McDonald's uses Grandma-core to connect with Gen Z

2024 called. They want your… grandma?

Grandma-core is one of the mega-trends that's hit social media this year.

But what does it mean when a trend exits the scroll-osphere and enters the real world? And are brands able to harness the power of these trends and implement them into real life products?

But before we get into answer that question...

If your side of TikTok hasn’t brought you to the Gen-Z subculture that is Grandma-core, I’ll explain.

Grandma-core is an aesthetic that heroes cosy clothing and a slower pace of life. It celebrates the domestic hobbies of grandmas such as gardening, baking, and crocheting.

And the trend has so many different pockets. We've seen videos range from thrift hauls and cosy book nooks to ‘A Day in the Life’ of 20-year-old grandma vlogs. The ways to explore your inner grandma are limitless. And Gen-Z are apparently very excited to be doing so.

After the huge wave of Grandma-core videos hit TikTok last year, we saw celebrities bring the aesthetic in the fashion world. We've seen Bella Hadid and Billie Eilish wearing headscarves and assorted knitted garments, just to name a few.

(Real ones know that Macklemore started this trend in 2012. Just saying.)

Now McDonald's has jumped on the wave with their Grandma McFlurry, a soft serve treat flavoured with syrup and candy pieces.

But it’s not the trend nor the high-calorie dessert I'm interested in.

It's the genius behind McDonald's marketing strategy.

What strategy you say? It looks like they’re just trying to emulate what’s cool and trending?

Perhaps. But that’s actually been McDonald’s approach to marketing in recent years, and it’s rooted in two things:

1. Fan truths

2. Subcultures

So what does this look like for the brand?

In the past, McDonald's strategy centred on a transactional relationship with their customers. But Tariq Hassan, CMO of the fast-food chain, says their approach of 'discount your way to success' wasn't working for them anymore.

The brand also realised trying to appeal to the masses all at once wasn't working, either. So they decided to start speaking to specific subcultures with individual campaigns instead.

This marketing shift began in 2020 with their collaboration with Travis Scott.

The campaign promoted his go-to order: a Quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon, lettuce and fries. Don't forget the BBQ sauce and a Sprite!

This came at a time when Travis had just broken through to the mainstream and was at the peak of his popularity. So it's the perfect example of McDonald’s jumping in on emerging trends and subcultures.

The campaign was rooted in the fan truth that everyone, even famous people, have a McDonald’s order. And it was a major hit. 

Quarter Pounder orders doubled in the first week. Fans were literally ripping posters off the McDonald’s windows to keep for themselves. After that raging success, the brand has gone on to do similar campaigns featuring famous orders from BTS, Saweetie and J Balvin.

That brings us to the new Grandma McFlurry.

This campaign taps into the nostalgia surrounding the current Grandma-core trend. And it's rooted in the fan truth that grandparents love to spoil their grandchildren.

I mean, one of my earliest experiences of McDonald's was my Nana Maggie taking me through the drive through after school. Of course, she insisted I didn’t tell my mum! And I know I’m not the only one with a memory like that.

So McDonald's is pairing this fan truth with the current Grandma-core subculture so they can speak to specific audiences. And by doing so, suddenly the absolute behemoth of a brand feels approachable, and even human.

So what can we learn from McDonald's?

McDonald's keeps their ear to the ground, continuing to find bubbling trends to jump in on. 

They've even got Dr. Marcus Collins, author of 'For the Culture,' on their team. He's literally written the book on how powerful cultural norms influence human behaviours.

According to Dr. Collins, here's how brands can connect with their audience:

'Find out what is true about you. How do your customers see the world? And where do you intersect with those beliefs or artefacts?'

If your brand can get the answer to those questions right, you'll always know how to stay relevant.

-Sophie, Copywriter