McDonald’s is making efforts to appeal to the younger generation of consumers and its diverse customer base by presenting various digital and physical components to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
The fastfood chain giant announced a partnership with Chinese YouTuber Karen X Cheng, whose videos have garnered more than 500 million views. The tie-up will see McDonald’s use Cheng’s videos to promote the restaurant and its products.
Cheng, a storyteller and digital entrepreneur, has been tapped by the fastfood company to produce a variety of digital and physical components to commemorate the event and show support for the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community.
The campaign includes commercials using artificial intelligence, metaverse experiences, and augmented reality filters with artwork by Cheng.
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McDonald’s is expected to bring more than just food for life. The company’s goal is to share the holidays with everyone, no matter where they live.
In a statement, Elizabeth Campbell, McDonald’s senior director of Cultural Engagement Strategy, said:
“Our collaboration with Karen X Cheng offers a new, technologically advanced way to experience the Year of the Rabbit while also honoring the holiday’s heritage and uplifting the AAPI community.”
The company has created a variety of metaverse experiences available to users who want to explore the virtual world of McDonald’s.
Image: Xinhuanet
There are cooking contests, a petting zoo, games and more. You can even customize your own 3D avatar with a variety of options from hairstyles to clothing choices.
Campbell added:
“We know our fans live at the intersection of innovation and culture and that’s where McDonald’s needs to meet them.”
On January 25, Spatial will host a virtual Lunar New Year celebration with an evening with Cheng (in avatar form). On February 2, the company will also host a dance party as part of a campaign to expand the metaverse.
The campaign is said to be one of the first to use NeRF (neural radiance fields) technology, developed by the company and using artificial intelligence to create 3D scenes based on Cheng’s images.
By scanning the QR code displayed on the screen, viewers can use the artwork as an augmented reality filter in their own videos and games.
McDonald’s Lunar New Year ad was produced by IW Group. East Asian and Southeast Asian countries celebrate the Lunar New Year because it marks the beginning of the lunar calendar.
On January 22nd, the Lunar New Year will begin, which is the year of the Rabbit.
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McDonald’s has around 38,000 stores worldwide serving approximately 68 million customers in 118 countries every day.
The company efficiently became the most popular family restaurant, attracting both children and adults, and developed as a market leader among quick service restaurants.
-Featured image: Metaverse Post