- McDonald’s collaborated with artist and streetwear influencer Kerwin Frost for a customized Happy Meal box that features a McNugget Buddy collectible, that are returning for the primary time in greater than 25 years, per a press release.
- The Kerwin Frost Box will include one in every of six Buddies, each designed by the artist. The collaboration also includes merchandise, including vintage pieces from Frost’s own archive and Fry Guy shoes inspired by one in every of the Buddies. The box and collection will launch on Dec. 11.
- The effort, which also features a TV spot, social elements, AR and a gaming content tie-in is the fast-food giant’s latest try to tap into nostalgia across the brand and follows last yr’s popular Cactus Plant Flea Market collaboration.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: McDonald’s is again returning to a well of childhood nostalgia across the brand, a tactic that has helped it engage with consumers, generate buzz and drive revenue growth.
The collaboration with Kerwin Frost, a multifaceted artist and DJ with influence within the worlds of fashion and music, allows McDonald’s to interact with cutting-edge culture while nodding to millennial and Gen Z memories of its McNugget Buddy collectibles, which debuted in 1988 but have been dormant for 1 / 4 century.
The Kerwin Frost Box, which incorporates either McNuggets or a Big Mac, fries and a soft drink alongside a collectible, is McDonald’s latest try to reinvent Happy Meals for streetwear-minded adults. The chain last yr teamed with cult label Cactus Plant Flea Market for a box that was so popular that it overwhelmed some stores.
“With last yr’s Cactus Plant Flea Market Box, we unlocked the childlike joy of opening a Happy Meal box for fans of all ages,” said Tariq Hassan, McDonald’s USA chief marketing and customer experience officer, in an announcement. “Fans told us they desired to have a good time that quintessential childhood experience again.”
To boost the trouble, McDonald’s may even roll out several digital and social activations, per details shared with Marketing Dive. The Buddies will receive an Instagram handle (@mcnuggetbudds) and the brand will roll out an interactive AR lens on Snapchat that features a Bitmoji integration. Plus, the Buddies shall be a part of a content hub on leading gaming site IGN.
In addition, the collaboration features a forthcoming TV spot and a merchandise collection, de rigueur for one of these effort, especially considering Frost’s fashion bona fides; the artist previously collaborated with Adidas. In a purpose-driven element, a portion of proceeds from Frost’s merchandise line will support the Harlem Arts Alliance.
The latest Buddies are inspired by Frost’s childhood experiences and put a premium on self-expression. Complete with mix-and-match outfits, they include characters with identities described because the smart stylist, the neighborhood hero, the curious optimist, the cool guy and the dreamer. Childhood experiences were also central to McDonald’s efforts across the birthday of name mascot Grimace, one in every of the yr’s best campaigns and one which drove greater than 3 billion views on TikTok and helped boost sales growth within the U.S.
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