As adults, we now appreciate the value of food, but as kids, if we could've ordered a McDonald's Happy Meal toy and had the McNuggets thrown in as a courtesy, we absolutely would have.
McDonald's is one of the most recognizable fast-food chains worldwide. This might be because for decades, it has maintained its iconic golden arches, red and yellow branding, “I'm Lovin' It” tag line, and beloved Happy Meal.
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The company has strategically used customers' nostalgic association with its brand to build a loyal fan base and become the fast-food giant it is today.
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To bank on this emotional connection, McDonald's has brought back classic Happy Meal toys, including its 40th Happy Meal anniversary release in Canada in 2019, and the recent launch of “Lil McDonald's” Happy Meals this month.
McDonald's partners with Pokémon to launch a unique Happy Meal experience
In January, McDonald's (MCD) partnered with Pokémon to launch a nationwide collaboration, releasing a new Happy Meal and creating an immersive PokéStops experience.
Each Happy Meal featured a Dragon-type Pokémon design and came with a Pokémon Trading Card Game pack containing four out of 15 available cards, a Pokémon poster, and a sticker sheet.
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To encourage customers to download its app and continue its digital integration within Happy Meals, McDonald's also created a free Pokémon Trading Card Game.
This was a unique partnership for the fast-food giant because Pokémon Trading Cards are among the most valuable and highly desired collectible items, with some worth up to millions of dollars per card.
Pokémon is a Japanese world-renowned media franchise that began in 1996. It has developed an enormous fan base by creating multiple video games, animated series, films, products, and trading card games.
McDonald's brings its Pokémon collaboration to new markets
McDonald's is once again teaming up with Pokémon for a limited-time partnership, but this time, it comes with multiple layers and will only be released in Japan.
Because Pokémon has a fan base of all ages, McDonald's is introducing a 15-piece Chicken McNuggets box to cater to adult audiences. The packaging will feature three new designs, showcasing Pikachu and other beloved characters from the franchise.
The Pokémon 15-piece Chicken McNuggets box will be available from July 23 to September 2.
No Pokémon collaboration would be complete without the Happy Meal, which continues to be the primary appeal to younger audiences. Starting August 8, each Happy Meal will come with a Pikachu or Charmander toy.
Related: McDonald's unveils new partnership with nostalgic childhood franchise
True Pokémon fans know the most anticipated part of this partnership is the return of Pokémon Trading Cards. That's why each Happy Meal purchase will receive an exclusive Pikachu card, with additional cards randomly distributed.
However, the Pokémon Trading Cards will only be available from August 9 to 11.
Although the company hasn't explicitly revealed why it has made the trading cards available for such a short window, this unexpected decision might be an effort to prevent resales from getting out of hand, since the cards from previous partnerships were listed on eBay and other sites for hundreds of dollars.
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