3 marketing lessons from McDonald’s failed ‘Rick and Morty’ promotion
The fast-food chain brought back its beloved Szechuan Sauce, but locations’ inventory proved way too small for demand. Here’s what you can learn from the public backlash.
Fans of the TV comedy “Rick and Morty” aren’t laughing over McDonald’s latest marketing stunt.
The popular cartoon on Adult Swim details the adventures of scientist Rick Sanchez (often along with his grandchildren), and its creators, Justin Roiland and Dam Harmon, love Szechuan Sauce:
The sauce, created by McDonald’s as a limited-time promotion for the 1998 premiere of Disney’s “Mulan,” has grown in popularity since the show’s main character admitted his quest to find more. In July, McDonald’s even sent Roiland a jug of the sauce.
Then McDonald’s decided to up the ante by giving fans what they wanted: a taste.
The chain said that on Oct. 7, its locations would give out limited-edition packets of its Szechuan Sauce with the purchase of its buttermilk crispy tenders:
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