Simu Liu helps rally support for McHappy Day

McDonald’s has landed a superhero to help drive awareness for McHappy Day, the QSR’s largest charity program of the year.

Simu Liu, who broke out as an actor in CBC’s Kim’s Convenience but is best known as Marvel’s Shang-Chi, features in advertising by Cossette running up until the May 10 event, which raises money for Ronald McDonald House Charities.

A 30-second TV spot shows Liu standing in a McDonald’s when he’s approached by a young boy. “Excuse me, are you…” says the boy, before Liu cuts him off. “A superhero? Not quite, I just play one in movies,” says Liu. “But McHappy Day is coming up, when you get to be the hero.” However, the boy just wanted to know if Liu was in line.

In a voiceover, Liu then explains how any purchase helps the families of sick children.

“RMHC has been a vital support for thousands of families during their most difficult times, and I am happy to be part of the fundraising initiative this year,” said Liu, in a release. “It’s so important to come together as a community to help those in need, and I look forward to working with RMHC and McDonald’s to make a difference.”

“Every year, McHappy Day makes a superheroic impact in the lives of many Canadian families,” said Jason Hill, Cossette’s executive creative director in an email to The Message. “Who better than Simu Liu—a Canadian now firmly established in the Marvel universe—to act as our ambassador? In Simu, we found that priceless combination of charm, comic timing and star power to help drive earned attention to our key message that on McHappy Day, buying a meal from McDonald’s can make anyone feel like a hero.”

Along with the ad campaign, the popular Canadian apparel brand Peace Collective, famous for its nostalgic Canadiana collections, released a line of T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and hats featuring McDonald’s characters like Grimace and Hamburglar.

David Brown