After a ten-year hiatus, McDonald’s Monopoly is back — and this time, it’s leaning into its own history. The new campaign, “Get Your Bag,” created by Wieden+Kennedy New York, reintroduces the iconic promotion to a new generation that might find the idea of “winning big” too good to be true.
Nostalgia meets self-awareness
Launched in 1987, McDonald’s Monopoly became a cultural phenomenon and a major sales driver for more than a decade. But the game was halted in the U.S. in 2014 following the infamous “McMillions” scandal, when eight people were arrested for rigging the game and stealing more than $20 million. The story later inspired a hit HBO documentary in 2020.
Now, McDonald’s is embracing its past with humor and transparency. The tagline “Get Your Bag” cleverly plays on the double meaning — grabbing a McDonald’s bag and securing a cash prize.
A surreal, digital-age reboot
Directed by Dan Streit through Somesuch, the new ads unfold in a stylized Monopoly universe that blends live-action sets, animation, and the visual chaos of modern digital life — pop-ups, promos, and spam.
Mr. Monopoly himself becomes a campy, self-aware emcee, running wild across McDonald’s social channels as if they were his personal notes app.
Influencers including Heidi Montag, Porsha Williams, and Dylan Efron will amplify the campaign across TV, digital, social media, packaging, and outdoor spaces like New York’s Times Square.
The game returns stronger — and smarter
The new Monopoly combines the classic peel-off board pieces with a digital version in the McDonald’s app. Prizes range from free food and loyalty points to one million American Airlines miles, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, a trip to Universal Orlando, and a $1 million grand prize.
Analysts say the return of Monopoly could boost McDonald’s sales, according to MarketWatch. The company reported a 3.8% global same-store sales increase for the quarter ending June 30, with U.S. growth at 2.5%. CEO Chris Kempczinski credited “strong marketing and menu innovation” for the rebound.
With newly appointed CMO Alyssa Buetikofer leading the brand’s next chapter, McDonald’s is proving that even a scandal can become a storytelling asset — especially when wrapped in humor, nostalgia, and a bag of fries.
