Shake Shake Fries to Shakashaka - a cultural, musical phenomenon

The shake-shake fries have been synonymous with McDonald’s for decades; however, this iconic association was weakening among Gen Z, who saw McDonald’s more for families than friends.

Our key insight: when it comes to food, the ritual is often as joyful as the eating. We transformed the simple act of vigorously shaking seasoned fries into an inside joke among friends – Shakashaka, a ridiculous musical instrument and a hilarious ritual.

We created a fictional mockumentary world around our most loved fries through a hilarious preacher – an ‘enlightened’ being who turned the Shake Shake Fries into the Shakashaka, a musical percussion instrument attuned to the fries and Piri Piri seasoning, capable of shaking their universe and unlocking a truly cosmic snacking adventure.

Shakashaka evolved into a movement that Gen Z wanted to emulate, meme, and share, transforming fries into a musical self-expression and elevating the McDonald’s experience.