McDonald's new 'adult happy meal' is a brilliant strategy that puts its heritage to good use

• McDonald's is introducing iconic characters like Grimace to younger customers in a new collab.
• An analyst told Insider that this promotion could generate new chances to use the mascots in marketing.
• The adult happy meal doesn't add much complexity to menus.

McDonald's is launching a Happy Meal for adults, and it might be a smart use of the chain's iconic characters. 

The meal is a collaboration with Cactus Flea Market, and customers will get either a Big Mac or 10-piece McNuggets, fries, a drink, and a figurine. They include Grimace, the Hamburglar, Birdie, and the new Cactus Buddy in an updated style inspired by the Cactus brand. 

"We're taking one of the most nostalgic McDonald's experiences and literally repackaging it in a new way that's hyper-relevant for our adult fans," McDonald's US head of marketing Tariq Hassan said in a statement.

Using the beloved characters in current marketing is a smart move, analyst and president of Kalinowski Equity Research Mark Kalinowski told Insider. This launch is "clearly intended more for young adults," he said, though the characters are generally better known by older adults.

"McDonald's has some untapped heritage with its characters," he said, and this launch is "putting that heritage to good use." There will likely be future opportunities to cash in on the use of these characters with younger customers and build more recognition.

This collaboration with Cactus is also a continuation of McDonald's successful strategy of partnering with brands that speak to both customers and employees, Kalinowski said. It's "in keeping with McDonald's promotions with celebrities," including Travis Scott, BTS, and Saweetie. 

The Travis Scott meal was so popular that some locations ran out of Quarter Pounder ingredients. It was also enriching for Scott personally, as he netted at least $20 million from the deal, according to Forbes. The spring BTS meal was also popular, driving traffic to restaurants and giving McDonald's its busiest week of the year to date.

As a bonus, this Cactus Plant Flea Market Box gives McDonald's buzz without adding much complexity to the menu, just like the famous orders collaborations. Customers will still order regular menu items but receive them in different packaging.