This is why McDonald's wiped the smile from its Happy Meals

What's a McDonald's Happy Meal without a smile? Just a meal, with whatever emotion you happen to be feeling at the time.

McDonald's customers in the UK may have been surprised earlier this month to find the familiar golden smile missing from the packaging of Happy Meals, but there was a reason for the change (see our round up of packaging design for more inspiration).

McDonald's put the smile on hold to mark UK Mental Health Awareness Week. Developed by Leo Burnett UK with communications agency Ready10, and launched in collaboration with BBC Children in Need, the campaign aimed to recognise that people, including children, often feel pressure to put on a smile when they might be feeling otherwise.

'The Meal' came accompanied by various mouth-shaped stickers designed to allow children to express different emotions on the packaging other than happiness. The ingredients of McDonald's meals might provide various reasons to wear a frown, but still, I like the message that it's OK for children not to feel happy all the time. If it helps children articulate their emotions, then great.

For more on McDonald's campaigns, see our piece on why McDonald's advertising is better than Burger King's.

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Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.