McDonald’s has officially joined the Snapchat party. The fast food giant is now on the ephemeral messaging service (username: mcdonalds) and is using the star power of LeBron James to build buzz.
The company spent a few days quietly promoting its new account on Twitter, then sent out a snap of James on Tuesday. The NBA All-Star is shooting a commercial for McDonald’s, and photos and videos from the company offered a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the ad. Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman and college football star Johnny Manziel are also featured on the set of the commercial shoot. Company executives told Mashable the account will feature both “red carpet events” and everyday moments.
McDonald’s is one of the largest brands yet to experiment with Snapchat. Taco Bell has been the preeminent fast food chain on the service for nearly a year, regularly sending followers previews of new menu items and other images. Other brands, like frozen yogurt chain 16 Handles, have used Snapchat to send customers coupons that have to be saved with a screenshot before they disappear.
Snapchat does not yet generate revenue but CEO Evan Spiegel has proposed exploding coupons and in-app purchases as potential paths to profit in the past.