While we appreciate and love our families, you truly understand their importance when you are away from them. This feeling is so common, given that many of us in Kuwait are expats, and this truly applies to the many Kuwaitis who live abroad. It is tough when you are feeling really low and would like their support or camaraderie. Ironically it is even tougher when you want to celebrate your wins or if there is a special occasion. It all comes down to the common saying: Home is not really a place, but it is the feeling of belonging and being where you feel you need to be.

The first few days in Ramadan are special for most people. Family members who might not normally get the chance to sit down and eat a meal together find themselves around the dining table at the same time for futoor. We are reminded of how much fun we can have together and how we can take each other for granted.

McDonald’s Kuwait understands that sharing that first Ramadan meal with family can be everything. So, they surprised three Kuwaiti students studying in the UK and flew them home for futoor with their families.

According to McDonald’s, it was challenging finding three deserving students. Not for a lack of them, but finding students whose schedules could afford them a couple of days off proved to be quite difficult. A lot of coordination took place between the students, at least one family member at home, the production and creative teams and of course McDonald’s. Plus there was a huge chunk of filming that had to be done in the UK. For each location, they needed three different producers and two executive directors just to manage everything!

The hard work paid off. It is noticeable in the ad that there are no clips of food or meals, and that is intentional.

“This was not your traditional product-focused campaign – this was purely about creating feel good moments, so capturing that emotional aspect was key. It was really a passion project all around.” – McDonald’s Kuwait Team

We love how they were true to their word and the only focus was on connection and the people we love. And seeing an entire family share hugs and smiles is so heartwarming and endearing. Watch the full ad below.

For more information follow McDonald’s on Instagram @mcdonaldskuwait.