tms, McDonald’s, and PLAYMOBIL Wiltopia invite you to embark on an immersive wildlife adventure for McDonald’s latest Happy Meal®! For this latest promotion, McDonald’s and PLAYMOBIL Wiltopia are creating a series of more sustainable Happy Meal® toys made from at least 95% plant-based plastic derived from sugarcane, accompanied by a digital videogame. This global campaign runs through the course of 2024, taking place across different countries at various times. 

tms coordinated the licensing between the two brands to make this partnership a reality. The focus of this Happy Meal® campaign is to prioritize respecting the earth and its animals by educating customers on wildlife and using recycled materials to do so. The original PLAYMOBIL Wiltopia toys are made from an average of 80% post-consumer waste recycled materials, living up to the brand’s ethos that people should grow up in a world where animals and nature are respected and protected.​ As McDonald’s pledges to use less virgin fossil-fuel based plastic and more sustainable materials for their packaging and toys by 2025,  this partnership just one example of how Happy Meal® programs are being made more sustainable. 

tms’ Future Lab played an integral role in aligning our campaign strategy with McDonald’s environmental commitments by finding new, more sustainable materials to produce its Happy Meal® toys. Since 2018, our Future Lab team has reduced virgin fossil fuel-based plastic in Happy Meal® toys by 24.4% globally, and we continue to work on sourcing materials from renewable, recycled, or certified sources.​ 

We designed the digital experience to be an educational yet enticing opportunity to dive into the wild and discover animals in their natural habitats through a digital game where users can select their environment and become wildlife photographers! Players are encouraged to snap as many photos as they can of the animals roaming around their screens, including those featured as Happy Meal® toys. Once they have captured all the animals on camera, they will be presented with a portfolio of their photos to remember their outdoor adventure. 

The packaging, designed and sourced by tms, showcases photorealistic images of the PLAYMOBIL Wiltopia Happy Meal® toys themselves, set in a tropical or desert setting. We also dialed up the Happy Meal® brand itself by utilizing the box as a tree house and underwater treasure chest in the different environments. We packaged the toys in small boxes that are FSC-certified and recyclable which portray the respective animals in their habitats, along with a code that gives customers access to the digital experience. All toys come with a brief description of the animals’ characteristics and natural habitat. 

Check your local markets to see if this promotion is currently available near you, and learn about the other initiatives we’re taking to make McDonald’s more sustainable, like the new crew uniforms made with CiCLO Technology. 

It is with great pleasure we announce that tms’ very own Akkshata Lakeshrii, Account Manager, India Markets, won the Exceptional Performance Award at McDonald’s Three-Legged Stool Awards. Taking place on June 27 in Bangkok, Thailand, McDonald’s Three-Legged Stool Awards honors employees, franchisees, and suppliers across the globe for achieving sustained growth and success through collaboration. 

Akkshata’s acceptance of the Exceptional Performance award displays her significant impact on client relationships, cost savings initiatives, supplier commitments, operational efficiency, and client satisfaction. Our Sourcing Buyer Mandy Badyal also played an integral role in achieving outstanding cost savings, along with the rest of tms’ India team.

Akkshata is extremely grateful to receive this accolade and expressed her gratitude for the support of her manager Nadir Ali, Director Account Management: 

“Nadir’s unwavering support and leadership style has enabled me to excel in my role by helping the client achieve savings and contribute effectively.” 

Learn about other awards where tms has been recognized by McDonald’s, such as being honored at McDonald’s Supplier Symposium earlier in 2024 for 27 years of a bountiful partnership. 

McDonald’s and tms teamed up with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to create an unforgettable action-packed experience, the MultiVersus Happy Meal®, based on the newly launched MultiVersus, the free-to-play videogame that brings together an all-star cast of iconic Warner Bros. Discovery characters.  While this promotion has ended in most major markets, it is set to run across Pakistan, Turkey, and Panama throughout various times in 2024. 

For a limited time at participating McDonald’s restaurants nationwide, with every Happy Meal®, fans received one of six double-sided toy tins featuring a duo of characters from Batman and Shaggy to Wonder Woman and Bugs Bunny.  Each tin also came with a jigsaw puzzle, memory card game or a character collector, and activity card. These collectors’ tins were made from more sustainable aluminum materials, adding to the toy’s longevity by positioning the tins as valuable keepsakes and attracting all ages to participate.   

Fans were also able to scan the code on their Happy Meal® box to access the McDonald’s MultiVersus digital experience, where they embarked on an interactive adventure and took quizzes that unveiled the dynamic duos and celebrated their characters’ combined powers. 

The Happy Meal® packaging tapped into the game’s dynamic duos, featuring a pop-art background with pairs of characters from alternate worlds like Bugs Bunny and Shaggy or Harley Quinn and Superman.  

There’s no place like grandma’s house, and now customers can taste that feeling with McDonald’s new Grandma McFlurry®! This new McFlurry is available exclusively in the US, running from May 21 to June 16 while supplies last. 

This delectable dessert takes inspiration from the comforting flavors of classic sweet treats, blending creamy vanilla soft serve with rich, syrupy swirls and candy crumbles reminiscent of grandma’s favorites she kept in her purse. It’s a nostalgic journey back to the memories with our grandmas, where every bite was filled with warmth and love. 

Our embedded packaging agency, Boxer Brand Design, was responsible for the packaging design – drawing inspiration from household décor normally found at grandma’s house, like doilies and heartwarming signs with handwritten messages of endearment.  

tms sourced the themed packaging, which includes two limited edition Grandma McFlurry® cups and carryout bags. tms also designed the retail elements around the store, including stop motion elements at the point of order, promotional posters, drive-thru banners, and more, featuring bold fonts in a pink and orange color scheme stating familiar sayings like “xoxo, Grandma” or “save room for dessert.” 

tms colleagues from around the globe had a fantastic time attending McDonald’s Worldwide 2024 (WW24)! Taking place in Barcelona, Spain, this week-long event championed McDonald’s franchisees and suppliers by celebrating collective successes, showcasing diverse strengths, and planning for the future of the brand. 

Throughout the week, tms colleagues lent a helping hand by staffing various booths across the convention that touched on more sustainable packaging solutions, merchandise, uniforms, engaging Gen A, and more. Key topics at WW24 included growing fandoms, innovating digital experiences, and elevating restaurant experiences. 

Fandoms

McDonald’s highlighted that brand fandom is created through advancing cultural relevance, menu innovations, and positive community impact. 

tms’ Future Lab was featured in the “Building Future Fans through Happy Meal” booth, showcasing ways to elevate experiences and turn McDonald’s youngest customers into lifelong fans. tms’ Future Lab comprises a global team of cross-functioning specialties formed to support and grow McDonald’s Global Family efforts in testing and developing sustainable toy and game design.  

Research shows that societal pressures have affected Gen A; however, such conditions have made them adaptable and resilient. Gen A are individuals who want to make a unique impact and support brands that share similar values to help them foster connections through digital platforms in the face of social isolation. 

Several members of tms’ Happy Meal and Global Family teams attended the booth to discuss the magic behind the longstanding program, including Armando Zuniga, MPD², Vice President, Product Innovation; Geoff Smyrk, VP, Global Creative Director; and Claire Soper, VP, Client Engagement for McDonald’s Global Family. 

“There are so many ways that tms helps connect families with the McDonald’s brand, and it’s exciting to share that great work with restaurant operators from all over the world,” Claire Soper remarked. 

In partnership with supplier WayToBe, tms sourced all merchandise featured at WW24, showcasing the integral role we play as part of the McDonald’s System. tms plays a pivotal role in the business operations, creative design, and visual identity for McDonald’s Golden Arches Unlimited e-commerce platform. Diana Samper, SVP Group Creative Director at Boxer Brand Design; Lisa Burgess, Senior Director, Engagement at Boxer Brand Design, and Paige Ritter, Senior Account Executive, amongst others, helped run the bustling Fan Store throughout the week, where attendants were eager to grab an assortment of products like sweaters, t-shirts, pool floats, and towels! 

“I can’t gush enough about how amazing this team is and how hard everyone has been working as a well-oiled machine to make the Fan Store a huge success,” stated Katie Theophilus, Global Brand Manager & Fan Store Booth Experience Lead for McDonald’s. 

Restaurant experience

McDonald’s emphasized the importance of optimizing its overall restaurant experience by evolving operations, capitalizing on opportunities for growth, and empowering its people. tms has helped McDonald’s evolve its restaurant operations by finding sustainable solutions for necessities like food packaging, crew uniforms, and delivery services. 

Jon Beach, Senior Director of Global Packaging Innovation & Growth, and Violet Stefanovski, tms’ VP of Global Single-Use Packaging Category Lead, were on hand in the Global Impact booth to showcase the more sustainable packaging solutions we’re exploring to help McDonald’s reach its goal of sourcing 100% of primary guest packaging from recycled, renewable, or certified sources by 2025. 

Also on the convention floor were tms-ers Haydn Morgan, Senior Director Packaging ＆ Growth Platforms, and Swami SV, Vice President, Innovation & New Product, who supported the Operations booth by presenting our award-winning Delivery Cuff, heat-sealing machines, and aerated fry carton solutions to ensure the quality and consistency of McDonald’s operations outside of its retail stores. 

Furthermore, Valerie Oppenheimer, Director, Global Uniforms Category, staffed the booth alongside U.S. uniforms suppliers WayToBe and Affinity to show off sustainable new uniforms made with groundbreaking CiCLO technology, a textile which mitigates synthetic microfiber pollution.  

Innovative digital experiences 

The final topic of conversation centered around the importance of an innovative digital future for the brand. Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s President and CEO, spoke during the day’s general session on the importance of McDonald’s digital future as a growth opportunity, and how to foster greater customer loyalty through using AI to offer personalized experiences. 

tms has taken strides to elevate McDonald’s loyalty programs by developing superior in-app experiences, forming unique partnerships, and sourcing exclusive merchandise, so we are excited for the additional growth opportunities that lie ahead.  As e-commerce platforms continue to exponentially grow, it is important to develop a regular customer base by making MyMcDonald’s Rewards a loyalty program that consistently rewards its users through unexpected brand experiences, collaborations, merchandise, personalization, and more.  

We would like to extend our gratitude to McDonald’s for hosting such a fun-filled and inspiring event. It was great to connect with others within the McDonald’s Family System, and we cannot wait to see everyone at the next Worldwide in 2026! 

tms is pleased to support the rollout of CosMc’s, a new small-format, beverage-led concept from the McDonald’s universe.   

CosMc’s first test-and-learn location opened in December 2023 in Bolingbrook, Illinois, with approximately 10 CosMc’s pilot locations set to open across the Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio metro areas by the end of 2024.  

Working in close partnership with McDonald’s New Business Ventures team and IAT partners – tms and Boxer Brand Design, tms’ embedded brand identity and packaging agency, tapped into their unique areas of expertise to deliver the new food and beverage packaging design, uniform design and merchandise consultation. Furthermore, tms sourced across all three areas and delivered the product photography concept and execution. 

The Winning Sips promotion was bubbling with so much customer enthusiasm at McDonald’s in 2023 that it’s back for another year! Starting on March 13 and running until April 16 in the UK, the optimized Winning Sips 2024 promotion has a new gameplay, giving customers a guaranteed chance to win. 

With the backdrop of the current cost-of-living crisis, tms’ strategy leveraged insights from research on the 2023 campaign to create an integrated campaign full of feel-good moments across various physical and digital touchpoints, from packaging to in-app communications. Introducing new digital elements like “Bonus Sip” to the 2024 campaign keeps consumers engaged and returning to McDonald’s, while also encouraging signups to MyMcDonald’s rewards. 

To play, customers simply need to purchase a medium or large size promotional drink from McDonald’s and peel the game piece on the cup to reveal their instant prize of cash or free food. Those who did not win an instant prize will receive a code, allowing them to play via the McDonald’s app for the potential to win other prizes, including up to £10,000 cash, festival tickets, free menu items, and exclusive McDonald’s merchandise.  

McDonald’s and tms partnered with Coca-Cola and McDonald’s to give customers access to more prizes, including exclusive Coca-Cola merchandise, providing people with even more chances to win! 

To elevate the promotion, tms developed a new mechanic for this edition of Winning Sips called “Bonus Sip”. Bonus Sips allow customers to collect a digital stamp each time customers enter a new Winning Sips code in the app – if customers collect 7 stamps, they will unlock 1,500 bonus MyMcDonald’s rewards points. This is enough points for a medium drink, so customers can use these points to unlock another chance to win. 

Squishmallows have travelled to many different McDonald’s around the globe and completed one of their final stops in the US earlier this year! The Squishmallows Happy Meal® ran from December 26 to January 22, featuring fun-loving characters with their own unique music playlists. 

The campaign contained twelve Squishmallows characters, including two US exclusive characters from McDonaldland, Grimace and the Hamburglar – each equipped with their own curated music playlist. Customers were invited to try and collect all plush toys in their region each with their own unique tags that provide insight into the toys’ personalities and music tastes. Customers could then scan the QR code from the box which directed them to happymeal.com and revealed the Squishmallows’ personalized playlists!  

The Squishmallows US Happy Meal® was part of a global campaign which started in 2023, with Latin America concluding the adventure in February. Outside of the US, the digital campaign ran in Europe, Australia, and the APMEA regions. Different toy renditions were available in certain parts of the world, and playlists contained as many as three songs in countries where the digital elements were accesible. 

To add to the Squishmallows fun, each US playlist contained two songs, courtesy of our licensing partner, Universal Music Group, who sourced the songs and secured their rights. Partnering with McDonald’s, tms was responsible for the digital activation of the campaign, and we created a digital mechanic using facial recognition technology to identify the Squishmallows and automatically direct customers to the appropriate playlist, allowing them to virtually jam out with their cuddly companions.

We’re happy to announce that the McDonald’s Delivery Cuff, jointly developed by tms and our supplier partner, Huhtamaki, has just received the UK Foodservice Packaging Association (FPA) Innovation Award. The FPA Product Innovation Awards were held at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, UK and recognized excellence in new innovative products created in the last 18 months. The awards were held at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, England on March 7. 

Huhtamaki specifically won the Production Innovation – Front of House Award for McDonald’s Delivery Cuff. The Cuff is a revolutionary food delivery sealing solution created through a partnership between Huhtamaki, McDonald’s and tms, driven by McDonald’s need to enhance the security and sustainability of food deliveries. Composed of folded paper carton board and two adhesive strips on the reverse for tamper evidence, the Cuff is an effective solution for the secure delivery of McDelivery items. 

tms and Huhtamaki are proud to supply the future of food delivery with Delivery Cuff — where sustainability meets functionality for an unparalleled customer experience. This award serves as recognition for the circular and inventive solutions Huhtamaki and tms provide for McDonald’s and solidifies our spot as industry leaders in packaging. Learn more about the win and other category winners on FPA Awards.