McDonald's New Mascot Will Scare Your Children Away from Happy Meals

Meet Happy, McDonald's terrifying new mascot. Happy is an animated Happy Meal Box, completely with soul-scanning eyes, a black hole mouth, and judgey arms, Happy is the new ambassador of the restaurant's new healthy Happy Meals. Maybe McDonald's is trying to scare children into eating their vegetables. 

Happy is the "ambassador for balanced and wholesome eating." He is encouraging kids to eat the healthy Happy Meal options: fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and water or juice. He is especially welcoming of the new Low Fat Strawberry Go-Gurt. Because nothing says "finish your carrot sticks" like a psychotic stare from the side of a box.

While he seems pretty alienating, Happy has actually done decently well as an animated mascot in other countries. He was first introduced in 2009 to France and has since made his way through Latin America and other countries in Europe.

McDonald's has said, "Happy is about bringing more fun and excitement to kids’ meals, including eating wholesome food choices like low-fat yogurt." Sure, McDonald's.

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This article was originally published at http://www.thewire.com/business/2014/05/mcdonalds-new-mascot-will-scare-your-children-away-from-happy-meals/371213/

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