The World Cup is the showpiece event of the world's most popular sport so it's understandable that it would have a significant impact on products and product design; however, few would have expected McDonald's World Cup redesign. The fast food giant is about to roll out new medium and large fry boxes decorated with special World Cup-themed artwork.
McDonald's reviewed the work of 500 artists around the world, before challenging 24 of them to create "exceptional interpretations of the glory of the beautiful game." The resulting artwork will be displayed on the new fry boxes, which will be in 119 markets by the time the World Cup begins on June 12.
The new fry boxes will also serve as a portal to an augmented reality McDonald's World Cup game. Customers can download McDonald's GOL! mobile app and use it to scan their fry box, launching the game. A soccer field then appears on their smartphone screen, with players flicking their fingers on the screen to try and get the ball into the fry box-shaped goal.
Soccer-Themed Fast Food
The McDonald's World Cup Fry Boxes Celebrate Soccer's Showpiece Event
Trend Themes
1. Augmented Reality Marketing - McDonald's use of augmented reality in their World Cup fry boxes creates an opportunity for other businesses to incorporate AR into their marketing strategies.
2. Branded Product Collaborations - The collaboration between McDonald's and 24 artists for the World Cup-themed fry boxes highlights the potential for brands to partner with artists to create unique and limited edition products.
3. Sports-themed Packaging - The World Cup-themed fry boxes demonstrate the demand for sports-themed packaging, presenting an opportunity for companies in various industries to create special themed packaging for major sporting events.
Industry Implications
1. Fast Food - The introduction of soccer-themed fry boxes by McDonald's shows a potential avenue for fast food chains to create limited edition and themed product offerings.
2. Art - The collaboration between McDonald's and artists for the World Cup fry boxes presents an innovative way for artists to showcase their work and reach a wider audience through branded collaborations.
3. Mobile Gaming - The integration of an augmented reality game in the McDonald's World Cup fry boxes highlights the potential for the mobile gaming industry to incorporate AR technology into their games.