Mind Candy, a UK-based social network for kids and the brand owner of Moshi Monster toys, just landed a Happy Meal partnership with McDonald's.
The startup's licensed products will be placed in more than 14,000 stores across the United States this holiday season, from December 14 through January 10.
How do companies get their products in Happy Meals? And who pays for the thousands of trinkets that go in every kid's box?
We asked Mind Candy's chief business-development and licensing officer, Darran Garnham, how he got the deal done.
Research what McDonald's is doing before you reach out.
McDonald's is the world's largest toy producer, and it also supports a lot of entertainment brands, says Garnham.
His team noticed McDonald's recent focus on McWorld, a website the food chain has been pushing. Since Moshi Monsters is both an online social network and a toy maker, Garnham pitched it to McDonald's as a perfect fit for its brand.
Does your brand share McDonald's values?
McDonald's is a family brand. If you're promoting something off the wall, it's probably not a good fit for the fast food chain.
"McDonald's is an iconic American brand that values family, education and safety," says Garnham. "Mind Candy holds many of the same values, and we felt this was a crucial component in developing a successful promotion and partnership."
Be patient. The Mind Candy-McDonald's deal took two years.
It took Mind Candy two years to land a deal with McDonald's.
Garnham says discussions began in 2010.
"The planning and implementation of the program as well as the window for the promotion to take place are all carefully considered," he says.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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