GH05T

We've officially wrapped our 2025 Christmas Ad deep-dive 🎄 We scored 15 of the biggest UK campaigns across creativity, messaging, resonance, influence... and ultimately, whether anyone actually liked them. Our winner didn't shout the loudest. They understood what audiences are craving, and cohesively applied it across all mediums. Honesty, authenticity, and story-first. Who are they? You'll have to read to find out.

My Friday Forecast: McDonald’s will launch a frozen Cook at Home range in Tesco next year. Let me explain why it’s not just a good idea, but essential for McDonald’s to do something different in the UK market. ▪️Performance pressure McDonald’s has reported consecutive global sales declines, with the UK singled out as underperforming against internal benchmarks. It needs new ways to drive relevance and volume without relying solely on restaurant footfall. In its latest UK accounts, turnover dropped by £14 million, small in absolute terms but directionally worrying for a brand built on consistency. ▪️The freezer aisle is heating up The UK’s eat-at-home market is booming. Frozen food sales are forecast to grow by a CAGR of around 6–7% in 2025, driven by affordability, convenience and resilience to inflation. Shoppers are rebuilding their freezers, with nearly 60% of UK households now buying frozen ready meals weekly. For brands, the aisle offers both stability and mass reach. ▪️Why Tesco? Aldi and Lidl may dominate headlines with price-led stunts, but this would be a marketing coup for Tesco and a sales opportunity for McDonald’s. Tesco has the scale to match McDonald’s audience, with over 24 million Clubcard households, deep data-driven targeting capabilities and an ongoing overhaul of its frozen aisle that’s crying out for a brand with pulling power. Add some golden-arch shelf theatre and the partnership starts to look like perfect symbiosis. ▪️The proven playbook Greggs’ Bake at Home line started as an Iceland exclusive before expanding into more than 800 Tesco stores. The appetite for quick, branded, heat-and-eat formats is proven and growing. ▪️The business case for McDonald’s A Cook at Home range would open a new revenue stream with no capital expenditure on restaurants, extend household penetration via grocery and offer insulation when guest counts are fragile in core markets. It’s an evolution that aligns with how British consumers are eating today, brand-first, budget-aware, and freezer-friendly. The more I think about it, the more it feels like an absolute no-brainer. Do you agree, or have I completely lost it? - Image provided by ChatGPT (who also thinks it's a great idea).

Live moments do not wait for perfect planning. Social has to keep up. GH05T works with leading brands across sport and live events to deliver millions of views, strong audience growth and consistent engagement through paid and organic social. Get in touch for a friendly no obligation chat about your marketing goals for 2026.

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