TikTok Users ‘Dying’ After Consuming Grimace Milkshake
By Movieguide® Contributor
McDonald’s new Grimace Shake has started a viral trend that’s pushing the fast food restaurant to the forefront of popular culture.
The purple milkshake was created in honor of Grimace’s birthday. Fans of McDonald’s know Grimace as the lovable purple creature that hands out with Ronald McDonald and the Hamburglar.
The new, limited-edition menu item is reminiscent of other marketing campaigns McDonald’s has run, like the McRib sandwich or the St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Shake.
McDonald’s has not shared what flavor the Grimace Shake is, but described it as “inspired by Grimace’s iconic color and sweetness.”
The company counted on a viral campaign, but got more than they bargained for.
TikTok users are ordering the milkshake and drinking it on camera. The video then cuts to a clip of them pretending to be sick or dead, covered in the light purple milkshake.
While it’s probably not the viral trend McDonald’s was hoping for, videos featuring the trend have drawn millions of viewers — #grimaceshake and #grimace have 640 million and 750 million views, respectively.
“What may seem like negative expression is actually a positive reflection of [McDonald’s] ability to connect with a generation,” Matthew Prince, an adjunct professor of social media and influencer marketing at Chapman University in California, said of the viral trend. “It’s getting the views, it’s getting the laughs and, as the viral trend grows, it’s getting the sales.”
McDonald’s has not officially commented on the TikTok trend, but a tweet was posted to their social media account, “written” by Grimace: “meee pretending i don’t see the grimace shake trendd.”
The Grimace Shake and Birthday Meal is no longer available at McDonald’s, but after this viral moment, the fast food chain might consider bringing it back next year.
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