To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Happy Meal, McDonald’s created a program to remind consumers of the moment of surprise and wonder they experienced when first unboxing the Happy Meal. To further drive excitement and nostalgia, each box contained an iconic toy from the past 40 years of the Happy Meal. Our job was to develop the global visual identity of the program — the logo, print communications, animations, and packaging design.

We were tasked with defining a look and feel that would spark worldwide conversation and intrigue about the program, while being easily implemented throughout individual markets.

Happy Meal was looking to the past as well as the future. This program also served as the first reveal of the Happy Meal global visual identity we developed. The refreshed look and feel features a recrafted smile inspired by the Golden Arches, a new Happy Meal logo, a bigger focus on the iconic Happy Meal box itself, and more fun ways of engaging with partner brands.

The Happy Meal is a globally recognized symbol and the hero of this program. We placed it front and center throughout communications — from the logo itself, to question mark graphics that built anticipation, to posters revealing iconic partnerships from the past 40 years. The packaging design celebrated the iconic red Happy Meal box and was decorated with stickers from favorite toys to continue delivering nostalgia and excitement for consumers.

The program was unveiled across social channels and news media early November, and the Happy Meal box was available at restaurants worldwide on November 7th.

The surprise Happy Meal was available in more than 90 countries, with 29,000 restaurants participating and an increase in global unit sales by 9%. We increased global Happy Meal conversation among adults and parents by 309% with a 95% rise in Google searches for Happy Meal around the world.