Welcome to McDonnell’s

PRESENTED BY MOOD

Happy Wednesday, FutureParty fam. Our hearts go out to all the Floridians who are about to get hit by Hurricane Milton later today, especially as residents are just now recovering from Hurricane Helene. Milton has already broken the record for being the fastest Atlantic storm that’s ever intensified into a Category 5 hurricane, supercharged by the hot water in the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately, with climate change becoming a bigger problem every day, it likely won’t hold that title for long.

Cultured, curated, glossy magazines are making a comeback… this time backed by brands that want to use them as an out-of-the-box way to build community.

Why It Hits: There have been endless headlines about the death of print media over the past decade (which only fueled more decline), so the resurgence of print — from publishers like Complex and Spin — means that digital marketing has reached a point of over-saturation.

Between The Pages: There may be nothing more cutting-edge than publishing an old-school magazine.

Closing Thoughts: Turning to print feels strangely countercultural in a world that’s chronically online… and that’s exactly what gets young people to perk up from their phones and notice. Magazines may not provide the precise metrics brands are accustomed to, but they can still foster a sense of community and drive sales. If that happens, we could see marketing budgets shift back to a balance between digital and print.

Most people prefer to smoke cannabis, but that isn’t an option if you’re at work or in public.

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For the launch of a single menu item, McDonald’s opened up a “dupe” version of its fast-food restaurant called “McDonnell’s.”

The Big Meal: Large-scale activations have become a crucial way to create buzz around products and devise a marketing moment with the potential for virality… something that McDonald’s, more so than any other chain, has recently embraced.

Between The Buns: Partnering with Chain (the pop-up restaurant startup founded by actor BJ Novak, chef Tim Hollingsworth, CryptTV co-founder Jack Davis, and manager Byron Ashley), McDonald’s created McDonnell’s for one day.

Final Bite: Creating what customers think is a lovingly satirical version of McDonald’s (Chain’s specialty) is a pretty ingenious way of introducing a new menu item… especially if you know that the sandwich has the goods. The stunt comes at a time when McDonald’s — and the whole fast-food industry at large — is looking to boost slumping revenue (chicken sales are now surprisingly on par with beef sales at the chain). Don’t be surprised if the new fast-food wars are all about creating unique dining experiences.

Secret Menu Item: This isn’t the first time that McDonald’s has parodied itself.

81.7% of you voted No in yesterday’s poll: Do you use Instacart?

“I love going to the grocery store.”

“I’ve only used it during the height of the pandemic and during times when my entire household was sick. Otherwise, all the extra fees and tip costs are not worth it.”

“Use it to order groceries for my mother who lives 2,000 miles away.”

“Love it. Best delivery/shopping service out there. Use in multiple cities and while traveling. 100%! Go Insta!”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🎥 Battle of the blockbusters: over half of Hollywood’s films next year will come from franchises.

🌴 Coachella is on the hunt for headliners after both Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna passed.

📺 Saturday Night Live convinced advertisers like Allstate, Maybelline, and Volkswagen to give up an unprecedented amount of control to be a part of the show’s 50th season.

🏅 University of Toronto professor Geoffrey Hinton was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for his innovations in AI… even though he’s said that he now regrets his life’s work.

💰 FTX customers will get a full refund for the money they lost after a judge approved a new bankruptcy plan for the crypto firm.

🧠 Attorneys general from 14 states have sued TikTok for allegedly harming teens’ mental health.

👜 Kering tapped Stefano Cantino, who had stints at Louis Vuitton and Prada, to be the new CEO of Gucci.

📱 A federal judge ruled that Google has to open its Android OS to other third-party app stores and alternative billing options.

🚲 Rappi, a delivery startup in Latin America, is completing orders in 10 minutes. Is this scalable… or even sustainable?