McDonald’s Japan reveals summer-themed Hello Kitty ‘Happy Meal’ toys
McDonald’s Japan is set to launch a new “Hello Kitty” Happy Meal.
The “Hello Kitty” Happy Meal will feature a total of six summer-themed toys, designed to appeal to both children and nostalgic adults.
Hello Kitty is a famous character created by the Japanese company Sanrio in 1974.
Originally conceived, in part, to compete with popular characters like Snoopy, Hello Kitty has since evolved into a cultural icon loved by a vast number of people, transcending age and gender.
Hello Kitty is a British anthropomorphized white cat with a red bow and no visible mouth, which is said to allow people to project their own feelings onto her.
Her widespread appeal has led to her appearance on countless products, from Crocs to contemporary fashion, and even her own airport in Japan.
The upcoming “Hello Kitty” Happy Meal embraces a summer theme, with Hello Kitty depicted sporting a tan and dressed in swimsuits and yukatas.
Among the six different items in the lineup, some of the most popular inclusions are a “surfboard-shaped ice cream maker” and a “Yukata Hello Kitty bag clip.”
Adding an interactive digital element, customers can scan a QR code on the toy box with their smartphone to access “Hello Kitty’s Happy Watermelon Game”.
This exclusive game is a collaboration with the popular “Watermelon Game” format, where players combine fruits to grow larger ones and aim for a high score.
In this special version, players move Hello Kitty to combine fruits and create a unique “Watermelon Kitty.”
The release of the toys will be staggered across three weeks to maintain excitement and encourage repeat visits.
The first wave of toys will be available from July 11th to July 17th and will feature three items:
- A surfboard-shaped ice pop maker, designed to create surfboard-shaped ice pop by adding a favorite drink and freezing it.
- A summer drink cup with a cute face-shaped lid, allowing users to fill it with water and drink from it.
- A mini tray with a sunglasses cup, functioning as a plate or small item holder, with sunglasses that can be placed on Hello Kitty’s face and stored inside.
The second wave of toys will run from July 18th to July 24th and will introduce three more toys:
- A rice ball maker, enabling users to make rice balls by adding rice and shaking.
- A wind chime-shaped Hello Kitty spoon and fork set, which can be fastened together with a heart-shaped clip.
- A Yukata Hello Kitty bag clip, a practical clip set for securing open food bags.
The third and final wave, which will start on July 25th (Friday) and continue until supplies last, will offer a random selection from any remaining stock of the six toys introduced in the first and second rounds.
However, McDonald’s notes that depending on stock availability, customers might receive a toy from other previous Happy Meal promotions during the third round.
Toys are distributed randomly in each round, meaning customers cannot choose a specific item, and supplies are limited, with each phase of the collaboration ending prematurely if stock of all toys are depleted.
A previous Chiikawa Happy Meal toy collaboration was so popular that the third wave of toys was cancelled as all of the Happy Meal toys had sold out within a matter of days, meaning there was no remaining stock to distribute.
Source: McDonald’s Japan
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