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Hot Ones

Hot Ones

McDonald’s France

TBWA\Paris

The Challenge

McDonald’s aims to engage Gen Z through its campaigns—a notoriously hard-to-reach audience that tunes out traditional ads and gravitates toward entertainment, like the Hot Ones show, known for its fiery interview format with progressively spicier sauces.

The show’s influence extends far beyond the screen, with social media users constantly trying to recreate the challenge. But in France, Hot Ones sauces aren’t available, sourcing 10 truly spicy ones is difficult, and the chicken bites must be bought separately.

That’s where McDonald’s steps in—bringing the viral social media experience to life.

The Solution

The French had long dreamed of tasting the legendary hot sauces from the Hot Ones show—but until now, they had been impossible to find.

As the ultimate reference for iconic sauces and nuggets, McDonald’s teamed up with Hot Ones for a partnership that made pop culture history—finally bringing the long-awaited experience to everyone. An exclusive new episode of the show announced the arrival of these fiery sauces across France, available in every McDonald’s restaurant.

Watch the Case Study

Watch the Full Film

The Results

2mm
Views – the best episode launch of the season
+34%
Restaurant traffic
+80%
Overall sales
6mm
Sauces sold exclusively in France
+66%
McNugget sales

As soon as the exclusive Hot Ones episode featuring host Kyan Khojandi and rapper Naza dropped, the McDonald’s x Hot Ones collaboration went viral. Thousands joined the challenge, sharing their reactions across platforms—generating over 1 million interactions and 600 million impressions.

Social media reach skyrocketed: +307% on Facebook, +643% on Instagram, and +425% on TikTok compared to usual performance.

Hot Ones Image 3

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