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# Murderous Mascot Spoofs
Foodiggity Imagines McDonald's Happy Meal Mascot in Horror Movies

By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-06-03 | Pop Culture
Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/happy-meal-mascot
References: [designtaxi](http://designtaxi.com/news/366091/If-McDonald-s-New-Happy-Mascot-Starred-In-Horror-Movies/) & [foodiggity](http://www.foodiggity.com/mcdonalds-frightening-new-mascot-happy-placed-in-a-few-classic-horror-movies/)

Although [McDonald's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hello-kitty-and-mcdonalds) is totally standing by the design of its terrifying new [Happy Meal mascot](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blank-happy-meal), everybody else seems to be able to agree that this personified smiling box is a whole lot more creepy rather than cute.

To show just how at home 'Happy' would be in some of the most [classic horror movies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fanta-sodas), Foodiggity put the new McDonald's mascot in place of some scary movie characters like Hannibal Lecter, Jaws and those spooky twin girls from The Shining. The funny photo series imagines movies like The Ring, to Psycho and Rosemary's Baby with Happy as the bad guy. With those soul-sucking eyes and that terrifyingly toothy smile, he makes a pretty good stand-in for these frightening horror movie killers.

## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter)

- Score: 4.4/10
- Popularity: 60% | Activity: 63% | Freshness: 8%
- Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women
- Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial
- Top markets: North America

## Categories

[Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Humor](https://www.trendhunter.com/humor)

## Key Themes

### What Makes This Trend Stand Out

- **Creepy Mascot Design:** Opportunity for companies to rethink their mascot designs to avoid unsettling consumers.
- **Humorous Brand Parodies:** Potential for creative marketers to use parody and humor to engage with consumers and generate brand awareness.
- **Horror-themed Advertising:** Possibility for brands to tap into the popularity of horror movies by incorporating horror elements into their marketing campaigns.

### Sectors Adopting This

- **Fast Food:** The fast food industry can consider creating mascots that are attractive and appealing to their target audience.
- **Marketing and Advertising:** Opportunity for marketing and advertising agencies to help brands create humorous and engaging brand parodies.
- **Entertainment:** Horror-themed advertising and brand partnerships can be explored by the entertainment industry to enhance audience engagement.

## Related on Trend Hunter

- [Reimagined Fast Food Mascots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hello-kitty-and-mcdonalds.md)
- [Nostalgic Kidult Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/happy-meals-for-adults.md)
- [Horror-Themed QSR Short Films](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jack-in-the-box-feeding-time.md)
- [Playful Adult-Oriented QSR Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/adult-happy-meals.md)
- [Monster-Detailed Custom Meal Boxes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/boo-bucket.md)
- [Halloween-Themed QSR Meal Containers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-boo-buckets.md)
- [Mental-Health Awareness QSR Packaging](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/happy-meal-box.md)
- [Nostalgic QSR Miniature Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/happy-meal-collectibles.md)
- [Horror Movie QSR Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/popeyes-freddy-fazbear-crunch-menu.md)
