McDonald's Taiwan turns a bedtime ritual into a breakfast invitation

McDonald's Taiwan and Ogilvy Taiwan have joined forces to reimagine breakfast conversation from the night before with a new breakfast campaign “Goodnight, see you for breakfast".

Since McDonald's breakfast is only served until 10:30 am, many consumers miss it because they wake up late after staying up the night before. The brand therefore rethought its communication timing, encouraging people to “Go to bed early so you can wake up for breakfast.”

Beyond a mealtime reminder, McDonald's aims to amplify the cultural and social significance of breakfast, turning it from a simple food choice into a symbol of healthy living and better routines. The campaign targets audiences aged between 30 and 39. 

The campaign's core is the "Goodnight Song," a tune deeply embedded in Taiwan's collective memory since 1979. For decades, it has served as the unofficial national signal that the day is over, played as a sign-off for TV stations and background music in closing stores. Its cultural resonance is comparable to "Happy Birthday" in the West.

McDonald's reintroduced this classic, performed by the retired but iconic Fei Yu-ching, as a strategic brand asset. The campaign taps into the song's inherent sense of ritual to address Taiwan's late-night culture, transforming it into a gentle, generational reminder to rest.

Rather than a one-off advertisement, the campaign represents a redesign of the consumer journey, transforming Goodnight Song into a complete brand experience that connects sleep and action.

With guidance from sleep experts, the song was reinterpreted using a musical rhythm in the range of 60–80 BPM, as studies have suggested that such rhythms may help induce a calmer brain state and facilitate the transition to sleep. The Ogilvy team then visualised the melody through a dreamlike world made of McDonald’s breakfast ingredients, creating a subtle sensory experience that gently eases viewers into rest while evoking a craving for breakfast before sleep.

In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a spokesperson from McDonald's Taiwan said the brand introduced a new breakfast communication platform by shifting the conversation to nighttime. "The idea was to plant the sense of deliciousness the night before, increasing the chance that consumers would think of our breakfast the next morning."

As part of the campaign, McDonald’s invited different artists to perform Goodnight Song nightly on social media every night at 9pm, reaching people during their pre-sleep screen time. Targeted nighttime ads on digital and video platforms turned bedtime scrolling into a moment of brand connection. 

The brand extended its visibility across MRT, bus, and taxi screens, mall displays, and convenience stores to strengthen its presence. Surprise live performances at KTVs and bars brought the message directly to night owls: “Go to bed early so you can wake up for breakfast". Furthermore, a digital singing challenge invited people to record and share their own Goodnight Song, turning a one-way message into a shared nightly promise to go to bed early.

The next morning, consumers could use the McDonald’s app to pre-order breakfast, skip the wait, and redeem exclusive coupons—turning their goodnight promise into real breakfast enjoyment.

This campaign was more than a product push; it was a cultural act addressing real social habits and promoting healthier lifestyles. McDonald’s and Ogilvy shared one vision from the start: great brands move with the rhythm of their times. By transforming the end of the day into the beginning of breakfast, McDonald’s turned a song of rest into a symbol of better living, proving that creativity can inspire both action and change.

Tiffany Chang, director of integrated marketing group at McDonald’s Taiwan, said: “McDonald’s believes in the power of creativity to drive growth. Building brand affinity takes time and consistency. As our first collaboration with Ogilvy, their fresh perspective brought new strategic thinking and integrated creative execution across media.”

Giant Kung, chief creative officer of Ogilvy Taiwan, said: “McDonald’s has deep brand heritage and rigorous standards. They guided us methodically into the McDonald’s universe while remaining remarkably open, giving the team creative freedom and strong executional support. At Ogilvy, we often speak of the triumvirate of account, strategy, and creative working in resonance. This time, McDonald’s joined as the fourth force — our best partner.”

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