McDonald's unveiled its new Happy Meal mascot on Tuesday as fans of the fast-food chain reacted in horror on Twitter, calling it "McScary."
According to A.V. Club, the ironically named "Happy" mascot made his (her?) debut on the company's Twitter page, which was met with immediate skepticism.
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The company plans to use Happy to promote healthy eating for young children, and released a statement in defense of the mascot soon after tweeting out the picture.
"Since 2009, as a global McDonald’s character, Happy has been loved and well-received by children and families in Latin America and Europe. Happy is all about encouraging wholesome food choices, like fruit, veggies, and low-fat dairy, and does so in a fun, positive, creative way. Social media is a great place to have a conversation and express an opinion, but not all comments reflect the broader view."
In the days following Happy's big coming-out party, McDonald's attempted to play along with the criticism, posting new pictures of multiple Happys responding directly to its detractors.
Many said that Happy fits seamlessly into the creepy class of mascots that includes the Burger King King, the Quiznos rodents, and even the original Grimace, who was scaly all over before being turned into a big blob of purple plush.
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