McDonald’s Insider Reveals How the Viral Grimace Shake Trend Was Handled

In 2023, the internet was dominated by trends like girl dinner, the Roman Empire, and the Grimace Shake—a purple TikTok algorithm phenomenon that took over social media. The trend involved users filming themselves drinking the purple vanilla-berry-flavored milkshake, only to cut to a horror-movie-style fake death scene.

The limited-edition Grimace Shake was introduced by McDonald’s in June 2023 as a tribute to the chain’s mascot, Grimace. While the trend amassed over 2.9 billion views on TikTok and reportedly boosted sales by 10% that quarter, it was never part of any planned marketing strategy.

“If you think we planted the Grimace Shake trend… thank you. So much. But you think way too highly of us,” wrote Guillaume Huin, senior marketing director at McDonald’s, on X (formerly Twitter). “If you thought we would never acknowledge the trend… well, I thought so too at first, so I don’t blame you.”

From FOMO to Full Control: McDonald’s Reaction

Nearly three years after the trend’s explosion, Huin shared a behind-the-scenes look at how McDonald’s and its agency partners handled the viral moment. The executive revealed that the company initially treated the trend like a full-blown crisis, complete with a dedicated situation room.

Huin first encountered the trend while scrolling on social media at home, watching video after video of users “losing control” after drinking the Grimace Shake. Unsure of its implications, he alerted McDonald’s leadership, comparing the experience to “telling your parents about a massive mistake you made that would ruin all your hard work.”

In his first message to leadership, attached to his X post, Huin described the situation as “a very unexpected trend taking over TikTok with Grimace Shakes.” He reassured the team, adding, “it’s pure Gen Z humor so do not take it badly even though it might be disturbing.”

Initially, Huin believed McDonald’s, as a legacy brand, would avoid engaging with the trend. The idea of customers faking deaths after consuming a product was far from ideal marketing. However, the team took time to assess the situation, consulting across departments before devising a plan. One internal email even posed the question: “what to do?”

Subtle Engagement: The McDonald’s Response

Ultimately, McDonald’s decided to respond—but in a way that felt organic and not self-promotional. “We never explored or entertained the idea of doing the trend ourselves… it just didn’t feel right in the moment,” Huin explained. The company crafted social media posts that aligned with the trend’s humor without directly participating.

Today, the Grimace Shake’s legacy continues, with the trend reportedly resurfacing in Germany after its recent launch there. The phenomenon remains a case study in how brands navigate unexpected viral moments in the digital age.