See McDonald's Black Panther Happy Meal ad

McDonald’s is the latest brand feeding into the Black Panther frenzy ahead of the Nov. 11 release of the sequel, called “Wakanda Forever.” The fast food giant today announced new Wakanda Forever Happy Meals. Each meal includes one toy based on characters from the Marvel movie, including Shuri, Okoye, Namor and Ironheart. A new ad from DDB Chicago plugs the meals. It includes a cast of Black children who express admiration for superheroes who look “just like me.” That theme plays into the groundbreaking nature of the Black Panther franchise, which has been celebrated for its portrayal of a Black superhero while using a majority Black cast and Black director, Ryan Coogler. Jennifer Healan, VP of U.S. marketing, brand content and engagement at McDonald’s, in a statement said Black Panther “set a whole new standard for representation on the big screen. And now, we’re excited to bring that experience to our restaurants and help fans see and celebrate their inner hero with this new Happy Meal—because seeing is believing.” Wieden+Kennedy remains McDonald’s lead creative agency, but the chain still uses DDB for kids' Happy Meal promotions. The Black Panther meal follows last month’s wildly successful Cactus Plant Flea Market Box, which involved W+K and used the Happy Meal approach to target adults via a partnership with a buzzy streetwear brand. The Black Panther meals follow the more traditional Happy Meal script by partnering with a Hollywood blockbuster. Other brands sponsoring the sequel include Sprite, Lexus and Mastercard.

See McDonald's Black Panther Happy Meal ad

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