Kids, rejoice! Squishmallows, the most popular plush toys in America, are coming to McDonald's Happy Meals this spring.
Jazwares, the company that makes the adorable, soft and multiple award-winning squish toys announced the collaboration with McDonald's earlier this week. Customers who buy a Happy Meal will receive one of 24 collectible Squishmallows, including exclusive and seasonal plushy designs made specifically for this promotion, according to a news release.
Additionally, 14 of the plush toys will come with an exclusive playlist created by Universal Music Group that will showcase the plush's unique personality. To access the playlists, kids can scan a QR code on the Squishmallows packaging or Happy Meal box, Jazwares said.
"In partnering with McDonald’s, we are able to bring fans a 360-degree Squishmallows experience that includes exclusive digital playlists and special edition Squishmallows that will create one of the most elevated Happy Meal programs to date," said Gerhard Runken, senior vice president of brand & marketing at Jazwares.
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"Happy Meals have featured so many iconic brands throughout the years, and this is a tremendous milestone for Squishmallows as we join forces with McDonald’s, one of the world’s most trusted and recognized brands," Runken added.
Each participating McDonald's restaurant will have 10-12 of the Squishmallows available with a Happy Meal order. Jazwares did not reveal which artists would be featured in the playlists, but Universal Musical Group boasts some of the biggest and most popular musical talents in the nation, including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd and Ariana Grande.
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"This Happy Meal campaign brings the worlds of McDonald’s, Squishmallows and music together to elevate the fan experience and evolve our iconic Happy Meal brand in culture. Adding exclusive music playlists to our toys is a first for Happy Meal, and we are extremely proud to collaborate with Jazwares’ Squishmallows, the No. 1 plush brand worldwide, and Universal Music Group on this initiative," said Jennifer DelVecchio, senior director global campaigns and alliances at McDonald’s.
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Launched in 2017, Squishmallows are round, snuggly stuffed toys sold in a variety of colors, sizes, animals and textures. They exploded in popularity in 2020 during the early COVID-19 pandemic when people were under lockdown at home and would post online about their plush toy collections. Retailers where Squishmallows are sold include Costco, Walgreens, CVS, Kroger, Hot Topic, Walmart and more.
There is a thriving collectors market for Squishmallows, where the toy is often bought and resold at a higher price — making these Happy Meal editions potentially highly sought after.
