McDonald’s Sweden is taking their famous Happy Meal boxes and turning them into VR devices called Happy Goggles. They will be making roughly 3,500 of them and will be selling them at 14 restaurants on the March 5 and March 12 weekend. The cost will be about $4.
The headset will work basically exactly the same as a Google Cardboard. Fold the box, put your phone in, and enjoy the new virtual world. To go with the VR viewer, McDonald’s has also created a VR ski game, Slope Stars. They decided on a skiing game because the VR viewers will be launching during “Sportlov”, which is a Swedish recreational holiday where families go skiing together. Users can download the game and play it in the Happy Goggles (or any VR viewer), but can also play it without one.
Jeff Jackett, marketing director at McDonald’s Sweden says:
“Parents can learn more about their children’s knowledge and experience of the digital world. And purposeful gaming can also be a great joint activity that helps families interact on equal terms.”
Other companies like Coca-Cola or Mattel have made VR viewers out of their products as well, but McDonald’s is one of the first to actually bring it to market. They also said that if this limited rollout goes well they may expand it to other markets.
When you think about it, virtual reality seems like a no-brainer for McDonald’s. They have always tried to make their own characters and create a fun enviroment for children. With the VR Happy Goggles, and possibly launching more games, they will finally be able to actually show the kids the world they always wanted them to see.
Source: Adweek
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