Beanie Babies, Barbie and more: McDonald’s new collector cups nod to past tie-ins

Shrek, the Minions and Grimace are some of the other fan-favorite characters featured on the items that will be brought to life via a Snapchat AR integration.

Published Aug. 7, 2024

McDonald’s takes a trip down memory lane with new Collector’s Meals that include cups referencing past tie-ins with Barbie, Beanie Babies and other brands. Courtesy of McDonald’s USA

Dive Brief:

• McDonald’s is dipping back into the nostalgia well with new Collector’s Meals that feature six cups inspired by past collectible items, according to a press release.
• The cups referencing fan-favorite keepsakes like the Cowpoke McNugget Buddy, from 1988, and 2000’s Hello Kitty Crew Keychain are included in meals available beginning Aug. 13. Consumers can scan QR codes on the cups to access a Snapchat experience that brings the tchotchkes to life in augmented reality. 
• The Golden Arches owner on Aug. 17 will also host a poolside party at the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles that is accessible by using one of the cups as a ticket, along with putting on other activations tied to the items. The latest retro marketing ploy comes as the fast food giant contends with slumping sales.  

Dive Insight:

McDonald’s has made nostalgia a key piece of its marketing in recent years, previously resurrecting McNugget Buddies and celebrating long-standing mascots like Grimace and the Hamburglar. Some of the steam may be running out. Consumers have pulled back on fast food spending due to price hikes, which has led the category to ramp up value meal offers. 
McDonald’s in Q2 posted its first decline in comparable sales since the start of the pandemic, a sharp turn from the year-ago period. The company since June has been pushing a $5 Meal Deal, which has appeared to gain traction with inflation-strapped consumers.
The new collector cups lean on nostalgic fondness for past tie-ins with brands and media properties including “Shrek,” “Jurassic Park,” Barbie, Beanie Babies, Peanuts, Hello Kitty and Coca-Cola. 
Some of the references are more recent, such as a nod to the Minions from “Despicable Me” (subject of a movie released this summer). But by and large the choices appeal to the sensibilities of millennial and Gen Z diners who grew up with the brand in the ’80s and ’90s. Deeper cuts call out past McDonald’s drops like the Cowpoke McNugget Buddy and a brand-themed dragster from Hot Wheels, from 1993. Many of the original plastic items are still traded on resale sites like eBay among die-hard fans.  
A new spot shows jumbo-sized versions of the keepsakes taking the world by storm. Wieden+Kennedy handles the brand’s creative.

McDonald’s is bridging the trip down memory lane with digital marketing tactics via an AR experience that is opened by scanning QR codes on the cups. The Snapchat integration sees the concepts on the cups brought to life by a team of partner artists. It will also live on McDonald’s profile on the photo-sharing app.   
In-person experiences are another piece of the effort. The Santa Monica poolside party will serve limited-edition themed drinks and have a DJ set while McDonald’s is additionally putting on an event in Coney Island, in New York City, where visitors will be able to get a free ride on the Phoenix Roller Coaster in Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park with their cup on Aug. 17.
Collector’s Meals will be sold throughout the day in stores and via the McDonald’s app. They come with a Sausage McMuffin with egg sandwich, hash brown and hot coffee during breakfast hours and a pick of 10-piece Chicken McNuggets or a Big Mac with fries and a soft drink at other times.