For the third straight year, McDonald’s is leaning into its hyperlocal love letter to Detroit with the return of its 313 Day initiative. This time, the brand is adding a new promotional layer designed to drive both incremental sales and deeper community engagement.
In past years, the effort centered primarily on limited-edition merchandise and surprise-and-delight moments tied to March 13. For 2026, McDonald’s is expanding the program with a sweepstakes mechanic that gives the campaign a second sales engine beyond the merch drop.
Created with agency of record Doner, the campaign launches March 9 and runs through March 13. Guests who purchase a 313 Day Meal will receive a QR code sticker that enters them for a chance to win a suite experience at a Detroit Pistons game for themselves and 17 guests.
The prize package includes branded merchandise, in-suite goodies and a special pregame experience made possible through McDonald’s partnership with the Pistons.
What continues to distinguish the initiative is its hyperlocal execution. Each year, McDonald’s works with Detroit-based creatives to ensure the campaign feels rooted in the city rather than simply marketed to it.
For 2026, the brand once again partnered with Detroit native designer and artist Allison Sims. A signature part of 313 Day has become its limited-edition T-shirts, and this year’s design draws from both Detroit pride and Pistons energy. The shirt features a bold basketball-inspired look, graffiti lettering on one sleeve to reflect the city’s edge, a Detroit map on the other to represent community, and the Spirit wearing a Pistons jersey to tie the story together.
This marks the first year 313 Day includes a sweepstakes element, signaling a strategic shift toward a more layered promotional approach that encourages participation across multiple days rather than concentrating momentum on March 13 alone.
The campaign is supported by Detroit franchisees Brian Temple and Yusef Alcodray and funded in partnership with Vernors and McDonald’s. It will roll out across radio, social and local activations.
“For us, 313 Day is about more than a promotion. It’s about showing up for the city that shows up for us every day,” said Brian Temple, McDonald’s owner-operator in Detroit. “As we enter our third year, we wanted to build on that momentum in a way that drives real excitement and real impact. Adding the Detroit Pistons sweepstakes gives our guests another reason to participate while creating a shared experience that reflects how Detroit celebrates together.”
“With the success of 313 Day over the past two years, we knew we had created something Detroiters genuinely look forward to,” said Briana Wright, Lead, African American Consumer Market for McDonald’s in Michigan at Doner. “As we planned for 2026, the focus became how to build on that momentum and drive excitement around the 313 Day Meal beyond the shirt. What would truly energize the city? The sweepstakes became a natural extension, a second high-energy driver that feels authentic to Detroit and taps into the nostalgia and pride that make 313 Day so special. Our goal was to evolve the program in a way that deepens community excitement while continuing to celebrate Detroit culture.”
“313 Day is about pride,” said Allison Sims. “As a Detroit creative, being able to design something that lives in the community is special. This campaign doesn’t just celebrate the city. It invests in it.”
CREDITS:
BRAND: McDonald’s
- Brian Temple (McDonald’s Franchisee)
- Yusef Alcodray (McDonald’s Franchisee)
AGENCY: Doner
- Briana Wright (Account Supervisor)
- Isabella Papadhima (Assistant Account Executive)
- Brenden Larue (Senior Account Executive)
- Ryan Devito (Senior Account Executive)
- Andy Tahy (Director of Client Experience Media)
- Lauren Peetz (Senior Manager of Client Experience Media – Integrated Media)
- Claudia Alonso (VP, Strategy Director – Brand Strategy)
- Adam Kazatsky (VP, Account Director)
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