McDonald's HK celebrates CNY with My Melody and Kuromi

McDonald’s Hong Kong has tapped Sanrio's beloved characters My Melody and Kuromi to create a series of Chinese New Year products, celebrating the season with warmth, nostalgia, and joy.

Running until 19 February, the campaign aims to bring smiles to everyone in Hong Kong by blending emotional familiarity with festive cheer, combining popular seasonal products with two beloved intellectual properties (IPs).

A spokesperson from McDonald’s Hong Kong told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that My Melody and Kuromi resonate deeply with both young audiences and nostalgic adults, while their cheerful, playful personalities align perfectly with McDonald’s festive spirit.

While this is a mass campaign, it has employed layered targeting strategies. First, it has engaged core McDonald’s fans, particularly those eagerly anticipating the return of the prosperity burger series and seasonal McWings. Second, the campaign has tapped into the passionate Sanrio IP community, which spans generations in Hong Kong.

McDonald's Hong Kong has reintroduced a variety of popular limited-time menu items during the campaign period, including the prosperity beef and hash browns burger, twisty fries, crayfish soup, and the fortunate green peppercorn McWings. These items are presented in colourful packaging featuring My Melody and Kuromi, adorned with festive patterns such as gold, fireworks, good fortune symbols, and peach blossoms, adding a celebratory touch to the festive New Year series. “This collaboration is designed to double the joy and emotional connection when customers visit McDonald’s during the Lunar New Year,” said the spokesperson.

The campaign has employed a 360-degree marketing approach, utilising above-the-line channels such as TV commercials, as well as below-the-line efforts such as in-store merchandising and packaging. Additionally, the McDonald’s mobile app has played a key role in digital engagement. Users who use designated meal deal coupons in the app can receive a set of two exclusive mini My Melody and Kuromi couplets with their meal.

McDonald’s is also distributing themed lai see in two phases. The first, starting 9 January, is the “Golden abundance edition” (黃金滿屋版), featuring My Melody and Kuromi, alongside classic favourites—the Big Mac and golden fries—forming a festive image of prosperity. The “Double star celebration edition” (雙星報喜版) is distributed starting 23 January, with each lai see including a beautifully designed mini couplet.

The campaign strategy is centred on sustaining excitement and deepening engagement throughout the campaign, according to the spokesperson. "We kick off by bringing back our signature prosperity menu, paired with exclusive Sanrio-themed red packets—blending beloved traditions with collectible appeal. This year, to further delight customers, we are also introducing a small surprise: complimentary mini Sanrio‑themed fai chuen packed inside each red packet.“

Beyond sales, the key success metric of the campaign is brand love, according to the spokesperson. The brand focuses on how well the campaign resonates emotionally, assessing whether it delivers what customers love in terms of product taste, cultural relevance, and character engagement. Positive sentiment, social sharing, and repeat visits are strong indicators that will be tracked in real-time.

Don't miss: McDonald's HK launches breakfast anthem with Ashley Lin

Back in October last year, McDonald’s Hong Kong launched a campaign featuring local artist and singer Ashley Lin with a song that celebrateed the return of its tomato soup series as part of the breakfast menu. Also known as “Beef up your morning with tomato twisty pasta series”, the campaign was done in collaboration with creative agency DDB Group Hong Kong and media agency OMD Hong Kong.

While the series features a new product called tomato beef and egg twisty pasta, the campaign was designed to bring this offering to life in a way that feels both fresh and emotionally resonant.

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