A small, collectible plush is about take over your area McDonald’s. Starting soon, Happy Meals in over 70 countries will potentially have one of 24 custom Squishmallows inside them — with half featuring exclusive playlists curated by the Universal Music Group.
According to McDonald’s, this is the first time music playlists have been incorporated into the Happy Meal toy experience. Each participating market will have between 10-12 Squishmallows in rotation, with some of the toys coming with a QR code on the packaging or Happy Meal box that will lead to a three-song playlist found on a kid-safe web-based platform.
Squishmallows are exactly what they sound like: colorful, marshmallow-soft plush toys with high squish-ability. Pairing the popular toys with the iconic Happy Meal, and adding a music component via UMG, represents “one of the most elevated Happy Meal programs to date,” said Gerhard Runken, senior vp of brand & marketing at Jazwares, maker of Squishmallows.
The themed playlists aim to “capture the excitement and energy” of each Squishmallow tapped for a soundtrack — a bunch that includes Kevin, Wendy, Cam and Maui, a pineapple that “doesn’t like to be scared.”
The companies declined to share specific track lists, however some of the songs include “Walking on a Dream” by Empire of the Sun, “Family Ties” by Bastille, “Level Up” by Ciara, “Renegades” by X Ambassadors, “Wild Things” by Alessia Cara and “Heroes” by Alesso & Tove Lo. For those who remember the McDLT or the McJordan, you may appreciate the inclusion of oldies like “Barracuda” by Heart and “We Got the Beat” by The Go Go’s.
“Bringing this partnership to life with an iconic brand like McDonalds and Jazwares, a standout in the toy industry, is truly filling our ambition to create a platform of music discovery for kids globally,” said Naomi McMahon, executive vp of strategic marketing and global partnerships at Universal Music for Brands.
