McDonald's (MCD) is leaning into the McRib fanfare.
After announcing the return of the cult-favorite sandwich at the end of September, the fast-food giant created a limited number of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) to celebrate the McRib's official return to nationwide menus on November 1 — and the sandwich's 40th anniversary.
Fans who enter a Twitter (TWTR) sweepstakes will have the chance to win "digital versions of the fan favorite sandwich – almost as saucy as the McRib itself" with 10 winners announced by November 12, the company revealed in a press release.
New data suggests the contest was a worthwhile investment for the Golden Arches — leading to higher social engagement than September's announcement of the McRib's return.
According to social media management company Hootsuite, online conversations surrounding the McRib's 40th anniversary and subsequent NFT announcement hit 20,532 mentions (with the NFT giveaway contest generating 83,000+ retweets.)
This widely surpassed McRib mentions on September 30 (when McDonald's announced the sandwich would be returning to nationwide menus), with mentions clocking in at just above 4,500.
Influencer and celebrity campaigns seemed to be an additional catalyst with Ryan Reynold's Gin Riblet cocktail tweet also adding to overall engagement levels.
Bloody McMary seemed too on the nose. Introducing the Gin Riblet. @AviationGin pic.twitter.com/EN73wGCWyI
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) November 2, 2021
"The NFT contest really got people talking and generated a lot of buzz — as did Ryan Reynolds’ Gin Riblet cocktail," Hootsuite Social Listening & Engagement Strategist Nick Martin told Yahoo Finance.
However, "not many people posted photos of themselves eating a McRib, but people were enjoying the conversations online. Some people also enjoyed the irony of the McRib launching on National Vegan Day," the spokesperson added.
The McDonald's NFT retweet contest was the top mention globally despite it being a contest for U.S. residents only. Countries like the U.K., Japan, Spain and Canada weighed in most heavily, the data determined.
Overall, when it comes to online conversation spikes, Hootsuite credits the consistent hype (and quirky memes, tweets and campaigns) surrounding the McRib — not necessarily the quality of the sandwich itself.
Alexandra is a Producer & Entertainment Correspondent at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alliecanal8193
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