Bid farewell to the Hamburglar of your youth. Gone are his rounded cheeks and single tooth, replaced with...uh...this guy:
McDonald's is bringing the Hamburglar back to network television for the first time since 2002, and clearly he's spent the past 13 years slimming down at the gym and getting his life together. His new look, complete with a slick black trench coat and red leather high tops, is a far cry from the pudgy little red-headed criminal we remember.
And did we mention he's a dad now?
"We felt it was time to debut a new look for the Hamburglar after he’s been out of the public eye all these years," Joel Yashinsky, McDonald's' Vice President of U.S. Marketing said in a statement to Mashable. "He’s had some time to grow up a bit and has been busy raising a family in the suburbs and his look has evolved over time."
What would force a hard-working suburban dad to return to a life of crime is beyond us, but we digress.
The classic character will appear in spots for the fast food retailer's new Sirloin Third Pound Burger, as well as videos that will appear online starting Wednesday. The character will also make surprise appearances across the company's various social media platforms, tagged with the hashtag #RobbleRobble, a reference to his famous nonsensical catchphrase.
Wait, is this who we think it is??! https://t.co/rc9xhQrAUi— McDonald's (@McDonalds) May 6, 2015
The Hamburglar's return comes at a time when McDonald's is attempting to create more "brand excitement," according to newly appointed CEO Steve Easterbrook. In a video presentation shown Monday, Easterbrook spoke on his plans to turn the company around in the face of stiff competition and disappointing earnings.
Can a fresh redesign for the Hamburglar spell better days ahead for the fast food retailer? Take a closer peek at the character's new look and decide for yourself:
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