McDonald’s Dissects Hamburger Menu Icon In Mystery Mockumentary About Big Mac

Image courtesy of NORD DDB Helsinki

McDonald’s Finland is biting into a theory that the ubiquitous hamburger menu icon found on countless websites and apps isn’t just a basic sandwich—it’s modeled after the iconic Big Mac.

The story unfolds in a compelling, 20-minute mockumentary titled The Icon, where viewers are introduced to Kaitsu and Anna-Maija, two amateur detectives with a penchant for mystery and a hunger for the truth. Here, the pair investigate whether the famed UI/UX symbol, created by American interaction designer Norm Cox in 1981, is inspired by the Golden Arches’ towering triple-decker.

Image courtesy of NORD DDB Helsinki

Kaitsu and Johan, his trusty cameraman, even take their quest all the way to Dallas, Texas, hoping to grill Cox himself about the mystery meat behind his design.

McDonald’s Finland, alongside advertising agency NORD DDB Helsinki, believes the truth can go farther than the faux documentary. The fast-food giant is inviting the public to join in on the fun with a treasure hunt for hamburger menu icons. Participants who spot this digital delicacy on websites and report their findings through the McDonald’s app will be rewarded with a free Big Mac.

“We see the three-lined hamburger button on almost every website… Once you see it is a Big Mac, it is hard to unsee it,” comments Tero Ahonen, copywriter at NORD DDB Helsinki, in an email to DesignTAXI. “It’s funny how the mockumentary also describes the whole process of how we came up with the idea in the first place. This project has been all about curiosity and to keep pushing the idea even further.”

Image courtesy of NORD DDB Helsinki

As we speak, Kaitsu, one of the sleuths in the program, is actively sharing the team’s findings on his own TikTok and Instagram, further roping customers into the fictional but intriguing experience. This approach, according to Kalle Wallin, creative director at NORD DDB Helsinki, aims to foster brand love and fandom for the Big Mac by showcasing its iconic status in a unique, organic way that resonates with both digital natives and fast-food aficionados alike.

The mockumentary lives on YouTube and has been adapted into shorter episodes and trailers for TikTok, television, and cinema. It invites viewers to look at the familiar hamburger menu icon in a new light, pondering the tale behind a digital staple.

Image courtesy of NORD DDB Helsinki

[via NORD DDB Helsinki, images courtesy]