McDonald’s and Publicis break codes of recruitment #reQRuitement

McDonald’s is revolutionizing its recruiting by implementing engaging and simplified processes for anyone to apply for a job through QR code visuals shaped as iconic McDonald’s products: an answer to today’s recruitment needs and a solution for job seekers.

McDonald’s is the largest private employer in France* employing more than 75,000 people with 80% of them being under 30 years old. Many young people begin their working life at McDonald’s, growing their careers within the business to become managers.

However, the pandemic has widened the existing gap between those who can easily find a job and those who have difficulty doing so. Many people, especially young adults, feel intimidated when applying for jobs, especially if they do not have a degree; Jean Deydier, Director of Emmaus Connect, cites that one in five** young people has no real hope of entering the job market in France.

So McDonald’s decided to change that. 

Following the transformation of their restaurants into inclusive, accessible and welcoming environments with smart consumer experiences, McDonald’s is making the job search process as inclusive and as easy as visiting a McDonald’s.

Using the iconicity and simplicity of McDonald’s to make QR codes that facilitate young people to apply, no matter where they are and who they are, in the most inclusive way possible, with the very thing they handle most confidently: their phones.

McDonald’s wanted an eye-catching, refined and aesthetic way to represent something that is usually functional and boring. That’s why the QR codes have been turned into colorful representations of McDonald’s most iconic products: burgers and fries. This is the simplest and most accessible recruitment campaign. 

Thanks to these visuals, people can instantly recognize McDonald’s, while the hashtag #reQRuitement describes the function of the QR code. 

The campaign locations are strategically placed in areas where people have to dwell time, for example, while waiting for the bus or train.

With the first phase of the campaign lives this spring, the larger wave goes live this summer, in August, a critical moment in the job search for the younger population.