McDonald’s Teases Being Part of Loki Season 2

McDonald’s is loving the fact that its brand is making a big featured appearance in Marvel’s Loki Season 2. If you haven’t (been the one person who hasn’t) seen the Loki Season 2 trailer, there is a sequence in it that has really caught on with fans: Loki (Tom Hiddleston) visits a reality where his cohort variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) is working in a vintage-style McDonald’s restaurant. 

 The Loki Season 2 McDonald’s connection has been teased since filming began on the second season, as fans wondered what could possibly bring the Gods of Mischief to the golden arch. 

Well, McDonald’s wouldn’t give away even a single spoiler to help explain what’s going on with Loki Season 2 – but their cryptic teaser certainly got a lot of attention (over 213K reached, and counting…). The teaser features a variety of different TV programs from sitcoms (Seinfeld, The Office) to anime (The Devil Is a Part-Timer!), to classic films (Coming to America, The Fifth Element) which each make mention of McDonald’s or some parody of it. 

More importantly: The McDonald’s ad promises some kind of big surprise opening coming on August 14th – but the opening of what, we do not know. Loki Season 2 won’t premiere on Disney+ on October 6th; presumably, McDonald’s has some kind of tie-in promotion with the show: could we see a McDonald’s meal inspired by Loki? 

Right now, Marvel Studios needs whatever creative marketing solutions they can find to promote their new TV shows and movies. The ongoing Writers’ and Actors’ Strike has shut down pretty much any of the traditional PR/marketing strategies that studios use to promote their works. Cast members cannot do any premieres, talk shows (which are not even running right now anyway), or other promotional events, making it hard to drum up awareness of new film or TV show’s arrival. Sponsors like McDonald’s may be the go-to avenue for studios’ promotional needs in the near future, which will be interesting to measure. If promotional campaigns double as successful marketing campaigns, then actors could see at least one aspect of their job being lost for good. 

Loki Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of the shocking season finale when Loki finds himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority. Along with Mobius, Hunter B-15 and a team of new and returning characters, Loki navigates an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous multiverse in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose.

Loki Season 2 will premiere on Disney+ on October 6th.