McDonald’s next celebrity collaborator is Saweetie

McDonald’s is teaming up with hip-hop artist Saweetie on its next celebrity meal, quickly following on the success of its BTS Meal, with another specialty lineup to help the chain “tap in” to pop culture and keep its sales streak going. Saweetie’s meal is the first “famous order” in a string of meals picked by musicians that comes from a woman. It follows meals selected and promoted by Travis Scott, J Balvin and BTS released in the last 10 months. The Saweetie Meal includes a Big Mac, 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium fries, a medium Sprite, Tangy BBQ sauce and Sweet ‘N Sour sauce, which is being renamed “Saweetie ‘N Sour” sauce in honor of the rapper. The limited-time meal will come in “icy” packaging that celebrates Saweetie’s style, according to McDonald’s, and will be on the menu starting August 9. McDonald’s is suggesting that fans take cues from Saweetie and mix up the order, doing things such as putting the fries on the Big Mac or putting the nuggets and buns together to concoct a Chicken McNugget sandwich. “McDonald’s and I run deep—from growing up back in Hayward, California, all through my college days—so I had to bring my icy gang in on my all-time favorites,” Saweetie said in a statement. “Depending on the mood I'm in, there are so many ways to enjoy my order. I like to keep things fresh—I know that’s right.” Saweetie’s meal is the first “famous order” from a woman to hit the menu. Female celebrity picks from the likes of Kim Kardashian West were briefly shown in a commercial that ran just before the 2020 Super Bowl featuring trays from the restaurant. That ad led to the “famous orders” meals, which kicked off with Scott in September. The campaign has been led by Wieden+Kennedy New York. Ads for the Saweetie Meal have not yet been released. The platform—which so far has focused on musicians—helps McDonald’s connect with the celebrities’ fans, who often skew younger. When the Travis Scott meal was sold, demand was so high that the T-shirts worn by McDonald’s staffers to promote the meal were selling on eBay. The “famous orders” based on what people actually order at the chain feature items McDonald’s already sells, such as its burgers and McNuggets. So, even those who aren’t fans of songs like “Best Friend,” “Tap In” or “My Type” might give her meal a try if they’re hungry. And fast-food has remained strong during the pandemic, especially as patrons frequented the drive-thru when dining rooms were closed, though many have started to reopen in recent months. The Saweetie Meal, like those from Scott and Balvin, will only be available in the U.S. The BTS Meal—a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium fries and a medium Coke, with sweet chili and Cajun dipping sauces—was sold in numerous countries and was a huge hit for McDonald’s in the latest quarter. Its results, released Wednesday, exceeded Wall Street’s expectations. “Who Knew that BTS Stood for Beat The Street,” Stifel analyst Chris O’Cull wrote in the subject line for his report on the company’s second-quarter results.

McDonald’s next celebrity collaborator is Saweetie

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