Grimace’s Birthday Shake was a freak viral hit when it launched in America, as millions of fans jumped on the ‘Death Shake’ trend. 18 months later – a lifetime on social media – we had to make the Grimace Shake go viral in Australia all over again (without the death part).
We welcomed Grimace Down Under as the ultimate VIP – the Very Important Purple, transforming him from obscure internet sensation to beloved mainstream megastar.
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From the first teaser of Grimace’s arrival, anticipation started to build. Fans flooded the airport to greet the Very Important Purple and watch his baggage carousel takeover, kicking off full-blown Grimace-mania and the launch of the Grimace Shake. Then, Macca’s AU handed him the social accounts, his phone number was "leaked," and a tidal wave of texts were sent to the Very Important Purple.
Like any A-list visitor, Grimace hit AFL and NRL games and stopped by national radio talk shows. He helped support a good cause, raising millions for sick kids at Ronald McDonald House Charities, and even crashed fellow purple fanatic Olivia Rodrigo’s concert. Each move sent social feeds into overdrive, with some Grimace obsessed fans even stealing his in-restaurant collateral and selling it on Facebook Marketplace for thousands of dollars.
With every move, Grimace dominated the conversation online, and traditional media like TV, OOH and radio only amplified the frenzy. This wasn’t just a product launch, it was a full-blown cultural phenomenon.