For fans of anime, the Golden Arches-inspired WcDonald’s will be a regular feature in many of their favourite movies and TV shows. As part of a collaboration with some of the biggest names in anime, the fast-food giant’s new campaign translates its fictional restaurant counterpart to real life.

Building on the brand’s 2023 campaign that illustrated its influence on the worlds of film and TV with clips ranging from Clueless to the Office, its latest global push from Wieden+Kennedy New York highlights its place in animation history.

“Anime is a huge part of today’s culture, and we love that our fans have been inviting us into the conversation for years,” said Tariq Hassan, chief marketing and customer experience officer at McDonald’s USA. “The WcDonald’s universe is a reflection of what fans have created. It honours their vision and celebrates their creativity.”

The integrated campaign will include an immersive dining experience in Los Angeles, which is available to book on OpenTable. Diners will be transported into the WcDonald’s universe through 360 projection mapping and tabletop projections while enjoying a set food menu (WcNuggets, anyone?).

A new Savoury Chili WcDonald’s Sauce is also launching in 30 markets worldwide, while manga-inspired, limited-edition packaging has been created by Japanese manga artist and illustrator Acky Bright.

Scanning the QR code on the packaging will gives diners access to weekly digital manga drops starring a full cast of WcDonald’s characters, including regular customer Hashirune, the crew jokester Mr Bev and its very own mecha, WcDizer 3000.

The brand has also collaborated with legendary animation house Studio Pierrot on its debut anime series, which will drop weekly alongside the manga designs on wcdonalds.com. The shorts honour four of anime’s biggest subgenres – action, romance, mecha and fantasy – with storylines ranging from an epic race to WcDonald’s to a quest to protect the last WcNugget against an ominous force.

Credits:
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy New York
Animation: Studio Pierrot
Illustration: Acky Bright