Grandma-core is one of the mega-trends that's hit social media this year.

But what does it mean when a trend exits the scroll-osphere and enters the real world? And are brands able to harness the power of these trends and implement them into real life products?

But before we get into answer that question...

Grandma-core is an aesthetic that heroes cosy clothing and a slower pace of life. It celebrates the domestic hobbies of grandmas such as gardening, baking, and crocheting.

And the trend has so many different pockets. We've seen videos range from thrift hauls and cosy book nooks to "A Day in the Life' of 20-year-old grandma vlogs. The ways to explore your inner grandma are limitless. And Gen-Z are apparently very excited to be doing so.

After the huge wave of Grandma-core videos hit TikTok last year, we saw celebrities bring the aesthetic in the fashion world. We've seen Bella Hadid and Billie Eilish wearing headscarves and assorted knitted garments, just to name a few.

(Real ones know that Macklemore started this trend in 2012. Just saying.)

Now McDonald's has jumped on the wave with their Grandma McFlurry, a soft serve treat flavoured with syrup and candy pieces.

But it's not the trend nor the high-calorie dessert I'm interested in.

What strategy you say? It looks like they're just trying to emulate what's cool and trending?

Perhaps. But that's actually been McDonald's approach to marketing in recent years, and it's rooted in two things:

In the past, McDonald's strategy centred on a transactional relationship with their customers. But Tariq Hassan, CMO of the fast-food chain, says their approach of 'discount your way to success' wasn't working for them anymore.

The brand also realised trying to appeal to the masses all at once wasn't working, either. So they decided to start speaking to specific subcultures with individual campaigns instead.

The campaign promoted his go-to order: a Quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon, lettuce and fries. Don't forget the BBQ sauce and a Sprite!

This came at a time when Travis had just broken through to the mainstream and was at the peak of his popularity. So it's the perfect example of McDonald's jumping in on emerging trends and subcultures.

The campaign was rooted in the fan truth that everyone, even famous people, have a McDonald's order. And it was a major hit.