McDonald's partnered with the popular K-pop band BTS in May 2020 to launch a limited-time BTS meal. The meal package included 10 chicken McNuggets, fries, drinks, and special sweet chili and Cajun dipping sauces. McDonald's also released a line of BTS-themed merchandise. The partnership was very successful - McDonald's saw a 250% increase in McNugget sales in South Korea and a 12% increase in U.S. customers. On social media, the #McDonalds hashtag generated significant buzz. The collaboration highlighted McDonald's ability to recognize trends and connect with young target audiences.

1. McDonald's BTS
Partnership
By Ting Ting Lo
136311198

2. McDonald's
The world's second-largest
fast food restaurant chain
Expanded to almost every corner of the world,
becoming a symbol of globalization.
Leveraging global cultural diversity has always
been a strength and priority for McDonald's.
McDonald's has adapted to the latest trends over
time and used successful marketing strategies to
create buzzes, such as the Monopoly campaign
and celebrity co-ops.

3. BTS
The seven-member boy band's blend of pop dance
and hip-hop has built a loyal global following with their
virtuoso dances and innovative music, while making
them one of the most successful Korean boy group in
the world.
South Korean boy brand
- With their song "Dynamite", they became the first
Korean group to top the U.S. singles chart.
- First K-pop band to perform on Saturday Night Live.
Awards
- A major driver of the revitalization of the Korean
music industry.
- They were invited twice by the United Nations to
promote the UNICEF project and to discuss the impact
of COVID-19 on the lives of young people (UN News).
Influence

4. Partnership Details
In May 2020, McDonald's partnered with BTS to
launch the highly anticipated limited edition meal,
which was available to fans in about 50 different
markets around the world (McDonald's).
The BTS meal includes 10 pieces of Chicken
McNuggets, two new South Korean sweet chili and
Cajun dipping sauces, a medium Coke and fries.
The goal of this partnership is to celebrate the union
of two iconic brands and show customers that
McDonald's has a careful analysis of global markets
and a keen sense of trends in order to build more
meaningful connections with customers (McDonald's).
The BTS Meal

5. A promotional video for The BTS Meal
The video has been viewed more than 15 million times

6. McDonald's BTS
Merchandise
PHOTOS FROM HYBE MERCH'S TWITTER
In addition to a special meal,
McDonald's has teamed up with
BTS to launch a range of limited-
edition items, including T-shirts,
hoodies, flip flops, bathrobes,
sandals and umbrellas.
The products combine the BTS's
signature purple color with the
McDonald's logo and carve the
BTS's logo out of "seven fries".

7. Partnership
Results
"Never-before-seen digital
surprises" - by McDonald's
In the early days of the launch, McDonald's had
made over $32 million, which is the first time
McDonald's has sold more than 1 million units in
such a short period of time (Derwyns).
From May 27 to June 21, McDonald's nuggets sales
increased 250% in South Korea ("McDonald's").
Gordon Haskett Research: The number of
customers at McDonald's in the U.S. increased 12%
(Meisenzahl).
The BTS meal has sold close to one million units in
the Philippines (Derwyns).

8. Partnership
Results
Social Media Buzz
BTS fans around the world try to keep
the packaging of BTS Meal.
Many people trying to sell their
cleaned BTS Meal's packaging on
eBay, Carousell, Shoppee or Amazon.
People have found creative ways to
turn BTS meal packaging into
innovative artwork, and they have
uploaded their creations to social
media to share with others.
Every post with the hashtag
"McDonald's" creates buzz for the
brand.

9. Insights
McDonald's is smart to partner with BTS because BTS is
currently being called the most powerful band in the world
with a huge fan base, and videos about them go viral within
minutes. Its success in creating buzz and winning the
attention of BTS fans illustrates the power of influencer
marketing.
Most of BTS 'fans are millennials, who are also the main
target customers of McDonald's.
BTS was invited twice by the United Nations to promote
the UNICEF project and to discuss the impact of COVID-
19 on the lives of young people. Their positive influence on
young people and healthy image make them the perfect
partner for McDonald's.
The rise of South Korea's entertainment industry has
increased its influence in Europe and the United States.
This partnership shows that McDonald's has a keen sense
of trends and stays in touch with its target customers.

10. Insights
COVID-19 has certainly hit the restaurant industry hard,
and McDonald's is no exception. Working with BTS at this
point is the best way to get customers' attention,
increase demand and generate sales.
During the pandemic, BTS has been releasing different
upbeat songs to encourage people to face the epidemic
positively, heal and comfort people's hearts, and even
invited to speak at the United Nations.
The fact that McDonald's chose to partner with BTS
during this period represents that McDonald's shares the
same beliefs as BTS.
Social media buzz - Even non-BTS fans who didn't know
about the collaboration were able to find out about it
through the frenzy of publicity.

11. In case of packing shortage, try to
compensate customers in other ways or
inform them in advance. Collecting the
packaging is one of the major reasons why
people buy this meal, so it is important to
make sure that your customers get what
they expect and deliver on your promises.
In addition to adding the new dip,
McDonald's could also try to add more
special things to enhance customers'
experience and memory of the BTS Meal, for
example, a special purple drink (Raspberry
Soda).
Some customers took to social media to
complain about not getting packaging for the
BTS Meal and were disappointed by the
campaign. To ensure that people have a good
experience with the campaign, McDonald could:
Recommendations

12. Works Cited
“BTS and UNICEF Celebrate 4 Years of the 'Love Myself' Campaign to Promote Child Self-Esteem | | UN News.” United Nations, United Nations, 5 Oct.
2021, news.un.org/en/story/2021/10/1102252#:~:text=The%20K%2DPop%20group%20BTS%20is%20supporting%20UNICEF's%20LOVE%
20MYSELF%20campaign.&text=Since%202017%2C%20a%20campaign%20by,million%20interactions%20from%20Twitter%20users.
“BTS - McDonald's.” McDonald's, May 2021, www.mcdonalds.com/om/en-om/bts.html.
“BTS X McDonald's Official Merch 1st Droplogo Collection(1/3) StreetT.co/agf9mgaupi#Bts #Btsxmcd Pic.twitter.com/vwiq6qugue.” Twitter, Hybe Merch ,
26 May 2021, twitter.com/HYBE_MERCH/status/1397522937532403712?
ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1397522937532403712%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.n
pr.org%2F2021%2F05%2F27%2F1000786862%2Fk-pop-group-bts-and-mcdonalds-launch-exclusive-meal-and-clothing-line.
“The BTS Meal | McDonald’s.” YouTube, 26 May 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ12GwU2KRU.
Beer, Jeff. “How BTS Is Driving McDonald'S' Biggest Marketing Play since Monopoly.” Fast Company, Fast Company, 26 May 2021,
www.fastcompany.com/90640363/how-bts-is-driving-mcdonalds-biggest-marketing-play-since-monopoly.
Derwyns. “McDonald's Make Millionaire Amount of Money after Partnership with BTS.” Music Mundial News, 19 Jan. 2022,
www.musicmundial.com/en/2021/06/24/mcdonalds-partnership-bts/.
Gray, Misty. “McDonald's Reports That BTS Helped Increase Their Worldwide Sales by 41%.” Koreaboo, 28 July 2021, www.koreaboo.com/news/mcdonalds-
reports-bts-helped-increase-worldwide-sales-41-percent/.
Meisenzahl, Mary. “McDonald's New BTS Meal Is Already Outpacing the Hit Travis Scott Meal in Popularity.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 5 June
2021, www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-bts-meal-drives-traffic-to-restaurants-over-travis-scott-meal-2021-6.