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McDonald’s “Toothfairy” 2002

McDonald’s “Toothfairy” (2002) is a McDonald’s commercial directed by Axel Laubscher for Leo Burnett, produced by EPA International. It won one award: D&AD 2002 Graphite Pencil — TV & Cinema Advertising Non-English Language / Television Commercials - Up to and including 60 seconds.

A young boy loses his tooth and expects a visit from the tooth fairy, but instead finds money to buy a McDonald's Happy Meal.

Video: Leo Burnett on YouTube

Shot by shot

  1. Two young boys sit on the front steps of a house, one boy examining something in his hand while the other looks on.© McDonald’s0:01
  2. A young boy in a green and black jacket wiggles his loose tooth with his finger, while another boy watches him intently in an outdoor setting.© McDonald’s0:04
  3. A young boy with dark hair and a white t-shirt looks intently at someone off-screen in a medium closeup shot.© McDonald’s0:05
  4. A young boy with dark hair and a white t-shirt looks off-camera with a slightly worried expression in an interior setting.© McDonald’s0:08
  5. A small white tooth lies on a child's bedsheet with a cartoon mouse design, in a dimly lit room.© McDonald’s0:11
  6. A young boy with dark hair and a grey shirt looks up from his bed, holding onto the wooden frame of a bunk bed in a dark bedroom.© McDonald’s0:11
  7. A toy truck and a globe sit on a window sill with blue curtains, as a hand quickly reaches in from the right to grab something.© McDonald’s0:15
  8. A child's hand quickly snatches a small stack of coins from a patterned bedsheet.© McDonald’s0:18
  9. A young boy with dark hair and a blue shirt with a red collar looks down with his mouth open in surprise.© McDonald’s0:18
  10. A mother and her young son are sitting at a table in a McDonald's restaurant, with the mother helping the son with his food.© McDonald’s0:23
  11. A father and son sit at a table in a McDonald's restaurant, with the boy looking at his father and smiling while eating fries.© McDonald’s0:24
  12. A young boy in a plaid shirt eats a hamburger and fries at a McDonald's, looking up and smiling with a missing front tooth.© McDonald’s0:25

Stills © McDonald’s. Made by Leo Burnett, EPA International and Axel Laubscher.

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

The idea

The tooth fairy brings money for a McDonald's Happy Meal.

Tagline: “It doesn't cost much... to smile at McDonald's.”

childhood innocencemagical realismparental lovesurprise twisteveryday magic

The cut

Length
32 s
Shots
20
Average shot
1.6 s

What creatives use McDonald’s “Toothfairy” for

  1. 01Reference frames for your treatment

    Pitching something with the feel of McDonald’s “Toothfairy”? 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.

    Two young boys sit on the front steps of a house, one boy examining something in his hand while the other looks on.© McDonald’sA young boy in a green and black jacket wiggles his loose tooth with his finger, while another boy watches him intently in an outdoor setting.© McDonald’sA young boy with dark hair and a white t-shirt looks intently at someone off-screen in a medium closeup shot.© McDonald’sA young boy with dark hair and a white t-shirt looks off-camera with a slightly worried expression in an interior setting.© McDonald’s
    Frames from McDonald’s “Toothfairy”

  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 McDonald’s “Toothfairy” in order, with its length, framing and what happens in it.

    Two young boys sit on the front steps of a house, one boy examining something in his hand while the other looks on.© McDonald’sA young boy in a green and black jacket wiggles his loose tooth with his finger, while another boy watches him intently in an outdoor setting.© McDonald’sA young boy with dark hair and a white t-shirt looks intently at someone off-screen in a medium closeup shot.© McDonald’sA young boy with dark hair and a white t-shirt looks off-camera with a slightly worried expression in an interior setting.© McDonald’sA small white tooth lies on a child's bedsheet with a cartoon mouse design, in a dimly lit room.© McDonald’sA young boy with dark hair and a grey shirt looks up from his bed, holding onto the wooden frame of a bunk bed in a dark bedroom.© McDonald’s
    Length: 32 s · Shots: 20 · Average shot: 1.6 s

  3. 03Ad ideas: every spot built on a childhood innocence

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

    McDonald’s “Toothfairy” is built on a childhood innocence. Search the library by idea to see every spot that uses it.

    Canadian Tire “Wheels”© Canadian TireIkea “My Son”© IkeaAllan Gray “Beautiful”© Allan GrayMott's “Mott's and Mott's”© Mott's
    Canadian Tire · Ikea · Allan Gray · Mott's

More commercials by Axel Laubscher

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 McDonald’s “Toothfairy” commercial?

Axel Laubscher directed it, produced by EPA International, for the agency Leo Burnett.

Which agency made McDonald’s “Toothfairy”?

Leo Burnett created it for McDonald’s (2002).

What awards did McDonald’s “Toothfairy” win?

1 awards, including D&AD 2002 Graphite Pencil — TV & Cinema Advertising Non-English Language / Television Commercials - Up to and including 60 seconds.

What is the tagline of McDonald’s “Toothfairy”?

“It doesn't cost much... to smile at McDonald's.”

Sources for the credits and awards

dandad.org