Fall 2026’s biggest marketing trend isn’t a new platform or ad format, it’s entertainment. Brands across food, beverage, and retail are licensing gaming franchises and streaming hits directly onto packaging and menus, and the results are dominating attention in a way traditional promotions haven’t in years.
McDonald’s Turns Xbox Games Into a Menu
McDonald’s brought back its Side Missions platform for 2026 with a gaming collaboration built around Xbox’s 25th anniversary, featuring food inspired by six franchises: Halo, Fallout 76, Forza Horizon 6, Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and more. The campaign pairs limited-edition menu items with in-game rewards, so a customer isn’t just buying a themed meal, they’re unlocking content inside the actual games. That two-way loop, real-world purchase feeding a digital reward, is quickly becoming the template other QSR brands are borrowing from.
Yoplait and Netflix Bring K-Pop Demon Hunters to the Yogurt Aisle
Yoplait launched an exclusive back-to-school yogurt range themed around Netflix’s global hit K-Pop Demon Hunters, putting a streaming property directly onto a grocery staple aimed at families and kids. It’s a clear signal that streaming platforms are becoming licensing partners the same way movie studios and toy companies have been for decades, and that CPG brands are moving fast to capture that attention while a title is culturally hot rather than waiting for a traditional seasonal tie-in window.
Harry Potter’s QSR Comeback
Quick-service chains are also leaning on established franchises like Harry Potter for limited-time promotions, mining nostalgia and built-in fan bases for cross-category appeal that doesn’t require building a new audience from scratch. Pairing a proven IP with a food or beverage brand shortcuts the awareness problem entirely; the audience already knows and loves the property before the campaign even launches.
Why Entertainment IP Collabs Are Working Right Now
These campaigns share a few things in common that any brand, not just national chains, can learn from: they tie a purchase to a moment of cultural relevance rather than a generic seasonal push, they give customers a reason to post and share beyond the product itself, and they borrow trust and excitement from a property the audience already cares about instead of building it from zero. For small and local businesses, the same logic scales down easily. A local coffee shop tying a limited drink to a popular show’s premiere, or a boutique doing a capsule collection around a video game release, captures the same borrowed attention without needing a national licensing deal.
This is a distinct move from the athlete endorsement wave and generic brand mashup trend also active this fall. Entertainment IP collaborations specifically borrow narrative and fandom, not just a name or a face, which is why they tend to generate deeper engagement and more organic sharing.
How Smaller Brands Can Apply This Playbook
You don’t need Netflix or Xbox on the phone to use this trend. Look at what your customers are already watching, playing, or following, and find a low-cost way to reference it authentically, through a themed menu item, a social content series, or packaging that nods to a trending show or game without a formal licensing deal. The goal is relevance, not scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the entertainment IP marketing trend?
It’s the practice of brands licensing gaming, streaming, or film properties directly onto products, packaging, or promotions, rather than relying on generic seasonal or celebrity marketing.
How is this different from athlete endorsements or brand mashups?
Entertainment IP collaborations borrow an existing fandom and narrative world, not just a face or another brand’s name, which tends to drive deeper engagement and more organic social sharing.
Can small businesses use this trend without a licensing deal?
Yes. Small brands can reference trending shows, games, or cultural moments authentically through content, limited menu items, or packaging design without a formal IP license, as long as they avoid using protected trademarks or logos directly.
Why are brands moving faster on these tie-ins now?
Cultural relevance is short-lived. Brands are launching collaborations while a show or game is actively trending rather than waiting for a traditional seasonal calendar, to capture attention while it’s highest.