McDonald’s Canada has tapped into viral trends to strengthen its menu by making TikTok-inspired crafted sodas a permanent addition to its cold beverage lineup.
The new additions include a range of dirty sodas and cloudy iced coffees, which earn their name by being mixed with flavoured syrups and topped with cold cream. The viral trend began to emerge on TikTok in 2022 with videos of people creating their own custom drinks amassing tens of millions of views since.
Cossette developed the creative for the summer launch, while OMD managed media buying and Weber Shandwick handled PR and influencer strategy.
McDonald’s Canada’s director of marketing and brand strategy, Rebecca Smart says the beverages are already driving visits since being launched last month. She tells strategy that cold beverages are the fastest-growing category in the QSR industry today, accounting for 2.9 billion annual servings, heavily driven by Gen Z audiences who have a thirst for novelty and bold flavours.
“Our primary marketing goal here is to make McDonald’s beverages a primary destination across all parts of the day,” Smart says. “We already have a strong foundation as a morning go-to for hot coffee; our goal now is to expand how and when guests choose us for beverages beyond the morning routine.”
The first line of crafted sodas will be promoted throughout the summer through a media strategy spanning TV, OOH, digital, influencer and PR work.
Canadian actor Robbie G.K. and a crew of tastemakers were recruited to promote the trendy drinks at a recent launch event, which included the appearance of Grimace, one of the many McDonald’s mascots that have been re-emerging in company promotions of late. The crafted sodas on offer include Creamy Strawberry Coke, Orange Dream and Sprite Berry Bliss along with three new refreshers in Mango Pineapple, Strawberry Watermelon and Blackberry Passionfruit.
The launch also includes a brand reinvention for McCafé, complete with a new logo, visual identity and strawless lids. Smarts says that this also marks a shift for McDonald’s at large from treating beverages as a side offering or an add-on to a core part of its business moving forward.
McDonald’s longstanding Summer Drinks Day program will also be re-launching this week and run though Sept. 7.
Earlier this spring, Hershey also leaned into the dirty-soda trend with the launch of Twizzler Straws, which the company positioned as a topper for the beverages in the at-home setting.
