2026 Winner

At a time when national identity was shaping consumer perception, “Cowboy Close-ups” repositioned McDonald’s Canada as part of the country’s cultural fabric. Anchored in the Calgary Stampede, the campaign shifted focus from sponsorship to belonging, drawing a direct line between the brand and the Canadian farmers and ranchers behind its ingredients. The creative idea translated Western fashion into food, using macro photography to transform a cowboy hat, fringed shirt and hand-tooled leather belt into visual stand-ins for a Big Mac, fries and a soft-serve cone. Each was crafted in collaboration with designers and captured entirely in-camera, rewarding viewers who took a closer look. Rolled out across large-format OOH, the work challenged conventions by never showing the product directly. The approach resonated widely, generating more than 18M media impressions and 13M social impressions, with extensive coverage across both Canadian and international outlets.

Credits

Agency: Cossette
CCO: Driscoll Reid
CSO: Subtej Nijjar
Chief Creative Officer:
Creative Directors: Pierre Chan, Scott Schneider, Jason Hill
Art Director: Shona Massey
Writer: Michael Pal
Account Team:
Account Executive - Jasmine Hanley
Account Supervisor - Pam Pam Santana
Group Business Director - Kim Hestbak
Strategy Director - Olly Owen
VP/General Manager - Robyn Smith
Production House: MCW
Production House Producer: Jennifer Sinclair, Gianna Blasutto
Director of Photography: Kate Ince
Retoucher: Kate Ince, Stephen Yeung, Trevor Gauthier, Graham Washer

Media Agency: OMD
Media Agency Planner: Paul Henderson, Business Director | Strategy