McDonald’s will do its first music-CD-based Happy Meal promotion starting today in a global partnership with children’s entertainment brand Kidz Bop. As part of the deal, which runs through May 21, McDonald’s will distribute eight differently colored, collectible sampler CDs in Happy Meals.
The deal also includes TV advertising. A 15-second spot, via Leo Burnett, shows a mom and three kids exiting a McDonald’s drive-thru. The kids in the back seat are singing along with the Kidz Bop CD version of the Smashmouth song “All Star,” and all is good until tone-deaf mom chimes in. This is followed by silence, giggles and the McDonald’s “Ba Da Da Da Da” sung by children–Kidz Bop style.
The ad will air on kid-targeted networks starting today. Marketing support will also include Happy Meal packaging and McDonald’s store collateral. Additionally, the Happy Meal will be cross-promoted on Kidsbop.com. Each CD contains four songs culled from Kidz Bop CDs plus the theme, “Kids Bop World,” for 33 songs total.
“We know kids love music, and Kidz Bop is an empowering brand,” said Rebecca Anderson, marketing manager, McDonald’s USA of the CD series, in which kid-friendly versions of pop songs (“Get the Party Started,” “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “We Got the Beat,”) are rerecorded in children’s voices. “It’s a very relevant and engaging property we know they’ll love.”
Over its eight years in business, Kidz Bop has sold 11 million CDs. Now on its 15th compilation, the last nine CDs have premiered in Billboard’s Top 10–and not just the kiddie chart–the general chart. But when it comes to exposure, the home of billions and billions served can’t be beat in reaching the shared demo of 5- to 9-year-olds.
“McDonald’s will give away tens of millions of samplers and expose new consumers to our brand,” said Liz Nealon, general manager of Kidz Bop, adding that brands like to partner with hers because of Kidz Bop’s music-clearing expertise. “And they’ll be in the car, so hopefully they’ll just pop the CD in that player.”
