The Silent Glow

Every year, cities near the Arctic Circle experience a natural phenomenon known as the polar night, where the sun disappears for weeks or even months. In places like Utqiaġvik (Alaska), Tromsø and Longyearbyen (Norway), people live in total darkness—where light becomes more than functional: it becomes emotional.

This student print campaign for McDonald’s leverages that rare moment when the absence of sunlight makes every other source of light instantly iconic. During these long nights, no signage or slogan is needed. The golden light reflecting on the pavement, the ambient glow under a rainy sky, or a silhouette faintly lit by a streetlamp—all become enough for people to recognize a McDonald’s is nearby.

The visuals are intentionally minimalist. No logos. No food. No copy beyond factual data: location, dates of darkness, and a conceptual call to action. This is branding through atmosphere—a campaign that celebrates the power of recognition through context and emotion, not volume.

It’s a tribute to how deeply embedded the brand is in our collective visual memory, and how sometimes, all it takes to be seen is to shine—quietly.