Ahead of its 100th anniversary, McKinsey faced a fundamental storytelling challenge: how to explain what the Firm actually does today — and why it matters — to audiences who think they already know it. For nearly a century, McKinsey had been defined externally by discretion, research, and behind-the-scenes impact. As the Firm prepared to enter its second century, it needed a new way to introduce its next chapter.
The objective of the anthem film was to answer a simple but critical question: why is McKinsey more relevant than ever? Developed as part of the “What’s Your Next Brilliant Move?” campaign, the film was designed to create a 30,000-foot brand moment — positioning McKinsey as the partner for transformative change — and to open the door for deeper, more specific storytelling to follow.
Rather than focusing on services or credentials, the film aimed to spark a more human conversation with leaders about ambition, change, and the work required to turn bold ideas into real-world impact.
The creative idea was rooted in ambition. Instead of explaining what McKinsey does, the film invites leaders to reflect on the bold moves required to reinvent industries, rewire organizations, and create impact over time.
The film positions the audience as the hero, not a product or service. Using the metaphor of an egg and a bird, it represents potential and possibility: ideas incubating amid uncertainty, and the moment when ambition takes flight. McKinsey’s role is intentionally understated, but clearly implied.
To those familiar with the firm’s history, they might recognize that all the ‘brilliant moves’ depicted are real client examples, but this is never made explicit, ensuring the focus remains on clients, their ambitions, and the work itself.
Crafted as a cinematic brand film, the piece blends archival footage with newly filmed scenes, progressing chronologically from earlier decades to the present. The story spans eras and industries — from helping shape the organization that became NASA, to supporting the development of the Universal Product Code, to using AI to accelerate Emirates Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup victory. These moments are presented not as case studies, but as moments of brilliance and movement across time.
The absence of overt branding was deliberate, reinforcing credibility with senior leaders and alumni accustomed to engaging with McKinsey through trusted, one-to-one relationships. The film served as the anchor for launching paid media, premium publisher video placements, and owned channels, establishing the emotional tone for how McKinsey would show up across the broader campaign ecosystem.
The anthem film demonstrated that a more human, cinematic approach could break through with one of the hardest audiences to reach: time-starved senior leaders.
Across owned and paid environments, the film delivered strong creative engagement. On McKinsey.com, the film achieved a 60% completion rate—approximately 43% higher than the site average —indicating deeper attention to brand storytelling in a trusted context.
Brand lift studies reinforced the film’s effectiveness. YouTube Brand Lift results showed consistent gains across key metrics, including a +0.94pt lift in Ad Recall and a +0.92pt lift in Favorability, even against a high baseline. Performance was led by the 30-second creative, underscoring the strength of the anthem film as the campaign’s emotional anchor.
Lower-funnel impact was also evident in premium environments. The Wall Street Journal’s brand lift study showed meaningful lifts across KPIs, particularly in Preference (+2.4pp) and Action Intent (+3.4pp)—both well above category norms—demonstrating that the film resonated beyond awareness.
Search behavior further reinforced the film’s role in driving interest. Exposed users were 54–58% more likely to search for McKinsey-related queries versus a control group, signaling increased consideration following exposure.
Together, these results show that the film not only captured attention, but meaningfully shifted brand perception—establishing the foundation for deeper engagement across the broader campaign.
