McDonald’s Happy Meals Imagined For Sustainability In Alluring ‘Happier’ Concept
Image by Regina Lim and featured with permission
Before the concept of tablets and screen time, one way to appease a grumpy child was to order them a Happy Meal. Graphic design student Regina Lim’s whimsical spec work does just that, and so much more.
The Malaysian student was tasked to fulfill a conceptual brief for Happy Meal packaging that’s plastic-free, constructed from sustainable materials, and uses storytelling aspects to educate children about the environment—all while respecting McDonald’s original branding and core values.
Lim hit all the right notes and designed a magical forest-themed, AR-enabled Happier Meal box with maximized use of space, allowing for more beautiful artwork and the room to carry more food.
Image by Regina Lim and featured with permission
From the get-go, the pack’s fairylike illustrations are sure to grasp attention with their dreamy pastel depictions of plants and McDonald’s menu items. If you’re already in awe, imagine the effect they’d have on a child’s gaze.
Image by Regina Lim and featured with permission
But it’s not just easy on the eyes. The Happier Meal’s outer sleeve and inner box are printed on a single sheet of paper to be folded as one, eliminating binding materials like glue. An infographic also takes up all sides of this paper to get the most use out of the material.
Image by Regina Lim and featured with permission
Lim says there’s more space in this box to hold nuggets, fries, a drink, toys, and other objects at once. Currently, Happy Meal boxes cannot support all of those items, with the beverage and toy usually packed in their own separate single-use bags. An all-in-one carrier would cut back on the need for other packaging materials.
The stars of Happy Meals are arguably the toys. Here, the designer swaps out plastics for wooden sculptures and paper displays that happen to be interactive too.
Image by Regina Lim and featured with permission
The eco-friendly toys can be played with as standalones, but grownups can take things further by scanning the QR code on the box to launch the integrated, educational AR feature, which brings this forest to life. With the playable packaging, there’d be a lower likelihood of it being discarded after only one use.
Image by Regina Lim and featured with permission
We’re just going to say it: We’re lovin’ it.
To enjoy more captivating projects like these, be sure to check out Regina Lim’s portfolio and follow her on Instagram.
Image by Regina Lim and featured with permission
Image by Regina Lim and featured with permission
Image by Regina Lim and featured with permission
[via Regina Lim, images featured with permission]
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