seahawks who earned the role of starting tight end in his first season with the team.
By activating these trusted players through locally led McDonald’s Co-Ops, we brought the Golden Arches even closer to the communities they proudly serve—showing up where fans already live, cheer, and gather. This approach leveraged each athlete’s authentic local influence to spark genuine excitement around McDonald’s, reinforce its role as a true community staple, and strengthen cultural credibility through the unifying power of football.
Our talented started as Micro Influencers with a following of social media
Jihaad – 91K Instagram
Malaki – 94.1K Instagram
AJ Barner- 33.4K Instagram
We began with a comprehensive audit of all professional sports teams across our local markets to identify where fandom, cultural relevance, and performance intersected most powerfully. That analysis clearly pointed to the NFL as the top-performing professional sports league within our regions—offering unmatched passion, reach, and community connection. From there, we conducted a deep dive into both established players and new roster additions to strategically determine which athletes would resonate most authentically in each individual market.
Once our athletes were selected, our approach went far beyond traditional partnerships. We collaborated closely with each player’s team to uncover the causes, passions, and personal priorities that mattered most to them. This allowed us to build customized, purpose-driven programs for each athlete—some rooted in community engagement, others focused on charitable impact—ensuring every partnership felt intentional, personal, and deeply aligned with both the player and the McDonald’s brand.
For Jihaad Campbell, the hometown hero narrative became the heart of our strategy. As a first-round draft pick returning to the city and team he grew up watching, Jihaad embodied a powerful full-circle moment that naturally lent itself to community storytelling. His partnership with the Golden Arches was thoughtfully designed to celebrate his roots and give back to the community that helped shape him. This included creating content at the McDonald’s he grew up visiting, hosting community givebacks with RMHC Camden—located just across the street from where he was born—organizing a fan meet-and-greet at the McDonald’s he frequented in high school, and culminating with a fan experience at the stadium. Each activation reinforced both his personal journey and McDonald’s long-standing role in the fabric of the community.
Malaki Starks’ story was anchored in community connection and impact. His partnership was designed to highlight his commitment to giving back and using his platform to support local initiatives—positioning him not just as a rising NFL star, but as a leader invested in making a meaningful difference in the communities he represents.
AJ Barner’s program centered on heartfelt storytelling through McDonald’s charitable efforts with Ronald McDonald House Charities. From selecting RMHC Seattle as his My Cleats My Cause partner to personally visiting the House, AJ’s involvement brought authenticity, empathy, and visibility to families in need. His hands-on engagement transformed the partnership into a powerful narrative of compassion and community support—amplifying the human impact behind the Golden Arches and reinforcing McDonald’s role as a brand that shows up when it matters most.
We measured success through a multi-dimensional framework designed to capture both performance and impact—ensuring we evaluated not only digital results, but also community and brand equity outcomes.
Social Growth
Across WWOA, PAM, and CBU, McDonald’s social channels experienced meaningful audience growth, with accounts increasing social following by X%. This growth reflected the power of leveraging culturally relevant, locally trusted athletes to attract and retain new audiences within each market.
Social Reach & Engagement
Athlete-led content significantly outperformed traditional influencer benchmarks, indexing at 5x above standard engagement rates. In addition to stronger engagement, the program delivered greater media efficiency—achieving a $2 lower CPM compared to prior influencer partnerships. This demonstrated the effectiveness of athlete partnerships in driving both emotional connection and cost-efficient scale.
Community Impact
Beyond digital metrics, success was measured by real-world community engagement. Through in-person activations, charitable partnerships, and localized fan experiences, the program strengthened McDonald’s presence as a true community partner—deepening relationships with families, fans, and local organizations while reinforcing the brand’s role as a consistent, trusted neighborhood staple.
PR & Earned Media
The program also generated strong earned media and organic buzz, driven by compelling hometown stories, charitable impact, and authentic athlete narratives. These moments created culturally relevant PR opportunities that extended the reach of the campaign beyond paid and owned channels—amplifying brand storytelling, increasing local visibility, and reinforcing McDonald’s credibility as a brand deeply invested in the communities it serves.
