The Truth About Why McDonald’s Decided To Ditch The Hamburglar
The Hamburglar has been locked in the McDonald’s vault for years – and it looks like he’ll never escape. Did this loveable mascot finally steal one Big Mac too many? Or did Ronald McDonald grow tired of his burger-pilfering ways? For the longest time, it seemed like we’d never find out the truth. But now we’ve dug deep into Hamburglar history to bring you the real reason for the stripey mascot’s sorry demise.
Ham-bungled
The last time that anyone saw the Hamburglar was actually in 2015. You might even remember the headline-grabbing advertising campaign. He was sporting a very different look — and it sent Twitter into a mini-meltdown. Yet while you’d think the Hamburglar going viral would’ve made him more popular, it didn’t quite work out like that.
Nice buns
This was hardly the Hamburglar we grew up with, you see. The biggest difference? Well, he was an actual person — and a bit of a looker, too. Everyone’s favorite hamburger thief now wore a sweet trench coat, striking leather boots and cheekbones to die for. McDonald’s even gave him a brand new backstory! And that was part of the problem.
Bad dad
Mickey D’s explained that the Hamburglar’s then-13-year absence was down to a new lifestyle. McDonald’s’ then-VP of U.S. Marketing Joel Yashinsky told Mashable, “He’s had some time to grow up a bit and has been busy raising a family in the suburbs.” Crazy, right? But the new Hamburglar’s time in the spotlight was short-lived.
Ham-fisted
As per CEO Steve Easterbook, the idea behind bringing back the burger boy was to create “brand excitement.” McDonald’s had been facing tough times in 2015 and was looking to the Hamburglar to lure in new customers. And it wasn’t a terrible idea —especially considering that loyal fans of the Golden Arches had loved the Hamburglar for decades.
