The Grinch Sows Chaos at McDonald’s Canada, Reveals ‘The Grinchiest Meal’

Following the Grinch’s foray into ‘Canadaville’ last winter and the introduction of his ‘Grinch Meal’, the grumpy green creature is once again attempting to sabotage McDonald’s Canada with a brand new scheme, ‘The Grinchiest Meal’.

Starting December 2nd, this promotional deal will be featured across the country, offering the choice of a Big Mac, 10-piece McNuggets with Sour Cream ’N Onion Flavoured Sauce, or a McVeggie, with a side of ‘Who Hash Bites’ and a medium drink, all enclosed within a bundle box evocative of leftover wrapping paper. A calculated upgrade over the Grinch’s failed – or appreciated, if you ask consumers – 2024 attempt at mischief, the only callback to that flawed endeavour is the inclusion of new, mismatched socks, which he hopes, this time, will put a damper on all things holiday spirit.

Created by Wieden+Kennedy Toronto, this repeat collaboration between the QSR and legendary Dr. Seuss character comes in response to the success of last year’s campaign, which sold out in just two weeks, and recently expanded to the US, Australia and Europe. Headlined by a fun, 30-second spot (directed by Alfredo Films’ Jesse James McElroy), according to the team at McDonald's Canada, the main consideration this time was taking things to the next level.

“Last year, the 'Grinch Meal' proved that McDonald’s is a place that fans come to for joy, even amidst the holiday chaos,” they explain. “Fans didn’t just love it; they made it a cultural moment, sharing record-breaking UGC and helping us outperform our sales forecast. That energy inspired us to go even bigger and Grinchier this year.”

In pursuit of this aim, leading up to Christmas day, the Grinch will now appear on McDonald’s Happy Meals, as well as McCafé and McFlurry cups. Additionally, the character will feature across out-of-home, streaming, radio, and social – “with some bonus surprises along the way”, the brand promises – all part of making this crossover feel bolder yet more playful than ever before.

“We wanted to build on last year’s cultural moment by creating an experience that fans couldn’t wait to share – one that sparks conversation, drives engagement and brings holiday mischief to life across every touchpoint,” the team continues. “From our packaging to social content to bold new menu items, the goal was to really deepen the emotional connection and remind Canadians that McDonald’s is the ultimate destination for holiday joy.”

From the get-go, the team at Wieden+Kennedy rooted their creative process in the elements which helped the previous iteration become a hit. Keenly aware of Canadians’ appreciation for holiday nostalgia blended with a tasteful sense of humour, this undertaking was all about honouring that same spirit, without feeling like repetition in the process.

“‘The Grinchiest Meal’ came from leaning even harder into that iconic Grinch attitude while modernising the humour to feel sharper and more self-aware,” reveals copywriter Mikayla Dumas. “Our goal this year was to make people smile, and to bring back the mischievous magic that you can only achieve with the Grinch and McDonald’s. The Grinch is mad he didn’t ruin Christmas last year, and we wanted that to be felt in the most ridiculous of ways. We wanted to create something that would make people think, ‘Of course the Grinch would do that’.”

Such sentiment will also be reinforced by the Grinch’s upcoming ‘6-ish Days of Grinchmas’, during which time the character is slated to take over McDonald’s Canada’s Instagram, offering everything from a full factory tour to a fashion-magazine-worthy sock photoshoot. Another reminder that with this creature, one must always expect the unexpected, the brand hopes this too will build long-term affinity.

“We believe deeply in connecting meaningfully with our fans through content that feels like we are a fan right alongside them, and this takeover offers a way for our fans to connect not only with us in a way that’s fan-to-fan, but also with the Grinch.”

Above all else, however, both Wieden+Kennedy and McDonald’s Canada hope that the fun they had bringing this to life carries into fan reception. As art director Nikki Vandervelde notes, the chance to push things even further than last year has been a treat, and bringing the Grinch’s mountaintop lab to life – amongst other things – was a very special opportunity that neither company has taken for granted.

“Filming was an absolute joy,” she says. “Any time you’re working within a stylised character world, the energy on set becomes really infectious. It also helps when the team you’re working with are superstars. The entire crew and the actor who played the Grinch were wonderful collaborators who are down to try anything.”

Adding to this, the brand emphasises that while it’s truly proud of the campaign’s entire scope, the opportunity to once again position itself as a destination that instils happiness has been the biggest triumph this time around.

“From the incredible craft and attention to detail that’s gone into our video spots, to the perfectly-mischievous humour woven throughout our social content, every piece was designed to delight and surprise Canadians,” the team concludes. “But, what truly stands out the most – and what we take the most pride in – is the joy that we get to bring Canadians during the holiday season.”