Fan-favorite McDonald's mascot Grimace will be taking over the U.K. next week for a new campaign that aims to recapture the success of last summer's most viral beverage.
Helmed by creative agency Leo Burnett, "Gatecrashed by Grimace" sees the first U.K. appearance of the fast food giant's limited-edition menu item, the Grimace Shake.
The campaign was initially announced last week with an Instagram post teasing the character's arrival in London.
The purple, blueberry-flavored drink will be available from August 28 to September 3 as part of the brand's ongoing 50th birthday celebration.
A set of rave-inspired posters promotes the campaign's launch event: a special live broadcast tasting party that will be hosted and DJed by Grimace himself.
Aside from this, the campaign will give existing McDonald's 50th Birthday ads a lilac-colored makeover, which will be seen on OOH, paid social, and in-store decorations.
"Grimace does what Grimace wants, so of course he would gatecrash our 50th birthday celebration—it wouldn't be a party without him," Matt Reischauer, marketing director at McDonald's U.K. and Ireland, said in a statement.
According to Reischauer, massive fan demand was a factor in the brand's decision to bring Grimace into the territory.
Listening to customer feedback is a great way not only to boost sales but also to make your target audience feel heard and important, building brand affinity and increasing loyalty.
Additionally, by bringing back a massive viral trend from last year, McDonald's can replicate the success of a tried and tested campaign without too much risk.
The Grimace Shake Returns
Back in July, McDonald's U.K. began its 50th birthday celebration with a retro-inspired campaign that channeled the classic McDonald's birthday party.
The campaign features the comeback of classic McDonaldland characters, and the core cast of Birdie, Grimace, and The Hamburglar.
Bringing the Grimace Shake into the mix is a brilliant move from the brand after the menu item reached peak virality in 2023.
This can be attributed to a massive trend of meme videos that circulated on Instagram and TikTok, which used the purple concoction as the bizarre punchline to a running joke.
@bayashi.tiktok#grimaceshake#happybirthdaygrimace♬ オリジナル楽曲 - バヤシ🥑Bayashi
McDonald's seems to have struck gold with its recent wave of nostalgia-leaning campaigns.
Last week, the brand introduced a set of retro-inspired Collector's Cups in a popular new campaign that sold out almost immediately.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
