Big Mac's 40th Anniversary Celebration Continues with Fresh Mix
OAK BROOK, Ill., June 18 -- McDonald's USA launched a
national casting call today inviting consumers to submit a video or audio
remix of the popular Big Mac chant on MySpace.com/BigMacChant. The winning
remix will be featured in a McDonald's Big Mac TV commercial that will air
at the end of July. Semi-finalists will be selected by a panel of judges
and the winner will be chosen through an online vote by July 22.*
Keith Reinhard, Chairman Emeritus of DDB Worldwide, and his creative
group at Needham Harper & Steers developed the famous
"Twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesameseedbun(R)
" Big Mac jingle in 1974. Now, to continue the celebration of the
sandwich's 40th anniversary, McDonald's is giving consumers a chance to
rediscover their love of the Big Mac with a fresh new twist.
"For 40 years, the Big Mac has been a familiar favorite not only to our
guests in the United States, but around the world," said Neil Golden, chief
marketing officer, McDonald's USA. "To share in the pride we have for our
flagship sandwich, we're inviting our customers to join in the fun and add
their own contemporary touch to the famous tongue-twister that celebrates
the quality ingredients in our iconic sandwich."
Jim "MJ" Delligatti, one of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc's earliest
franchisees, invented the Big Mac in his Uniontown, Pa. restaurant and
introduced it for 45 cents in 1967. Consisting of two 100% all-beef
patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame-seed
bun, the Big Mac quickly gained popularity and was introduced on McDonald's
national menu in 1968.
To kick-off the year-long anniversary celebration last August,
Delligatti and his family officially opened the doors to the McDonald's Big
Mac Museum Restaurant -- "the most tasteful museum in the world" -- in
North Huntingdon, Pa. The combo museum/restaurant features the world's
largest Big Mac statue (measuring 14 feet high and 12 feet wide), and
hundreds of historic artifacts and high-tech exhibits that celebrate the
Big Mac. The museum/restaurant is one of 18 McDonald's restaurants owned
and operated by M&J Management, a three-generation family business and
McDonald's franchise organization for 50 years.
Today, more than 500 million Big Mac sandwiches are sold each year in
America alone. The sandwich is sold in more than 100 countries and, because
of its global presence, inspired The Economist Magazine's "Big Mac Index,"
an annual comparison of foreign currency values against the U.S. dollar.
About McDonald's
McDonald's USA, LLC is the leading foodservice provider in the United
States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients
to millions of customers every day. More than 80 percent of McDonald's
13,700 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local
franchisees. For more information about McDonald's visit
http://www.mcdonalds.com. For more information on the Big Mac including
historical facts, commercials and high resolution images, visit
http://www.mcdepk.com/yousowantone.
* Terms and conditions apply. Visit http://www.MySpace.com/BigMacChant for
more information and submission guidelines.
(C) 2008 McDonald's
For more information contact:
Molly McKenna, McDonald's USA
630-623-6593
Jana Rhodes, GolinHarris
312-729-4221
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