After a decade-long hiatus, McDonald’s Monopoly is returning, with a playful nod to the scam that once tainted it.
“Get Your Bag,” created by Wieden+Kennedy New York, introduces the game to a new generation of players who may see winning big as too good to be true. The campaign contains nostalgic elements for older fans, while tapping into Gen Z’s attitudes about money.
McDonald’s annual Monopoly promotion, which began in 1987, was a cultural moment and sales boon for over a decade. However, the brand halted it in the U.S. in 2014 after the “McMillions” scandal, in which the FBI arrested eight people for rigging the game and defrauding the company of more than $20 million. A documentary about the scam aired on HBO in 2020.
The new Monopoly, starting today, includes the familiar physical board with peel-off pieces, as well as a digital version in the McDonald’s app. Prizes include free food, reward points, one million American Airlines miles, a new Jeep Grand Cherokee, a trip to a Universal Orlando resort, and a $1 million cash prize for one winner.
The ads, directed by Dan Streit through Somesuch, are set in a bespoke Monopoly world, blending practical sets, animation, and the visual language of promos and spam that people often see on their phones.
Mr. Monopoly is a campy, self-aware emcee who runs wild on McDonald’s channels and treats them like his personal notes app. The call to action, “Get your bag,” refers to both McDonald’s food and Monopoly prizes.
Influencers including Heidi Montag, Porsha Williams, and Dylan Efron will lend their voices to the campaign, which will run across linear and digital video, social media, stores and packaging, and outdoor locations such as New York’s Times Square.
Analysts predict that the return of Monopoly will boost McDonald’s sales, MarketWatch reported.
McDonald’s global same-store sales rose 3.8% in the three months ending June 30, while U.S. same-store sales grew 2.5%. CEO Chris Kempczinski credited marketing and menu innovation with helping to reboot sales after a year of flat or declining performance.
In January, the company appointed Alyssa Buetikofer as chief marketing officer (CMO), replacing Tariq Hassan.