Ad of the Day | McDonald's France Brings the Bedtime Story Ritual to Life With "BedTellers School"

Sep. 21, 2026

After more than ten years of commitment to reading through its "A Toy or a Book" program included in the Happy Meal, McDonald’s France is taking on a new challenge: bringing the magic back to bedtime stories. This ritual, which represents children’s first point of contact with reading, seems to have become more of a box to tick than a meaningful moment of connection: only 40% of parents still enjoy reading to their children.

Yet fostering a love of reading is about more than simply putting a book in a child’s hands — it is about bringing stories to life, sparking the imagination, and creating those moments of connection that families remember for years to come. It is from this belief that The Storytellers’ School was born, an innovative initiative imagined by TBWA\Paris to help parents (re)discover the joy of telling stories.

• When theatre becomes a tool for family learning

Because the same story can take on very different forms depending on how it is told, The BedTeller’s School focuses on what happens once the book is opened: an intonation that builds suspense, a pause that captures attention, an emotion that brings characters to life.

TBWA\Paris drew inspiration from theatre techniques to create a series of digital content pieces led by actor, director and theatre teacher Oscar Sisto. Filmed at the Théâtre de la Renaissance by director Fabien Ecochard (production: Else), the hero film features Oscar Sisto sharing his acting secrets with a group of parents: characterisation, gestures, rhythm and eye contact.

Practical tips that can easily be recreated at home, helping transform an ordinary reading session into a true shared adventure.

• A multi-channel activation for families

The BedTellers’s School goes far beyond the screen. To launch the experience, McDonald’s, together with Kingcom, organised a launch event in Paris on September 16. The event brought together Oscar Sisto and invited media and influencers to put his advice into practice in a Parisian theatre.

On social media, three parenting content creators are bringing Oscar Sisto’s lessons to life through native content showing families how to make stories more engaging, lively and playful in their everyday lives. This digital activation is coordinated by Influential, McDonald’s France’s Culture & Influence Marketing agency, and Starcom, the media agency for the campaign.

At the same time, a travelling Book Bus, also imagined by Influential, will tour France to meet families where they are in their everyday lives. Hosted by actress Mélanie Sitbon, these stops will feature immersive storytelling, interactive experiences and shared moments around stories from McDonald’s book collections.

The Book Bus will stop in:

• Reims: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
• Aix-en-Provence: Saturday, October 3, 2026
• Lorient: Wednesday, October 7, 2026

The tour will be supported by several media brands from the Reworld Media group, including AuFeminin, Biba, Grazia, Melty, Parole de Mamans and Psychologies, through a range of editorial and social formats.

Finally, a regional daily press campaign, in partnership with 366, will bring The Storytellers’ School to families across France.