McDonald's launches campaign celebrating young workforce skills as youth unemployment persists

McDonald's UK & Ireland has launched a major advertising campaign celebrating the skills and contributions of young people, targeting perceptions of Generation Z employees as the company employs over 100,000 staff under the age of 25.

Personnel Today reported that the campaign will run in two phases from this week until the end of April, and then again this summer. The company is one of the biggest employers of young people in the UK, with over 100,000 staff under 25 and one in three managers from this age group.

The multi-channel campaign showcases the skills of young crew members and the abilities they develop working in restaurants, such as delivering under pressure. It aims to dispel preconceptions of Generation Z employees as lazy or unable to communicate, instead recognising them as essential to the running of thousands of businesses.

The campaign features documentary-style filming with real crew members filmed in their own restaurants. Handheld cameras and fly-on-the-wall production style capture the energy of shifts and how this builds confidence, communication, teamwork and leadership.

Ben Fox, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at McDonald's UK & Ireland, said: "We're showing real crew members in real restaurant situations and letting them do the storytelling."

He added that viewers can see what the company observes daily in its restaurants, that young people today truly have far more potential than they are often given credit for, stating that where some see stereotypes, McDonald's sees potential.

Fox alluded to the difficult nature of the jobs market for young people. February figures from the Office for National Statistics found almost one in six 16- to 24-year-olds are out of work.

Access complete campaign details and McDonald's young workforce development initiatives.