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McCafe “Madness” 2017

McCafe “Madness” (2017) is a McCafe commercial directed by Tony Barry for Leo Burnett. It won one award: D&AD 2017 Wood Pencil — Film Advertising Crafts / Use of Music for Film Advertising.

People are frustrated by the overly complicated and expensive coffee culture, finding solace in the simple, great-tasting coffee from McCafe.

Video: Leo Burnett London on Vimeo

Shot by shot

  1. A barista serves a man a small cup of coffee at a wooden table in a cafe, seen through a window.© McCafe0:00
  2. A woman with dark hair, wearing a grey blazer and coral sweater, looks up with a concerned expression inside a restaurant at night.© McCafe0:08
  3. A man in a plaid shirt carefully pours hot water from a copper kettle into a coffee filter, part of a three-station pour-over setup on a wooden counter.© McCafe0:11
  4. A female barista in a light blue shirt serves a female customer in a trench coat at a sunlit cafe counter.© McCafe0:20
  5. A female barista in a light blue shirt and apron serves a female customer in a trench coat a coffee at a rustic cafe counter during the day.© McCafe0:23
  6. A male customer in a brown leather jacket stands at a coffee shop counter, looking down at a small cup while a female barista prepares a drink.© McCafe0:28
  7. A barista's hand places a small glass jar of iced coffee with a straw on a metal counter in a cafe.© McCafe0:34
  8. A male barista with a beard looks up and speaks to a customer, who is seen from behind, in a coffee shop.© McCafe0:37
  9. A young man with a backpack smiles awkwardly at the camera in an interior setting, with a blurred painting and another person in the background.© McCafe0:47
  10. A middle-aged man in a brown leather jacket looks directly at the camera with a confused expression in a dimly lit interior.© McCafe0:49
  11. A close-up shot of dark roasted coffee beans filling a clear plastic container, ready to be ground for a fresh brew.© McCafe0:51
  12. A female McDonald's employee in uniform hands a coffee to a male customer in a red jacket at a McCafe counter.© McCafe0:53

Stills © McCafe. Made by Leo Burnett and Tony Barry.

Every shot, full-quality frames and clips, and search across every commercial. Free account.

The idea

Highlighting the absurdity of artisanal coffee culture versus McCafe's simplicity.

Tagline: “Great tasting coffee. Simple.”

exaggerated realityfish out of watereveryday absurdismcontrast advertisingrelatable frustration

The cut

Length
60 s
Shots
30
Average shot
2.0 s

What creatives use McCafe “Madness” for

  1. 01Reference frames for your treatment

    Pitching something with the feel of McCafe “Madness”? A screenshot from a video player won't hold up in a deck.

    Download any frame of this spot at full quality, with its credits, or search every spot for the same look.

    A barista serves a man a small cup of coffee at a wooden table in a cafe, seen through a window.© McCafeA woman with dark hair, wearing a grey blazer and coral sweater, looks up with a concerned expression inside a restaurant at night.© McCafeA man in a plaid shirt carefully pours hot water from a copper kettle into a coffee filter, part of a three-station pour-over setup on a wooden counter.© McCafeA female barista in a light blue shirt serves a female customer in a trench coat at a sunlit cafe counter.© McCafe
    Frames from McCafe “Madness”

  2. 02Shot list example: how it was cut

    You need the structure of a great spot, shot by shot, for your storyboard.

    Every shot of McCafe “Madness” in order, with its length, framing and what happens in it.

    A barista serves a man a small cup of coffee at a wooden table in a cafe, seen through a window.© McCafeA woman with dark hair, wearing a grey blazer and coral sweater, looks up with a concerned expression inside a restaurant at night.© McCafeA man in a plaid shirt carefully pours hot water from a copper kettle into a coffee filter, part of a three-station pour-over setup on a wooden counter.© McCafeA female barista in a light blue shirt serves a female customer in a trench coat at a sunlit cafe counter.© McCafeA female barista in a light blue shirt and apron serves a female customer in a trench coat a coffee at a rustic cafe counter during the day.© McCafeA male customer in a brown leather jacket stands at a coffee shop counter, looking down at a small cup while a female barista prepares a drink.© McCafe
    Length: 60 s · Shots: 30 · Average shot: 2.0 s

  3. 03Ad ideas: every spot built on a exaggerated reality

    Before you present an idea, you need to know who has done it, and how.

    McCafe “Madness” is built on a exaggerated reality. Search the library by idea to see every spot that uses it.

    Audible “Soaking Detective”© AudibleGlobal Women “Career Limiting Move”© Global WomenNimble “Pregnancy”© NimbleCanal+ “Cameramen”© Canal+
    Audible · Global Women · Nimble · Canal+

More commercials by Tony Barry

  • Costa Coffee "Delivery" (2025) commercial still© Costa CoffeeCosta Coffee “Delivery” 2025Dir. Tony Barry · VML
  • National Grid "The Great Grid Upgrade" (2024) commercial still© National GridNational Grid “The Great Grid Upgrade” 2024Dir. Tony Barry · M&C Saatchi
  • Department for Work and Pensions "Credit Where Credit's Due" (2024) commercial still© Department for Work and PensionsDepartment for Work and Pensions “Credit Where Credit's Due” 2024Dir. Tony Barry · M&C Saatchi
  • Saga "You're Not Wrong" (2023) commercial still© SagaSaga “You're Not Wrong” 2023Dir. Tony Barry · VCCP
  • McDonald’s "Flat White" (2018) commercial still© McDonald’sMcDonald’s “Flat White” 2018Dir. Tony Barry · Leo

More from Leo Burnett

Award-winning food & qsr commercials

  • Uber Eats "A Century of Cravings" (2025) commercial still© Uber EatsUber Eats “A Century of Cravings” 2025Dir. Jim Jenkins · SpecialEffie Awards Grand Prix 2026
  • Uber Eats + Special US "Football is for Food" (2025) commercial still© Uber Eats + Special USUber Eats + Special US “Football is for Food” 2025Dir. Jim Jenkins · SpecialEffie Awards Grand Prix 2026
  • DoorDash "DoorDash All the Ads" (2024) commercial still© DoorDashDoorDash “DoorDash All the Ads” 2024Dir. Mike Diva · Wieden+KennedyCannes Lions Titanium 2024
  • Skittles "Apologize the Rainbow" (2023) commercial still© SkittlesSkittles “Apologize the Rainbow” 2023DDBLondon International Awards Grand Prix 2023
  • Burger King "As Good as the Original" (2023) commercial still© Burger KingBurger King “As Good as the Original” 2023Dubai Lynx Grand Prix 2023
  • Cadbury Celebrations "My SRK Ad" (2023) commercial still© Cadbury CelebrationsCadbury Celebrations “My SRK Ad” 2023Dir. Divij Kulkarni · OgilvyEffie Awards Grand Prix 2023

Questions

Who directed the McCafe “Madness” commercial?

Tony Barry directed it, for the agency Leo Burnett.

Which agency made McCafe “Madness”?

Leo Burnett created it for McCafe (2017).

What awards did McCafe “Madness” win?

1 awards, including D&AD 2017 Wood Pencil — Film Advertising Crafts / Use of Music for Film Advertising.

What is the tagline of McCafe “Madness”?

“Great tasting coffee. Simple.”

Sources for the credits and awards

dandad.org