By Mohammad Owais
New York | November 28, 2025
McDonald’s has launched a new holiday campaign built around the Grinch, partnering with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to introduce a limited-time Grinch Meal and a wide-ranging promotional effort spanning TV, gaming, social media and prominent outdoor displays.
The Grinch Meal includes dill pickle–flavored Grinch Salt McShaker Fries, a choice of Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets, a drink, and a pair of collectible holiday socks. The campaign continues the chain’s strategy of leaning into pop-culture collaborations to drive seasonal engagement.
A National Rollout After Last Year’s Canada Success
The idea builds on a similar promotion launched in Canada last December. Now, McDonald’s is bringing the concept to the U.S., with the company’s marketing team describing the Grinch as the perfect character to capture the holiday season’s spirited, sometimes chaotic energy.
“The Grinch gets it — the holidays are chaotic, and he’s thrilled to give our fandom permission to embrace their inner Grinch,” said Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at McDonald’s USA. Buetikofer previously served as McDonald’s CMO in Canada and took on her U.S. role earlier this year.
A Multi-Platform Campaign: TV, Gaming, Social, Audio and Out-of-Home
McDonald’s is giving the Grinch center stage across major touchpoints:
TV Commercial
A national TV spot debuts on December 2 across all major networks, marking the start of the brand’s holiday push.
Times Square Takeover
The company has turned over its Times Square billboard to the Grinch, adding high-impact visibility during peak holiday foot traffic.
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Social Media and Content
McDonald’s temporarily handed control of its social channels and even press releases to the Grinch persona, promising “more chaotic content” throughout December.
Gaming Program
In a first-of-its-kind move for the brand, McDonald’s is rolling out a holistic gaming program featuring livestreams from well-known Twitch creators including Sydeon, TinaKitten, Happyhappygal and CyYu.
The streams will include:
- Unboxing sessions of the Grinch Meal
- Fan-voted challenges
- Holiday-themed branded moments
Paid Media Strategy
The campaign spans a long list of digital and traditional channels, with placements across:
- Hulu and Roku holiday hubs
- Spotify holiday playlists
- NFL and NBA broadcasts
- Pinterest interactive quizzes
- TikTok Superlike ads
- Financial apps including Venmo and PayPal
The initiative is led by McDonald’s agency of record Wieden+Kennedy New York, with additional creative and media support from Agency 123, Alma, Translation, Publicis Groupe, IW Group, Boden, Admerasia, Navigation Blvd and others.
New McShaker Fries Debut in the U.S.
As part of the holiday launch, McDonald’s is also bringing McShaker Fries to the U.S. for the first time. Customers add seasoning and shake the bag — a format already popular in several international markets.
Additionally, McCafé Holiday Cups will feature the Grinch, his dog Max, and Cindy Lou Who in seasonal designs.
Pop Culture at the Heart of McDonald’s Marketing Strategy
The Grinch partnership arrives as McDonald’s posts its second straight quarter of U.S. same-store sales growth. In its Q3 2025 earnings call, the company credited a $40 million marketing investment tied to the Extra Value Meals relaunch as a key driver.
Recent collaborations — including “A Minecraft Movie,” K-pop fandom crossovers, and major cultural tie-ins — signal McDonald’s continued reliance on entertainment-driven branding to attract and retain customers in a competitive fast-food landscape.
By tapping into the enduring popularity of the Grinch, McDonald’s aims to spark excitement during the busiest dining season of the year.
