McDonald’s and Cactus Plant Flea Market collab is like Happy Meals for adults

Cactus Plant Flea Market, the buzzy streetwear brand that has partnered with the likes of Nike and Stüssy, has a new deal with an unexpected collaborator—McDonald’s. The fast food giant today unveiled the Cactus Plant Flea Market Box, a meal deal with merchandise that the company has positioned like a Happy Meal for adults. The box includes menu items—a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets Meal—packaged with figurines of McDonaldland characters Grimace, Hamburglar and Birdie, as well as “Cactus Buddy!,” the streetwear brand’s little yellow mascot adorned with a crooked smile. (All the characters have four eyes, keeping with Cactus Plant Flea Market's style.) The meals debut Oct. 3 with pricing determined by local outlets. Related: See McDonald's' first ad with Cactus Plant Flea Market Ad Age Next: CMO Get your tickets for the Dec. 7 event in New York Register here Anyone who buys the box will also be entered to win Plant Flea Market x McDonald’s merchandise including T-shirts and a Grimace Chair. The two brands are also making merchandise available for a limited time starting Oct. 3 at 11 a.m. ET on a special website. It will include tees, hoodies and special collectibles “which further explores the storytelling between the two brands, showcasing Cactus Plant Flea Market’s uncanny ability to tap into deeply specific nostalgia.” Wieden+Kennedy New York is behind the program, which is expected to be supported with significant marketing in the months ahead, including an ad debuting Oct. 3 that “brings fans into the world of McDonaldland through the eyes of Cactus Plant Flea Market.” The effort is reminiscent of McDonald’s hugely successful “Famous Orders” campaign, which put music celebrities including Travis Scott and BTS at the center of meal deals and marketing that allowed the fast feeder to build new buzz for existing food items. Cactus Plant Flea Market Box is notable in that it borrows thinking from McDonald’s iconic Happy Meal marketing but contemporizes it for an older audience. The program also taps into streetwear culture, which has gained prominence thanks in part to buzzy, limited-time apparel drops. McDonald's also seems to be democratizing the Cactus Plant Flea Market brand, which has gained prominence through a low-profile, mysterious style. “We're taking one of the most nostalgic McDonald's experiences and literally repackaging it in a new way that's hyper-relevant for our adult fans," Tariq Hassan, McDonald’s USA chief marketing and customer experience officer, said in a statement. “With menu favorites like the Big Mac and McNuggets at the center of this collab, this is another way we're reigniting a new generation’s love for our food and the brand.” Cactus Plant Flea Market was founded by Cynthia Lu, who was described as a “shy fashion addict who grew up in the Midwest,” in a 2020 profile in GQ magazine. She found an ally in Pharrell, who hired her in 2012 to work in the PR office of his streetwear brand, Billionaire Boys Club, according to GQ. Their relationship formed the basis for the Cactus Plant Flea Market brand, which has since been worn by celebs ranging from Kanye West to Tyler the Creator. Nike began collaborating with Cactus Plant in 2019 for special shoe drops. By 2020, Cactus Plant was doing deals with the likes of fashion designer Marc Jacobs. The McDonald’s collab moves the brand—a fast food chain known for catering to families in Middle America—into new terrain. But with “Famous Orders,” McDonald’s and Wieden+Kennedy proved that the chain can successfully traffic in pop culture. The Cactus Plant Flea Market collab steps that strategy up a level or two, and seems destined to occupy a major spot on McDonald’s marketing calendar for months to come.

McDonald’s and Cactus Plant Flea Market collab is like Happy Meals for adults

Featured Stories