by Da Hee Yang (’23)| May 10, 2021
Nowadays, musical artists are not just known for singing, dancing, and expensive music videos; they are also known for collaborating with fast-food chains. Celebrity partnerships with fast-food chains have considerably increased in number and have consistently proven to be successful. Last September, Travis Scott collaborated with McDonald’s to produce the infamous “Travis Scott Meal,” consisting of a medium Sprite, a quarter pounder with cheese, lettuce, and bacon, and fries with a side of barbeque sauce. Due to the high demand for this collaboration, some McDonald’s stores had to temporarily close due to ingredient shortages. Amazingly, according to Forbes, the McDonald’s stock, which was at an “8.7% drop in the second quarter, at the height of virus lockdowns,” was able to have “a 4.6% gain in the third [quarter]” from the success of the “Travis Scott Meal.”
This kind of collaboration between celebrities and the food industry seems to be gaining popularity. On April 19, McDonald’s announced its new meal collaboration with BTS — a widely famous South Korean boy band — through a picture on Twitter with fries forming the shape of the group’s logo. The “BTS Meal,” which was custom created by the group, will sell globally in nearly fifty different countries, launching May 26 in the United States, Canada, and Brazil, and many more. The “BTS Meal” will be McDonald’s first partnership that appears globally.
The meal will include a ten-piece chicken McNuggets, medium fries, and a Coke, something already available at your local McDonald’s. However, what makes this meal different is the addition of two more dipping sauces: Sweet Chilli and Cajun, inspired by South Korea’s own well-received McDonald’s recipes. The “BTS Meal” will be available until June for dine-in, drive-through, and online delivery.
“We’re excited to bring customers even closer to their beloved band in a way only McDonald’s can — through our delicious food,” said Morgan Flatley, McDonald’s U.S. chief marketing officer. With BTS’s highly dedicated global fanbase combined with the lovers of McDonald’s food, many are interested to see how this collaboration turns out. While nothing about a merchandise collaboration has been announced, some expect that there might be one along with the meal sale based on the previous Travis Scott collaboration, which had included its own merchandise release. Because the collection’s McDonald’s Nugget Body Pillow and Travis Scott cutout went viral, many suspect a similar course of action for the BTS collaboration. Because celebrity meal partnerships provide ways for fans to connect with the artists through food, customers can expect to see more collaborations generated between fast-food chains and celebrities in the future.