McDonald’s is venturing into the world of non-fungible tokens, launching a set of 2,000 NFTs based on its Grimace character that has become a companion to Ronald McDonald in the company’s universe. Here are all the details:
- The collection debuts on August 21st
- It will feature Grimace with different attributes and expressions
- To create the collection, McDonald’s has partnered with Bandwagon Labs
- Pseudonymous Web3 figure The Hidden Walls created the art
The NFTs are free to claim and will be stored on Polygon, a layer 2 scaling solution for the Ethereum blockchain. In addition, they are soulbound, meaning that collectors won’t be able to trade them and there will be no secondary sales for the collection. Likely, they are meant to be keepsakes and a way for individuals to engage with the McDonald’s brand.
McDonald’s Singapore announces a Digital Collectible. Join this telegram group for alpha. https://t.co/zrASr6JYpk
“🚨🌟 Get ready to unveil our 1st ever Digital Collectibles!
Calling all fans and Web3.0 enthusiasts! Can you guess which iconic character it will be? 👀” pic.twitter.com/mt8VOHJhra
— Bandwagon Labs (@BandwagonLabs) August 14, 2023
Drina Chee, the senior director of Marketing and Digital Customer Experience for McDonald’s Singapore, said in a statement that the company is excited to bring Grimace closer to the company’s fans through these digital collectibles. The NFTs will solely be available through the company’s app in Singapore.
Collectors of these Grimace NFTs may receive future benefits as well. According to one representative, holders could enjoy exclusive discounts on McDonald’s products in the future, including food.
Grimace NFTs not McDonald’s First Foray into Web3
While Grimace non-fungible tokens are certainly exciting for McDonald’s fans, this is not the first time the company has launched a Web3 project. In fact, they have been fairly active, experimenting with the technology to build a new level of brand awareness. Here are two stories Rarity Sniper has covered showing that.
Seven months ago, McDonald’s celebrated Lunar New Year in the metaverse. To do so, it teamed up with award-winning digital content creator Karen Cheng to introduce to their fans to 3D art that combined futuristic and traditional Asian influences. There were also Chinese games like Mahjong and Weiqi available.
Two years ago, the company made its first move into Web3 while filing 10 trademarks related to the metaverse. The trademarks were for operating a virtual restaurant, creating virtual food and beverage products, and utilizing downloadable media files, including through non-fungible tokens. McDonald’s also filed trademarks to allow for virtual concerts.
So, while the Grimace NFTs may be McDonald’s first venture into non-fungible tokens, the company has been experimenting or positioning itself for moves into Web3 for some time. Here at Rarity Sniper, we’ll keep an eye on the fast food giant for any further Web3 developments.