Stop French Fry theft with the McDonald's Fry Defender app

Fry theft is prevalent across Canada, which is why McDonald’s Canada introduced today the Fry Defender, the world’s first French fry security system that helps stop fry theft.

“Through social listening we discovered Canadians often share their love for McDonald’s fries, but also talk about stealing fries from their family and friends or have been victims of fry theft,” explains Hope Bagozzi, senior director creative & digital innovation, McDonald’s Canada. “The Fry Defender is a fun and useful tool that’s intended to drive brand engagement on social and spark further conversations around McDonald’s irresistible fries.”

Created in partnership with McDonald’s Canada’s digital agency of record Tribal Worldwide – Toronto, the new Fry Defender is an upgrade to the existing McDonald’s Canada app, which uses a front-facing camera as a motion detector to turn smart phones into “Frime” fighting machines.

Users with the McDonald’s Canada app simply arm the Fry Defender system and place their phone near their box of fries. An alarm will sound when movement is detected near their fries and a photo will capture the fry theft, which users can then report to via #stopfrytheft on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

“When was the last time you had McDonald’s fries and didn’t have someone try and ‘steal’ more than their fare share,” says Joshua Stein, executive creative director, Tribal Worldwide – Toronto. “We were more than happy to take on the task of not only raising awareness of ‘Frimes’; but to develop the technology necessary to help defend against it.”
 

To introduce Canadians to the Fry Defender, mobile, social and preroll advertising launched November 3, 2014, as well as an online video.

McDonald’s Canada’s new site, https://mcdonaldscanada.tumblr.com/ expands the world of fry theft with fun, shareable content.

Users can read up on the different types of fry thieves, compare the most sought after McDonald’s fries and explore fry theft throughout history, including the Great Fry Heist of 1974.