“Have you got the latest minion toys from McDonald’s?”
“Nolah, I went everywhere also sold out. They queue up since last night you know? Crazy!”
The minion toys of McDonald’s Happy Meal had become one of the most talked-about topics in the past one month! Every once in a week we heard incredible news about how minion toys were sold out in less than one hour, and how loyal fans of minions were willing to queue up at McDonald’s for two hours just to buy a Happy Meal.
The “Minion Madness” hit Malaysia since the release of the movie, Despicable Me 2, on July 3. In the animated film, minions are small, cute, and cylinder-shaped henchmen of the protagonist, Gru. They speak in funny gibberish that is incompressible to most people, yet their signature “banana song” has gone viral on social media around the world.
The marketing of the movie is brilliant. They partner with different companies to promote the minions. Their partnership with Gameloft is a great success. The mobile game, Minion Rush, has hit 50 million downloads and become one of top games on both iOS and Android devices. The craze for minions reaches a climax with the collectible minion toys of McDonald’s Happy Meal.
Let us look into some of the interesting issues surrounding the minion madness in Malaysia:
1. A long queue for cheap plastic toys?
Why are Malaysian people so crazy about the minion toys? The minion madness in Malaysia is not an isolated case, but a global phenomenon that happens to many Asian countries as well. Just a month ago, the same craze over McDonald’s Fairy Tale Hello Kitty Toy happened in Singapore. Fifteen years ago, McDonald’s Snoopy Toy fever swept Hong Kong. Driven by herd behavior, consumers are willing to line up for hours just to buy a few plastic toys.
2. A toy for children or adults?
McDonald’s probably didn’t expect the minion toys, which is supposed to be targeted at children, to be so popular among adults. Parents complain that they are unable to buy the toys for their children. In response to the complaints, McDonald’s has changed the rule to enforce that one minion toy can only be bought with the purchase of one Happy Meal. Thanks to the success of the movie’s marketing, adults are infantilized to a degree that we are now competing toys with children.
3. A waste of Happy Meals?
McDonald’s new policy of enforcing the purchase of one minion toy with one Happy Meal has failed to curb the frenzy over the toys. On the contrary, it has caused a tremendous waste of Happy Meals. Customers continue to buy more Happy Meals in order to get the minion toys. The food wastage has prompted a group of volunteers from “the Happiest Meal” to go to each McDonalds to encourage people to donate unwanted Happy Meals to homeless people and orphans.
4. Buy low and sell high?
McDonald’s minion toys are priced at only RM3 each with the purchase of a Happy Meal. However, some opportunists take advantage of the minion craze by selling the toys on forums or social media with a price ranging from RM60 to RM100 each. The minion madness in Malaysia has helped a certain group of people to gain a small fortune.
From the minion madness, we see the bright and dark side of human nature. This is not the first time that Malaysian people are crazy about a consumer product, and it won’t be the last if we choose to be influenced and manipulated by the propaganda of American Consumerism.
Find out more hottest Malaysian restaurant
Hunt for the best Singaporean restaurant
The minion toys of McDonald’s Happy Meal had become one of the most talked-about topics in the past one month! Every once in a week we heard incredible news about how minion toys were sold out in less than one hour, and how loyal fans of minions were willing to queue up at McDonald’s for two hours just to buy a Happy Meal.
The “Minion Madness” hit Malaysia since the release of the movie, Despicable Me 2, on July 3. In the animated film, minions are small, cute, and cylinder-shaped henchmen of the protagonist, Gru. They speak in funny gibberish that is incompressible to most people, yet their signature “banana song” has gone viral on social media around the world.
The marketing of the movie is brilliant. They partner with different companies to promote the minions. Their partnership with Gameloft is a great success. The mobile game, Minion Rush, has hit 50 million downloads and become one of top games on both iOS and Android devices. The craze for minions reaches a climax with the collectible minion toys of McDonald’s Happy Meal.
Let us look into some of the interesting issues surrounding the minion madness in Malaysia:
1. A long queue for cheap plastic toys?
Why are Malaysian people so crazy about the minion toys? The minion madness in Malaysia is not an isolated case, but a global phenomenon that happens to many Asian countries as well. Just a month ago, the same craze over McDonald’s Fairy Tale Hello Kitty Toy happened in Singapore. Fifteen years ago, McDonald’s Snoopy Toy fever swept Hong Kong. Driven by herd behavior, consumers are willing to line up for hours just to buy a few plastic toys.
2. A toy for children or adults?
McDonald’s probably didn’t expect the minion toys, which is supposed to be targeted at children, to be so popular among adults. Parents complain that they are unable to buy the toys for their children. In response to the complaints, McDonald’s has changed the rule to enforce that one minion toy can only be bought with the purchase of one Happy Meal. Thanks to the success of the movie’s marketing, adults are infantilized to a degree that we are now competing toys with children.
3. A waste of Happy Meals?
McDonald’s new policy of enforcing the purchase of one minion toy with one Happy Meal has failed to curb the frenzy over the toys. On the contrary, it has caused a tremendous waste of Happy Meals. Customers continue to buy more Happy Meals in order to get the minion toys. The food wastage has prompted a group of volunteers from “the Happiest Meal” to go to each McDonalds to encourage people to donate unwanted Happy Meals to homeless people and orphans.
4. Buy low and sell high?
McDonald’s minion toys are priced at only RM3 each with the purchase of a Happy Meal. However, some opportunists take advantage of the minion craze by selling the toys on forums or social media with a price ranging from RM60 to RM100 each. The minion madness in Malaysia has helped a certain group of people to gain a small fortune.
From the minion madness, we see the bright and dark side of human nature. This is not the first time that Malaysian people are crazy about a consumer product, and it won’t be the last if we choose to be influenced and manipulated by the propaganda of American Consumerism.