Grimace has taken McDonald’s to new heights with strong Q2 earnings that surpassed expectations.
In its latest earnings report, the fast-food chain saw a global sales increase of 11.7% in Q2, with 10.3% of growth taking place in the U.S.
In the report, the company attributed the earnings increase to its digital and delivery segments and placed the spotlight on its viral marketing push revolving around the much-loved McDonald’s mascot Grimace.
View this post on Instagram
The marketing campaign, which saw Grimace take over McDonald’s social media channels for its 52nd birthday, garnered more than 3 billion views on TikTok and became a global phenomenon.
"We took the nostalgic experience of celebrating birthdays at McDonald's and repackaged it for a new generation," explained Ian Borden, chief executive officer of McDonald’s.
"It quickly became one of our most socially engaging campaigns of all time," Borden added.
u made me feel so specialll ty
— McDonald's (@McDonalds) July 6, 2023
say goodbye grimace nowww pic.twitter.com/7KUgNWk4t2
The Grimace birthday campaign represented one of McDonald’s most culturally relevant marketing moves in recent years, including limited-edition meals, an augmented reality experience on Snapchat, a specially created 8-bit video game, and even a phone number where customers could "text Grimace directly."
"McDonald's Corporation is in the business of selling a brand. We've upped our marketing game," Borden concluded during the earnings call with investors.
Edited by Nikola Djuric
