The local McDonald’s Owner Operators of Western Washington set out to harness the passion of Seahawks fandom to strengthen its connection with communities across the region and spotlight the vital work of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Seattle.
Through the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative and a partnership with rising Seahawks tight end A.J. Barner, the objective was to leverage his growing platform and authentic commitment to the cause to raise awareness, inspire donations and generate meaningful support for local families.
Ultimately, the partnership demonstrated how McDonald’s can transform hometown pride into lasting community impact.
Our strategy was to build the partnership around A.J. Barner’s genuine desire to give back—not simply his role as a professional athlete. During early conversations about the partnership, Barner expressed a strong interest in supporting local families. McDonald’s Western Washington helped turn that passion into action by connecting him with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska.
The partnership came to life through My Cause My Cleats, a player-led NFL initiative that empowers athletes, coaches and staff to wear custom-designed cleats spotlighting the causes and nonprofit organizations most meaningful to them.
Working with a local artist, Barner helped design custom McDonald’s x Ronald McDonald House cleats that made the cause personal and distinctly connected to the community. He amplified the organization’s mission through media interviews and social content before wearing the cleats during pregame warmups, bringing the story onto one of Seattle’s most visible stages.
The partnership then moved beyond awareness and into meaningful action. On Giving Tuesday, Barner visited Ronald McDonald House in Seattle to spend time with the families whose stories he had championed. Families shared their personal experiences with him, creating genuine connections that brought the purpose behind the cleats to life.
By starting with Barner’s personal values and building every touchpoint around a cause he authentically cared about, McDonald’s created a partnership that connected athlete, brand and community through shared purpose.
Through AJ’s giving Tuesday appearance at the house and support of local media, AJ was able to tell fans all about how to help support year round and share how simple it’s to Round Up your order at your Local McDonald’s.
The partnership translated awareness into tangible community support. Barner autographed his custom cleats and donated them to the My Cause My Cleats auction, with all proceeds benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Seattle and the families it serves.
The campaign’s impact extended beyond the original activation when a local Seahawks blogger was inspired to contribute an additional $5,000 in support of Barner’s fundraising efforts—demonstrating how one athlete’s commitment could motivate others to take action.
The partnership also generated strong social engagement through coordinated content shared by Barner, McDonald’s Western Washington and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska, with additional amplification from the Seahawks and local media support that help encourage year round support by asking Seahawks fans and customers to simply Rounding Up their total the next time they visit their local Western Washington McDonald’s.
Together, the cleat auction, unexpected $5,000 contribution and organic social momentum transformed a single NFL initiative into a broader movement of awareness, generosity and community participation at a local level.
Most importantly, the campaign delivered meaningful support to local families while strengthening the connection among Barner, McDonald’s and the Western Washington community.
