As "June 1st" approaches, although there is no legal holiday to take off, both children and adults are looking forward to it with great anticipation.

Unexpectedly, McDonald's has gone "crazy" first, making it to the hot search list!

People of all ages say: "You still know how to touch my inner child!"

McDonald's has launched an ultra-cool, ultra-cute "McTalkie", sparking a new round of commercial warfare.

"Any consumption + 38 yuan" to get the "McTalkie", McDonald's June 1st event started a week in advance, and surprisingly, it was sold out as soon as it was put on the shelf, and even the APP was almost overwhelmed!

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The nationwide craze for purchasing has allowed people to feel the joy of "Children's Day" in advance!

Even scalpers in the resale circle have been attracted, with prices soaring tenfold, creating a premium that has never been seen before, and short videos related to it on various platforms have also become very popular.

Of course, KFC also launches toys every year, and this year it is a Pokémon collaboration "five-piece set".

IKEA is not lagging behind either, with a cute "camera" to follow, and various brands and cute items are all making their appearances, making this a "June 1st" that is destined to be exhilarating.It has to be said, this marketing campaign has really nailed the younger generation, truly a resounding success!

The McDonald's walkie-talkies were sold out as soon as they went on sale on May 22, with an unprecedented level of popularity.

The set of two walkie-talkies is designed to resemble Chicken McNuggets and French fries, which looks quite interesting. Even the two buttons and one speaker hole make them seem incredibly cute.

With a large handhold ring and a red and yellow colored strap, it makes one's heart flutter with desire: "I really want one!"

Moreover, what captures people's hearts the most is that it's not only cute and adorable on the outside, but also packed with features on the inside.

According to the introduction, it can actually "communicate" and has a communication range of up to 300 meters, allowing friends in the same neighborhood to receive signals.

What's most astonishing is that after some tests, it was found that it can even connect with security-style walkie-talkies.

This is bound to confuse a bunch of amateur walkie-talkie enthusiasts and bring out their inner "childishness."

Additionally, McDonald's knows how to capture people's hearts by explicitly stating in the event description: "Limited to 500,000 pairs nationwide," which is not enough. So, it's a must to grab them quickly!

With limited supply and high demand, scalpers are faster than anyone else, and they were sold out on the first day of the launch. Soon after, major e-commerce platforms already had them listed.Prices range from dozens to over four hundred, with various price points available, and the highest sales volume has already reached over 1000 units. People's enthusiasm is as scorching as the sun in the hottest days of summer.

Most interestingly, the official limit is set at 500,000 pairs nationwide, yet the current sales volume on all platforms is no less than 20 million.

Ordinary consumers, however, need not even consider it, as both online and offline options are marked "not available for purchase."

Some netizens have commented that McDonald's practice of creating a rush and reselling during Children's Day on June 1st is an old trick, no longer a novelty, but it always manages to precisely capture people's "childlike hearts."

In 2022, a helmet in collaboration with China's lunar exploration program was also a limited edition, with the highest price being resold at 288 yuan.

Thus, McDonald's "limited edition toys for June 1st" have become a hard currency where "getting one means making a profit," and the Children's Day meal has also become very popular.

As a fast-food chain, why did McDonald's deviate from its main business to sell toys?

McDonald's is the pioneer in the fast-food industry of offering toys with meal combos, an idea that originated from the desire to create a restaurant with a "family atmosphere," creating the "Ronald Menu," which offered customers meal combos plus toys.

In 1979, this type of meal combo was called the "Happy Meal," which was well-received and quickly imitated, leading McDonald's advertising agency to see a business opportunity, and from then on, toys officially became part of McDonald's menu.

When McDonald's entered the Chinese market in 1990, it brought the "Happy Meal" with it.It has been 34 years now, and toys can be considered one of McDonald's most important marketing strategies. In 2014 alone, McDonald's sold 35 million toys in China. Even at 10 yuan apiece, that's a solid revenue of 300 million yuan, which is indeed quite enviable. With the help of toys, Ronald McDonald has become a paradise for children and adults alike.

Some have summarized McDonald's clever tactics in toy sales: popular IPs, conveying a culture of joy, and creating memories. Take last year's Tetris game console shaped like Chicken McNuggets, for example. It was a retro hit among people born in the 70s and 80s, sparking a wave of nostalgia for classic games. That's a classic example of conveying joy and creating memories.

Many people have a habit of regularly visiting McDonald's to exchange toys. Eating a meal set is just a pretext; characters like Snoopy, Smurfs, Hello Kitty, and Doraemon... McDonald's uses toys to create shared memories with consumers.

McDonald's once held a free "Fun Toy Factory" toy exhibition in Beijing's Sanlitun, filled with memories. Familiar toys can instantly awaken consumers' childhood memories, truly a "heart-wrenching" experience.

The monthly updated toys keep McDonald's always in the limelight and maintain its freshness. At the same time, toys are also a symbol of vitality and youthfulness, attracting children and adults with a "childlike heart," reflecting McDonald's "joyful" culture and helping to create a unified brand value.

So, don't think that these toys are just for children; they are also prepared for adults who still have a child living in their hearts.Many netizens jest, wondering what kind of people are playing with these toys?

Perhaps, the statistics might surprise you.

Some netizens can't wait to post pictures online the moment they get the toys, even with a caption:

"Too childish for kids, but it's so cool for me to use!"

They even add an emoji of being overwhelmed with emotion, crying out loud. The world is too magical; children's toys are actually being snatched up by adults?

In fact, it's not the case. The psychology of young people is not that hard to understand. As long as you stand in their shoes, you can understand their psychological needs. It turns out that behind the toys, there is also a social demand.

"In workplace socializing, 'social synchronization' plays a significant role," said Xu Zhibin, a writer specializing in community economics.

So, what is "social synchronization"?

A child complains to his mother: "I haven't played the games my classmates play, I can't understand their conversations, and I can't join in."

This is called "social desynchronization." People who are out of sync with those around them will feel isolated.Just like this child, to blend in with classmates, they need to play the games that their peers are playing, to engage with what is recognized by the small circle.

McDonald's toys have already created an effect of being "recognized by the circle." They regularly update with new toys, and these new toys become "topics of the circle." If you don't know or can't understand them, you're out.

This year, McDonald's introduced a walkie-talkie that has an "innate advantage" because to play with a walkie-talkie, you naturally need to pair up and find a companion; at least two people are required to play.

This makes it easier to create a diffusion effect. If others in the circle have it and you don't, how can that be?

The ultimate result might be that everyone ends up with one.

At this point, owning a McDonald's walkie-talkie is not just about looking cute or wanting to play; it's also about "social synchronization" with others, making it a necessity.

McDonald's toy strategy has been so successful and widespread that it can't be "enjoyed alone." This year, chain brands like IKEA and KFC have also quickly followed suit.

KFC was originally a straightforward fast-food chain, but the allure of toys and the craziness of "June 1st" led to KFC indulging in a bit of childishness every year on that day.

This year, KFC launched a Pokémon-themed "five-piece set," offering a random large toy with the purchase of a 69.9 yuan children's double meal.

"Grab the Gengar toy to prevent Alzheimer's disease."Netizens' spicy comments have directly expanded the target demographic of the toys to the elderly, making it suitable for "everyone from 99 years old to those who can just walk," appealing to both young and old.

Palkia is a storage bin, Gengar is a gaming console, Mimikyu is a voice-controlled toy, Pikachu is a CD player, and Psyduck is an interactive music box. They are all cute and fun, highly sought after by everyone.

Psyduck is KFC's signature toy mascot, and the music box version was launched in 2022, which was well-received by a broad consumer base.

Young friends have also come up with creative ways to play with it, developing single-player modes and various couple-based games.

This year, this adorable little yellow duck has been upgraded to a surfing version. By touching both of its hands simultaneously, music can be played. It remains to be seen if there will be any more ingenious ways to play with it.

In addition, KFC has made significant moves this year, hosting a "K-Collection Antique Shop" themed exhibition at the Shanghai Library.

Similar to McDonald's event in Sanlitun, the exhibition showcased hundreds of vintage KFC toys, carrying countless people's childhood memories. It's like a time machine from Doraemon, allowing visitors to relive those beautiful yet unrepeatable childhood days.

Not to be outdone, IKEA also seized the opportunity to go all out for Children's Day, launching an IKEA accessory—a cute, small orange camera that makes you want to exclaim, "Get it for me!"

In reality, this is not a real camera but a projection toy. Many friends from the 70s and 80s should have played with something similar in their childhood. Press the shutter, and a new image appears.

It's about playing with a childlike heart and even more about reminiscing. It can be said that this marketing campaign has been a resounding success.A variety of adorable co-branded peripheral toys, fashionable and not out of touch with the times, can create buzz, showcase vitality, and establish a youthful brand image, while also subtly adding a touch of "nostalgia kill," making it irresistible.

What is good marketing? The industry consensus is "brand and effect integration":

Achieving product sales, brand promotion, high product premium, and customer satisfaction.

Compare and you will be surprised to find that the toys craze on Children's Day is actually the best marketing.

"It doesn't matter what you eat, what matters is that I want that toy."

Although the product is overlooked, it achieves product sales.

Whether it's the "McDonald's walkie-talkie" or KFC's co-branded "five-piece set," or the IKEA camera, they are all marketing tied to the brand, playing a great role in brand promotion.

As for the high product premium, it's even tempting for scalpers, so the premium is definitely not low.

Customer satisfaction is as high as it can be, and the most critical point is:

It successfully integrates customers' memories with the brand image, forming a shared memory, which is a higher level of conceptual sales.Good marketing is all about having a customer-centric mindset to establish and maintain the brand's image.

"Good marketing is not just about conveying messages; it always warms the heart."

It must be said that the various businesses' operations around Children's Day have done a great job of this, satisfying customers while achieving sales, promoting the brand, and earning profits.

"June 1st" is a holiday for children and also for all the big kids who "have a child living inside their hearts."

Whether it's McDonald's "walkie-talkie," KFC's "game console," or IKEA's "orange camera," the significance of young people scrambling to buy these items goes far beyond the toys themselves.

Toys that were unaffordable in childhood can now be purchased with one's own hands, as if to fulfill the desires of one's childhood self.