Sponsored By

McDonald’s taps ‘Black Panther’ for its latest marketing campaignMcDonald’s taps ‘Black Panther’ for its latest marketing campaign

McDonald's "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" Happy Meals feature super hero toys from the action film, set to release Nov. 11.

Alicia Kelso, Executive Editor

November 2, 2022

2 Min Read
25586 BlackPanther2 Connected Toy Lineup 2
The McDonald's "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" Happy Meal features one of 10 super heroes from the new movie.Photo courtesy of McDonald's

It doesn’t seem like McDonald’s is going to rest on its marketing laurels anytime soon. Fresh off a strong Q3 in which CEO Chris Kempczinski credited compelling marketing campaigns for driving growth, McDonald’s today announced a partnership with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

For the partnership, each Happy Meal now includes one of 10 “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” super hero toys based on characters from the movie, including Shuri and Okoye, and newcomers Namor and Ironheart. The Happy Meals will be available for a limited time while supplies last.

The much-anticipated, Marvel Studios/Disney film will be released Nov. 11 starring Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke and Danai Gurira. Projections estimate the movie could bring in at least $175 million during opening weekend as it builds on the original “Black Panther” film from 2018, which debuted to $202 million in the U.S.

"The first Black Panther movie inspired a new generation of Marvel lovers – and that's because of the powerful story it told, brought to life by an incredibly talented cast," Jennifer Healan, McDonald’s VP of U.S. marketing, brand content and engagement, said in a statement. "It 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." 

“Black Panther” was the first Marvel film to feature a predominantly Black cast. It won three Academy Awards and shattered box office records, earning more than $1.34 billion at the box office worldwide. Such numbers could translate into another traffic influx for McDonald’s, which experienced material spikes and digital records after the launch of its Cactus Plant Flea Market adult Happy Meal promotion in early October.

Traffic at the chain has been up steadily all year, which has helped generate more market share. This was one of the main objectives for McDonald’s when it initially announced its “marketing war chest” in 2020. Since, the chain has featured successful campaigns from the Travis Scott Famous Order to the Camp McDonald’s experience.

Contact Alicia Kelso [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @BGBunster

Read more about:

McDonald’s

About the Author

Alicia Kelso

Executive Editor, Nation's Restaurant News

Alicia Kelso is the executive editor of Nation's Restaurant News. She began covering the restaurant industry in 2010 for QSRweb.com, FastCasual.com and PizzaMarketplace.com. When her son was born, she left the industry to pursue a role in higher education, but swiftly returned after realizing how much she missed the space. In filling that void, Alicia added a contributor role at Restaurant Dive and a senior contributor role at Forbes.
Her work has appeared in publications around the world, including Forbes Asia, NPR, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, Crain's Chicago, Good Morning America and Franchise Asia Magazine.
Alicia holds a degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University, where she competed on the women's swim team. In addition to cheering for the BGSU Falcons, Alicia is a rabid Michigan fan and will talk about college football with anyone willing to engage. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her wife and son.

Subscribe Nation's Restaurant News Newsletters
Get the latest breaking news in the industry, analysis, research, recipes, consumer trends, the latest products and more.