McDonald's X Squid Game

DARE TO PLAY

Our Brief

For a generation who have outgrown PlayLand, but still love to play, McDonald’s had lost its thrill. Our brief was to reconnect ad-averse Gen Z and Millennials with McDonald's through a culturally resonant brand act, to boost visits, engagement, brand love, and sales.

The Big Idea

A partnership no one saw coming. Tapping into Squid Game’s global hype, we reimagined its iconic Dalgona Candy Challenge with a McDonald’s twist: turning the near-impossible umbrella into an even tougher golden arches ‘M’. All paired with an immersive mobile experience and a big cash prize for one lucky player.

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How We Did It

Authentic fan engagement was critical. 

  • First, cryptic Korean OOH appeared around Australia. Those curious enough to translate the headline discovered a launch date and CTA––'Dare To Play'. 
  • McDonald’s then released the Squid Game Meal, featuring one of four Dalgona Candy shapes; Triangle, Circle, Star or Golden Arches ‘M’. 
  • A meal box QR code directed players to an immersive mobile gaming experience — an adrenaline-charged digital challenge replicating the show’s tension while you nervously carved a shape from brittle honeycomb candy. 

With real prize money on the line and the slightest mistake meant game over, ‘Dare To Play’ gave millions of Squid Game fans a taste of the real thing, a unique partnership experience only made possible through McDonald’s reach and scale. 

Coverage

Results

‘DARE TO PLAY’ became a viral sensation and huge sales hit for McDonald’s, connecting with Australian Gen Z and Millennial audiences in an unprecedented way.

  • Squid Game Meal SOLD OUT - 1.115 million units sold, 35% above projections
  • +50% avg. basket increase within campaign period
  • 127 press articles generated in 2 days
  • 43.2M organic reach
  • 206K Mobile Game Players, with 9 mins avg. playtime
  • 327% Return On Investment

Real Time Specific