AI Photo Booth for Brand Campaigns | McDonald’s x Friends
To celebrate the McDonald’s x Friends campaign, McDonald’s launched a nationwide cinema tour bringing the iconic sitcom back to the big screen. The brand wanted more than just a screening – they wanted fans to step into the world of Friends themselves.
Noonah delivered a personalised merchandise experience combining AI-generated characters with live printing, turning viewers into part of the show.
Turning Fans into Friends Characters with AI Personalisation
The Brief
McDonald’s aimed to build cultural relevance and grow affinity with Gen Z and Millennials through a campaign rooted in nostalgia and fandom. The activation needed to feel playful, personal, and instantly rewarding – giving fans something memorable to take away while reinforcing the themed meal range.
Our Approach
We created a journey that bridged watching the show with becoming part of it.
Before or after the cinema screenings, guests stepped up to the AI Photo Booth and entered a few simple details. Within moments, the system transformed them into a Friends-style character bobblehead – matching the visual style used across McDonald’s campaign creative.
Once their character was confirmed, the experience moved into live merchandise production, turning a digital moment into a physical keepsake.
AI Photo Booth Experience
The booth captured each guest and generated their personalised Friends character instantly. Guests could review and approve their transformation before downloading the image digitally.
The outputs were fully branded and designed to feel like official campaign artwork – making them ideal for sharing and keeping.
Live Event Printing
After creating their character, guests received a printed photo and a custom t-shirt featuring their personalised Friends avatar.
Watching their character print live added excitement and anticipation, and the wearable merch meant the campaign extended far beyond the cinema – fans left as walking billboards for the collaboration.
The Result
The activation proved hugely popular across all tour locations, with fans eager to take home personalised merchandise tied directly to the show. The combination of AI transformation and instant printing created a memorable, collectible experience that resonated strongly with audiences.
By turning spectators into characters, the campaign delivered both emotional connection and real-world visibility for the McDonald’s x Friends collaboration.
Bring Your Brand Into the Story
Noonah’s AI and live printing experiences turn audiences into participants. If you want your campaign to live beyond the venue, get in touch to see how we can build a personalised activation around your brand.
