Teaming up with The Smurfs for the summer of sport at McDonald’s Germany

Smurfs Happy Meal poster with Smurf characters and tennis balls

McDonald’s Germany is celebrating the summer of sport with a new Happy Meal® promotion, created by tms Munich, which stars The Smurfs – and reminds kids that taking part is what counts. Running in Germany and Austria, the campaign launches on 25 July, a day before the start of the Summer 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.   

The six-week promotion features an exclusive, highly covetable Smurf figurine included with every Happy Meal® sold in Germany and Austria. There are 16 sporty Smurf figurines in total, including Hefty, the exclusive Smurf only available in the McDonald’s app. Each Smurf is shown taking part in a different Olympic or Paralympic sport – there is even a breakdancing Smurf to mark the debut of breakdancing as an official sport at this year’s games.  

Our Munich office is behind the McDonald’s Happy Meal® concept and strategy, as well as designing the toys and packaging, and negotiating the partnerships and licensing deal. This campaign holds special significance, as it marks the biggest Happy Meal® promotion to date to originate from our Munich branch.  

tms Munich has pulled together many complex elements to make this Happy Meal® tie-up with The Smurfs happen. But what we love most about it is the simple, culturally relevant idea at its heart: a Happy Meal® promotion which reminds kids that taking part is what counts and inspires them to get out and have fun together doing sports.

Sebastian Börsch
Department Head Marketing, McDonald’s Germany

The representation of abled and disabled athletes in this promotion is supported by the German Disabled Sports Association, and the figurines have been developed in a partnership with renowned German toy brand Schleich®. The Smurfs, who are known in German as “Die Schlümpfe”, are also proud ambassadors for the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.   

Accordingly, tms Munich has put sustainability at the heart of this Happy Meal® campaign, from manufacturing the figurines in MBPP (mass balance polypropylen) to ensuring the designs are highly collectable and will be kept for years to come.  

Georg Kitsios, Senior Account Director, tms Munich, said: “I’m lovin it – we just knew The Smurfs were the perfect theme for this McDonald’s Germany Happy Meal® promotion. The team at tms have had so much fun bringing it to life and we strongly believe that Happy Meal® fans will love it as much as we do.​​”  

Read more about the campaign in industry publications, like Mediashotz.