McDonald’s China Partners Black Myth: Wukong For The Mid-Autumn Fest

For the recent Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival,  McDonald’s China had partnered blockbuster video game Black Myth: Wukong.

The nationwide collaboration involved over 7,100 McDonald’s outlets across China, offering Black Myth: Wukong themed menu items, exclusive merchandise and immersive pop-up experiences. 

The move was an astute one as the video game became a global sensation after its release last year, elevating China’s video game industry to the summit of the industry. The game draws on the tales of Journey to the West, one of the great works of Chinese literature, and follows a descendant of the great monkey king, Sun Wukong, in his adventures.  

The collaboration introduced a plethora of limited-edition menu items inspired by the Mid-Autumn Festival and game, including a Cheese Double Beef “Black Gold Mooncake” burger, Golden Crispy Chicken Egg Mooncakes, crispy shrimp nuggets with curly fries and golden dipping sauce, and a Sesame Lava Pie with molten egg yolk filling. Sweet offerings such as the Autumn Osmanthus Sparkling Milk Tea and a Golden Egg Yolk Big Luck McFlurry further accentuated the Mid-Autumn Festival theme. 

Beyond the menu, McDonald’s has rolled out Black Myth: Wukong branding in select stores and launched themed pop-ups in major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hangzhou. They also released collectable merchandise such as limited-edition tote bags, pins, t-shirts and a velvet lounge robe.  

The partnership was obviously a cleverly strategic move by McDonald’s which had successfully meshed both nostalgia and pride for cultural heritage and a homegrown global pop cultural sensation. The response had been enthusiastic, with netizens sharing images of the themed meals and merch, amplifying its engagement with the masses. 

According to ASN data, McDonald’s (13%, US$1m+) is the 4^th largest spender for its category in the Asian sponsorship market since Q123, with an average quarterly investment of slightly over US$85k during this period. However, spends have been below the average since Q323, ranging between US$14k and US$66k, thanks to a spate of high profile withdrawals including endorsements from NewJeans, esports organisation Gen.G and sponsorship deals backing Pakistani T20 cricket franchise Peshawar Zalmi, Tokyo Marathon and Asian Para Games. The brand’s spends are focused on China (28.5%), South Korea (27.7%), Pakistan (22.3%) and India (21.5%).