McDonald’s leans into anime for another sauce-led campaign

McDonald’s has teamed up with anime collection Jujutsu Kaisen for its newest collaboration, which features a Particular Grade Garlic Sauce, obtainable solely on the chain’s app starting July 9. It’s impressed by the signature black garlic sauce from McDonald’s Japan and options notes of garlic and soy sauce, balanced with a slight tangy sweetness. The sauce is on the market free with any order of McNuggets or paired with any order on the app. Every buy additionally unlocks a 30-day free trial of Crunchyroll, which provides full episodes of Jujutsu Kaisen and extra anime content material.

The sauce consists of eight distinctive lid designs showcasing characters from the collection, together with:

  • Yuji Itadori – A uncommon expertise not seen in a thousand years who is ready to face up to the poison of Sukuna and grow to be his human vessel.
  • Megumi Fushiguro – A genius who enrolled as a 2nd grade sorcerer and the one first-year scholar allowed to hold out solo missions.
  • Nobara Kugisaki – A powerful-willed third grade jujutsu sorcerer who got here to Tokyo from the countryside.
  • Satoru Gojo – The strongest particular grade sorcerer and instructor at Tokyo Jujutsu Excessive.
  • Kento Nanami – A junior of Gojo who grew to become a salaryman, however later returned to Tokyo Jujutsu Excessive to grow to be a 1st grade sorcerer – probably the most grownup of adults.
  • Suguru Geto – A villain particular grade sorcerer whose aim is to create a paradise for sorcerers, freed from people.
  • Mahito – A curse that originated from people who can change the looks of an individual by touching their soul.
  • Sukuna – A king who survived greater than a thousand years in the past and nonetheless threatens this world after his dying.

Jujutsu Kaisen is produced by Toho animation and relies on the best-selling manga of the identical title written and illustrated by Gege Akutami. It’s at present serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Leap, which has over 90 million copies in circulation. The prequel movie, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, earned about $180 million in world theatrical field workplace income. Season 2 of the anime collection was named Anime of the Yr on the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in 2024.

That is the second anime-themed marketing campaign in latest months from McDonald’s. In February, the chain created WcDonald’s, a digital-only model of McDonald’s created by followers that included a brand new sauce, packaging and movies, in addition to a popup in Los Angeles. For that marketing campaign, the Savory Chili WcDonald’s sauce included ginger, garlic, and soy, with a slight warmth from chile.

In a statement at that time, Tariq Hassan, chief advertising and buyer expertise officer, mentioned, “Anime is a large a part of right now’s tradition, and we love that our followers have been inviting us into the dialog for years.”

Importantly, these campaigns not solely faucet into customers’ affinity towards anime but in addition for sauces, which at the moment are commanding an even bigger highlight. Technomic’s Flavor Consumer Trend Report finds that 34% of customers think about what sauces and condiments can be found when deciding what eating places to go to.

Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]