In June 2023, McDonald’s brought back Grimace – a mostly-forgotten mascot – for a birthday campaign. Then something happened that no one planned: a horror-movie meme trend took over TikTok, and Grimace became the biggest story in fast food.
U.S. same-store sales jumped 10.3% that quarter. Global sales rose 11.7%. The Grimace Shake alone pulled in over 3 billion TikTok views, and shake buyers spent 17% more overall. McDonald’s CEO told analysts the whole quarter’s story was Grimace. Zero celebrity spend. Zero paid media driving the trend. Just a character people actually wanted to engage with.
Here’s the part that matters for you: McDonald’s got lucky. Grimace already existed, sitting in the archive for decades, waiting for the right moment. Most brands don’t have that luxury – a dormant character built in a different era, ready to be dusted off.
Dead Ringers means you don’t need one sitting in storage. Build a character with that same magnetic, ownable presence from scratch – no decades of brand history required, no waiting for lightning to strike twice.
The brands moving first are claiming this space. The ones waiting are hoping their own Grimace moment finds them.
Curious what your brand’s version of this looks like? Learn more →
