The fast food giant has teamed up with a K-pop giant.
Even if you don’t listen to K-pop, you’ve undoubtedly at least heard of BTS, the Korean boy band that, in just a few years, has become a household name all over the world. They’ve sold millions of albums, been streamed billions of times, and any hashtag involving them on Twitter almost instantly reaches trending. Just last night, they appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to perform their new English single “Butter,” cracking jokes in fluent English during a segment about hand gestures. As is often the case here in the States, when you reach a certain level of ubiquity, one thing is guaranteed to happen: a fast food sponsorship deal.
McDonald’s announced a new BTS-themed meal a few weeks ago, and tonight, it’s launching in the US, the Bahamas, Canada, and eight other countries. The meal itself is another entry in McDonald’s ongoing “Famous Orders” initiative, wherein prominent celebrities sponsor a special meal at the chain comprised of normal menu items. It’s a brilliant tactic on McDonald’s part; the brand recognition brings in business, while they save money by not needing to sell any unusual menu items. The BTS meal includes a ten-piece McNuggets, medium fries, a medium Coke, and new for the US, Cajun and Sweet Chili dipping sauces, formerly exclusive to South Korean McDonald’s.
McDonald's dropped collaborations with Travis Scott, J Balvin, and now BTS, who inspired a "BTS Meal" and merch line. The restaurant chain's marketing execs break down what fans can expect from the team-ups and why they're adding artists into their menus https://t.co/tdMIixiLbT pic.twitter.com/5VZAgopbTK
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) May 26, 2021
“We have dear memories with McDonald’s from our trainee days,” BTS member Jin told BuzzFeed about the partnership. “We didn’t hesitate to partner up!”
“McDonald’s is like a friend who has always been there for me,” member Jungkook added. “Burgers, fries and soft drinks – the definition of happiness!”
“BTS are the definition of a global phenomenon,” McDonald’s US chief marketing officer Morgan Flatley told Rolling Stone. “They have an incredibly passionate and loyal fanbase, which is a big reason why we decided to partner with them. Most importantly, BTS are true fans of McDonald’s. Each band member has their own memories with our brand going back years.”
The BTS meal will be available at participating McDonald’s locations starting tonight at 7:00 PM Eastern time, and will be available until June 11.