Snapchat Launches ‘McDonaldland’ AR Experience

With McDonald’s looking to expand its digital footprint in new and interactive ways, Snapchat’s partnering with the fast-food giant on a new activation, which will see its “McDonaldland” experience rendered via a range of Snap AR Lenses.

Beginning this week, Snapchat will be hosting various custom Lens experiences which will all link into McDonald’s broader “McDonaldland” promotion, with the main Lens, activated when you’re in-store, transforming your surroundings into the fantasy McDonaldland.

The activation will use Snap’s AR tools to render the AR overlay on your real world scene, providing an engaging gateway into the experience.

The activation will also include a range of themed games on Snap, including “Grimace Island Dash,” “Fry Frenzy,” and “Birdie’s Dream Flight.”

Snap users will also be able to access a McDonaldland Map, which will provide an overview of the broader McDonaldland digital experience, and will include your Bitmoji character on the map display.

And of course, there’s also an IRL element, with a special “McDonaldland Meal,” which includes a special souvenir kit that, when scanned with the Snap camera, will also open up another interactive AR element.  

The Snapchat activation is part of a broader McDonaldland promotion, which will also see McDonald’s launching web, gaming and VR experiences.

The McDonald’s marketing team are seemingly looking to stay up on the latest digital developments, by experimenting with a range of options, though the campaign does seem more aimed towards younger kids, and not the teens who are more likely to be active on Snap.

But then again, the nostalgia of it will likely generate interest either way, while parents can also show their kids, if they choose.

Really, it seems like McDonald’s is just seeing what Snap, and Meta’s VR team can offer in terms of more immersive, interactive promotions, and both companies have now provided these experiences as a means to showcase their evolving systems.

Which is also interesting for marketers outside of McDonald’s, as it could also help you understand what’s possible on a broad scale, and how these systems are developing for brand activations.

Snapchat’s McDonaldland experience will be available in the Lens carousel once you’re in the vicinity of a McDonald’s store (in the U.S.), while you can also search for them in the app.