Imagine walking into your local McDonald's, but instead of the familiar golden arches, you're greeted by an upside-down “W.” The packaging features manga-style artwork, and scanning a code transports you into a world of anime shorts. This is the reality McDonald's is creating with their latest WcDonald's campaign, an homage to how the brand has been lovingly depicted in anime and manga for years.
Menu Innovation
At the heart of the WcDonald's experience is the limited-edition Savory Chili WcDonald's Sauce. This bold blend of ginger, garlic, soy, and a kick of chili is designed to perfectly complement an order of “WcNuggets” (the affectionate anime name for Chicken McNuggets). The sauce captures the energetic spirit of anime heroes and adds an exciting new flavor to the McDonald's menu.
Customer Experience
To fully immerse fans in the WcDonald's universe, McDonald's has gone all out with the customer experience. Manga-inspired packaging featuring artwork by renowned Japanese illustrator Acky Bright will adorn menu items for a limited time. Customers can scan codes on the packaging to access exclusive weekly digital manga starring a colorful cast of WcDonald's crew members and regulars.
The pièce de résistance is the WcDonald's Immersive Dining Experience in Los Angeles on March 9-10. This multi-sensory pop-up will transport guests into the anime world through 360-degree projection mapping and tabletop projections inspired by four WcDonald's anime shorts. Fans can book this unique dining experience, which includes a set WcDonald's menu, exclusively on OpenTable.
Technology Integration
McDonald's has partnered with legendary Japanese animation house Studio Pierrot to produce four anime shorts that explore the world of WcDonald's. These episodes are released weekly and pay homage to popular anime genres like action, romance, mecha, and fantasy while weaving a story around WcDonald's Sauce and WcNuggets.
The shorts and digital manga can be unlocked each week by scanning the packaging codes or visiting the official WcDonald's website. This innovative technology allows McDonald's to create an engaging, multi-platform experience that keeps fans excited and returning for more.
Conclusion
With the WcDonald's campaign, McDonald's demonstrates a masterful understanding of their fans and popular culture. By authentically bringing an anime meme to life through menu innovations, immersive experiences, and creative technology integrations, they pay the ultimate tribute to the fans who have enthusiastically incorporated the brand into their artwork and storytelling for years.
As Tariq Hassan, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at McDonald's USA, perfectly summarized: “The WcDonald's universe reflects what fans have created. It honors their vision and celebrates their creativity while authentically bringing it to life in our restaurants for the first time ever.” And that is how you create a genuinely legendary customer experience.