LONDON, April 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The 1955 burger, named for the year McDonald's opened its first restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, is being introduced this week across the Nordic region in Europe via three documentary style commercials from DDB Oslo.

The campaign, also called "1955," pays tribute to the iconic brand's beginnings through the recollections of original customers and employees. DDB Oslo, which conducted the search in the US for the chain's first customers and employees, found Glen Volkman, officially recognized as one of McDonald's first customers on opening day, April 15, 1955, with the help of Facebook. The agency then located Lester Stein, Jr., who worked for founder Ray Kroc throughout the summer of 1955. From there, the agency tracked down two of the chain's first regulars: Debra Arnolds and Shirley Wigodner.

Shaun Russell, Senior Marketing Director for McDonald's, Nordic Region, noted, "The Nordic 1955 product launch initiative was a rich and moving experience for all involved that has resulted in some exceptional work. The involvement of original customers and crew helped recreate the reality of 50s Americana where our brand was born, and reveals a side of McDonald's we don't often show."

The campaign goes live in Denmark and Sweden this week. It will begin running in Norway this May and in Finland in June.

Stefan Gustafsson, Executive Creative Director, DDB Oslo, said, "This campaign provided us with a great opportunity to show customers' deep connection to McDonald's and their lives."

Added Hans Petter Stub, Account Director, DDB Oslo, "Finding these original customers and employees was the best way we could pay tribute to McDonald's. These are real people telling genuine stories about their connection with the brand."

The campaign is also supported by the individual countries' Facebook pages, where unseen footage from the documentary and images from the original restaurant can be found.

McDonald's

Shaun Russell, Senior Marketing Director, Nordic Region

Carolina Wendels, Nordic Program Manager

DDB Oslo

Creative Director: Stefan Gustafsson

Creative Team: Torkild Jarnholt and Julian Hagemann

Nordic Strategy Director: Christian Budtz

Account Director: Hans Petter Stub

Account Director Nordics: Christian Budtz

Account Manager, Norway: Silje Linge

Account Manager, Nordics: Jeanette Yttermann

Agency Film Producer: Cyril Boije

Produced by Mikael Flodell at Flodell Film and directed by Nadde Hanson.

About DDB

DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc (www.ddb.com) ranks among the top five consolidated advertising and marketing services global networks, according to Advertising Age. Consistently one of the most awarded networks globally for creative excellence, DDB was Campaign's 2009 Global Network of the Year, the 2010 Spikes Asia Network of the Year, 2010 Eurobest Network of the Year, 2010 Campaign Asia Pacific Creative Network of the Year and captured both the Cyber Grand Prix and Film Craft Grand Prix at the 2010 International Advertising Festival in Cannes. With more than 200 offices in over 90 countries, the DDB Group helps grow the value and influence of leading brands around the world. DDB Worldwide is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC).

SOURCE DDB Worldwide

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