McDonald's Shamrock Shake Inspires Fan Tile Generator

• Tweet
• Buffer

Since it was introduced in 1970, McDonald's limited-time Shamrock Shake has been one harbinger of St. Patrick's Day.

To commemorate its 2013 availability, the fast-food behemoth has added a Gone But Not Forgotten tile creator page to its website.

According to the page itself, the tile creator lasts only as long as the shake does. (A McDonald's rep did not respond to a request for exact dates.)

The feature asks fans to "remove" a pixel from the page and replace it with a unique tile to "stake your claim as a McCafé Shamrock Shake fan before both are gone."

Users can pick from five backgrounds, borders, and shapes to create a tile. In keeping with the holiday, the options are mostly green and have St. Patrick's Day or shake themes.

Once a tile has been created, users are given the option to share it "and (their) love of the McCafé Shamrock Shake" on Facebook.

The page's background is full of these tiles. Once the tile has been created, it automatically places itself at the bottom of the screen. With about 105 across and 98 down, more than 10,000 had been created as of Thursday.

McDonald's says the classic minty treat is made with vanilla reduced fat ice cream, Shamrock Shake syrup, and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. It comes in three sizes and sells at the same price point as McDonald's other shakes.

This is the second year the McCafé Shamrock Shake has been advertised nationally, a McDonald's rep says.

A February 25 Facebook post elicited nearly 28,000 likes. McDonald's has 27.6 million fans.

McDonald's has also reposted a Shamrock Shake video from 2012. As of Thursday, it had 23,000 views.

"The Shake continues to sell very well during the limited time, drawing loyalists and new fans alike," the rep says.

McDonald's has also changed its Twitter background to reflect the shake and is using the hashtag #ShamrockShake to engage its 997,000 followers.

As ClickZ reported last year, in 2012, McDonald's tried to promote #Shamrocking, or the act of posing for a photo in the middle of an Irish jig with a Shamrock Shake in hand.