When a set of plastic figurines, each with four eyes, is offered for resale on eBay for $300,000, you know you’re right.
That’s exactly what happened last week when a seller posted three of the four Cactus Plant Flea Market collectible figures, in their original packaging, on the auction site for that staggering sum.
The frenzy around products created for McDonald’s to promote its Happy Meals for adults is unprecedented. When the fast-food giant collaborated with the bustling streetwear brand to recreate three toys (Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie) and design another, the Cactus Buddy, all with his signature four eyes, the response was immediate and viral. .
The limited-edition collectibles launched at McDonald’s on October 3 and offered a 10-piece Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets, French fries and a drink in the trademark Happy Meals carton with Golden Arches handles, adorned with the colorful characters. on the outside and one of four toys on the inside.
The Cactus Buddy toy.
The launch drew long lines at restaurants across the country and sold out in many places the day it was introduced. The drop also prompted some McDonald’s employees to take to social media about how overwhelmed they were with customer reaction.
It didn’t take long for the toys to become social media stars and start popping up on resale sites for fans who couldn’t get any on their own.
Although the $300,000 price tag on eBay received the most press, other sites like Grailed offered the toys at much lower prices, but they were still popular items.
As part of the promotion, Cactus Plant Flea Market also created a clothing line that included sweatshirts, t-shirts and sweatpants that retailed for between $60 and $150, while supplies last. And those supplies didn’t last long. Already, the entire assortment is sold out.
The sports pants are out of stock.
Elizabeth Campbell, McDonald’s senior director of cultural engagement, said the popularity of the Cactus Plant Flea Market collaboration speaks to the nostalgia felt by its adult customers. “We wanted to partner with someone who could create a meal for adults,” she said. The result was a box that brought together the brand’s “iconic food” in a way that could “make them feel good. It’s a huge hit with our Gen Z and older customers.”
Campbell said customers are “really enjoying this brand experience moment around the box with their collectible inside and the story being told on the box,” he added.
The Happy Meal box for adults features colorful illustrations.
Although this is the first time that McDonald’s has created a Happy Meal for adults, it is not the first collaboration with fashion brands or celebrities.
In January, he tapped Opening Ceremony co-founder Humberto Leon to create a special collection of zodiac signs and clothing for Lunar New Year.
In September 2020, McDonald’s partnered with Travis Scott on a special meal that included his favorite items: a quarter pounder with cheese and bacon, fries with barbecue sauce and a Sprite, as well as a line of McDonald’s co-branded clothing and Cactus Jack, which is a line named after his record label.
The company launched other editions of this promotion featuring J Blavin, BTS and Saweetie, and last December offered Mariah Carey’s Mariah Menu for the holiday season that included T-shirts and hats.
In February of this year, McDonald’s worked with Bubba Wallace, the NASCAR driver it sponsors, on a co-branded, limited-edition racing apparel collection, 23XI, with proceeds benefiting the promotion of diversity and equity in motor sports.
In September, Joseph Altuzarra was selected to design a Christmas lantern for the Mid-Autumn Festival, which celebrates Asian culture.
And as part of its longtime sponsorship of the All American Games, McDonald’s has worked for the past two years with Adidas and Eric Emanuel, a New York-based streetwear designer known for his basketball shorts, to design a line of clothing and accessories for both. participating athletes and their fans.
A hoodie from the Cactus Plant Flea Market collaboration.
In selecting who to work with on these types of products, Campbell said McDonald’s looks for “fashion and collaborations that allow us to express the brand.”
Each has “a flavor of its own”, attracting a variety of clients, and many, such as those of Travis Scott and Mariah Carey, were very successful and “generated high volume” for the company.
McDonald’s advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, along with internal employees who “know the street,” have been instrumental in identifying brands or celebrities to work with, Campbell said.
The number one goal, he added, is to offer a product that is accessible and attractive to the McDonald’s customer. And while he didn’t provide sales figures, he said it definitely moves the needle for the company by engaging customers and helping the company “stay front and center in the culture.”
As the cactus plant flea market promotion winds down, McDonald’s is onto its next project. This one, linked to Halloween, marks the return of its popular Boo Buckets Happy Meals, this one aimed at children. Buckets introduced in 1986 can double as candy bins on Halloween night, once the burgers, McNuggets, fries, and apple slices are gone. Although the promotion is generating excitement among customers, it does not present a fashion tie.
So how often will McDonald’s work with fashion brands in the future? Campbell said there is no set time frame, but “we’ll hear from our fans how often to do it.”
He also didn’t offer a hint as to which brands might be next, saying only: “We’re always trying to come up with something.”
Source: news.google.com