Countless celebrities have appeared at MLB games to throw the ceremonial first pitch. Michael Jordan. Simone Biles. Mariah Carey. 

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But when McDonald's Grimace took the mound at CitiField on June 12, 2024, the most viral story in sports began. 

The New York Mets were abysmal. Fans were convinced the season was a bust.

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But that fateful day, the vibe shifted. The team posted 14 hits to beat the Marlins and start a 7-game winning streak. Mets Fans online quickly claimed Grimace as their good luck charm, and their obsession with #TheGrimaceEffect took over the sports world. 

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So we made sure he reappeared again and again throughout the season. 

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We had Grimace live-tweeting during games, appearing on a billboard at CitiField, starring in the Mets' 2025 schedule release video, appearing on the Jumbotron, turning the Empire State Building purple, getting his own purple seat in the stadium, and even riding the 7 Train with fans to knock the Phillies out of the playoffs. Fans couldn’t get enough—sharing their own content on social media, remixing Grimace's antics into memes, videos, fan art, hats, jerseys, tshirts, tattoos, and halloween costumes. McDonald’s transformed simple IRL activations like riding a subway into viral moments driven by the fans themselves.

 

And the crazy thing is, it actually worked. 

 

The Mets played one of their best seasons in recent years and became the most viral team in baseball history, while Grimace was hailed by the press as "a sporting icon," making headlines in The New York Times, People Magazine, Forbes, The New York Post, GQ, and even garnering coverage across the pond in Sky News, and The Guardian. 

 

Results: 

• 9.6B impressions across social and earned media

• 2x Average Positive Brand Sentiment

• .628 Winning percentage in The Grimace Era

• First NLCS in 9 years