McDonald's teenage tale

The latest film for McDonald’s takes a more serious approach than usual for the brand as it concentrates on the relationship between a single mother and her teenage son.

Created by DDB Vienna and directed by Kim Geldenhuys through mel p filmproductions, the 100-second film shows a struggle familiar to many parents of teenagers as the mother deals with coming home from work to a messy kitchen, dirty clothes on the floor and an oblivious son who is in his bedroom lost in a phone screen. 

An argument inevitably ensues and the son storms out of the house to meet his friends, leaving his mother to deal with the consequences of their row. The following morning she realises her son has not returned home and, worried, she makes her way back to work, stopping off for a coffee at McDonald's on the way, which just so happens to be where her son and his friends have ended up after a night spent clubbing. 

The spot is shot mostly using hand-held cameras, giving the film a naturalistic feel, with the narrative acting as an emotional journey that taps into the complex yet unconditional love a parent has for her child.