McDonald’s continues to promote its fan-favorite characters in unusual ways.
After making Grimace a sensation once again this summer with the Grimace Shake, which inspired a TikTok trend (and sent sales into the stratosphere), the fast-food chain has struck a partnership with Crocs to introduce a line of shoes, socks, and charms featuring its spokescharacters.
Um, sorry Ronald…you’ll be riding the bench for this promotion. Grimace, Hamburglar, and Birdie get the spotlight this time. And Grimace’s Crocs will be lined with purple faux fur.
The limited-edition footwear won’t come cheap, though. The shoes will run $70 to $75 per pair, while the socks will cost you $20. The shoes hit Crocs retail stores today, and the companies plan on drops via social media.
It’s a partnership that actually makes sense. Grimace was a top trending item this summer. And Crocs are in the midst of a revival, which started around the beginning of the pandemic; celebrities from Kendall Jenner to Justin Bieber have been seen wearing them.
Hamburglar? Maybe not as cool as Grimace at the moment, but he’s loaded with meme potential. Birdie? Well, your guess is as good as ours.
The always popular charms that can be attached to the shoes include French fries, a Big Mac, and the Golden Arches.
The Crocs boom comes as people dress more casually. In the second quarter of 2023, the company saw revenues of $1 billion, a 12% increase from the prior year.
“We did absolutely benefit from the pandemic. People were at home, and in my view it accelerated that casualization trend we’ve seen for some time,” said Andrew Reese, the company’s CEO, in October. “We’ve continued that post-pandemic, and we’re seeing very strong growth in the Crocs brand.”