Sometimes they’re playing dead in an abandoned building or a dark street or draped over a McDonald’s sign. Cut to: The TikTok-er, in the throes of death, splayed in a puddle of purple liquid. In a typical “Grimace Shake” TikTok, an enthusiastic young person, Grimace shake in hand, will wish the big purple mascot a happy birthday before taking their first sip. The Grimace shake, though, has become more infamous than beloved. The eatery has collaborated with musicians like J Balvin and Travis Scott on celebrity-approved meals and even teamed up with buzzy streetwear brand Cactus Plant Flea Market to release exclusive collectible Happy Meal toys for adults, including a mold of everyone’s favorite purple blob.Įven before collectors were reselling the limited-edition designer toys, McDonald’s has played with scarcity and limited availability: Its Shamrock Shake and McRib are often only available for a few weeks each year, if that, and they’ve become cult menu favorites. The rollout seemed in line with other recent McDonald’s marketing schemes to build cultural credibility and capitalize on virality. ( Reports indicate that Grimace is 52 years old.) Grimace himself announced the treat in a takeover of the company’s social media accounts. McDonald’s made the Grimace shake available beginning on June 12, which is apparently Grimace’s birthday. The purple shake is the latest attempt at viral food “It’s getting the views, it’s getting the laughs and, as the viral trend grows, it’s getting the sales.”
“What may seem like negative expression is actually a positive reflection of their ability to connect with a generation,” said Matthew Prince, an adjunct professor of social media and influencer marketing at Chapman University in California.
The TikTok videos have been viewed millions of times this month, drawing eyes to McDonald’s latest culinary gambit - even if users are abruptly throwing it up afterwards. McDonald’s was probably hoping for viral success, though perhaps not by way of disturbing faux-deaths. They often dump the shake over their convulsing bodies, apparently signaling that Grimace, that bumbling bestie of Ronald McDonald, killed them. Since the debut of the Grimace shake earlier this month, TikTok users have been excitedly ordering the shake, released in honor of McDonald’s character Grimace’s “birthday,” and then pretending to die on camera after consuming the purple beverage. What the company likely did not intend was for the shake’s success to come from TikTok users playing dead. With a vibrant purple hue, a meme-able mascot and limited window of availability, McDonald’s had all the ingredients to turn its Grimace milkshake into a viral sensation.
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