Happy, the animated Happy Meal box mascot, was introduced by McDonald's in 2014 to promote healthy eating for children. However, the internet immediately reacted to its hyper-realistic googly eyes and massive, toothy mouth, finding it more unsettling than appetizing. This 'uncanny valley' effect turned Happy into a symbol of forced positivity, chaotic energy, and existential dread. The meme is widely used to represent someone who is smiling through a disaster or to parody corporate attempts at being 'relatable' that miss the mark.