1159 ET - McDonald's mascot Grimace is back and he's helping drive engagement with the fast-food chain in Europe. McDonald's says it reintroduced Grimace in Germany with a full menu of purple-themed offerings. The return of the giant purple taste bud brought significant social-media interaction, including 57 million views across social platforms, Chief Financial Ian Borden tells analysts on a call. Borden says the campaign reinforced an emotional connection with the brand and benefited top-line performance. Germany was a key driver of the 1.5% same-store sales growth internationally, which helped offset underperformance in the U.S.