OAK BROOK, Ill., July 29, 2011 // PRNewswire // -- McDonald's invites kids and families around the world to go Smurfy blue this summer with the launch of The Smurfs®, Happy Meal promotion. Celebrating today's release of The Smurfs®, Columbia Pictures' and Sony Pictures Animation's highly anticipated 3-D family comedy, the worldwide Happy Meal program promotes the importance of good environmental stewardship and family togetherness. The Happy Meal fun, which focuses on the great taste and appeal of fruits and vegetables, kicked off at participating McDonald's restaurants in Latin America on July 14 and in North America today, rolling out around the world through November.
"McDonald's is committed to playing a positive role in children's well-being," said Kevin Newell, executive vice president and global chief brand officer, McDonald's. "The Smurfs Happy Meal program delivers great quality food choices, fun toys and engaging digital content that reinforces important environmental messages."
"By working together with McDonald's, we created a fantastic, fun and ultimately unique program that brings the enchanting world of The Smurfs to millions of people around the globe," said George Leon, executive vice president, Sony Pictures Consumer Marketing. "Our partnership is just one example of how two beloved brands can engage kids and families in new and meaningful ways."
Smurfs may only be three apples tall, but the legendary blue characters are helping McDonald's make a difference this summer in more than 100 countries around the world. Customers will see a specially created live-action and computer animated global television commercial; in-restaurant Smurf signage and packaging; and social media updates on Facebook and Twitter. The global McDonald's Happy Meal promotion will be brought to life on McDonald's interactive, online experience for kids – Stage M. The action-packed site has been Smurf'd to feature exciting new content that motivates and encourages them to be a friend of the planet. A new music video featuring Smurf characters uses colorful animation and fun tunes to teach kids about the environment. Online components also include kid-friendly activities and games focused on sustainability and augmented reality applications that allow parents and kids to Smurf-ize themselves.
Examples of innovative program extensions include:
"For more than 10 years, McDonald's and Keep America Beautiful have collaborated to keep community and social responsibility at the forefront of McDonald's operations and consumers' minds," said Matthew McKenna, president and CEO, Keep America Beautiful, Inc. "Together with McDonald's 'Smurfs' Happy Meal program, we're helping kids and families across North America easily play a role in improving the world in which they live."
In addition to the digital activation, 16 different Smurf toys in fun poses will be offered in Happy Meals beginning today through August 25.
The online kids' Smurfs experience is available through McDonald's country websites in the United States, Latin America and Asia Pacific, as well as through McDonald's global website, www.aboutmcdonalds.com.
McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with more than 32,000 locations serving approximately 64 million customers in 117 countries each day. More than 80% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women. To learn more about the company, please visit www.aboutmcdonalds.com and follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/mcdonaldscorp) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/mcdonaldscorp). For more information about McDonald's environmental efforts, please visit (http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/csr/about/sustainable_supply.html).
The story of the Smurfs - a property created by Peyo - started in 1958 with the creation of comic books which were later brought to both the big and small screen. Over the years, the little blue characters haven't just limited themselves to the page and the screen. They have inspired records and CDs that have sold millions of copies, entire collections of figurines and toys, and many more products. In all, more than 3,000 derived products have been produced and leading brands and companies have spread their messages worldwide with the help of the Smurfs. A multitude of new projects appear regularly, thus making the success of the Smurfs planetary!
The Smurfs make their first 3D trip to the big screen in Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation's hybrid live-action and animated family comedy, The Smurfs. When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the Smurfs out of their village through a magical portal, they land in the middle of New York's Central Park. Just three apples high and stuck in New York City, the Smurfs must find a way to get back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down. Directed by Raja Gosnell. The producer is Jordan Kerner. The screenplay is by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss and Jay Scherick & David Ronn from a story by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss, based on the Characters and Works of Peyo.
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 140 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its 2009 worldwide hit, the mouth-watering 3D comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and the 2007 Academy Award®-nominated Surf's Up with a full slate of feature films including the live-action/animation hybrid film The Smurfs (3D) and the family comedy, Hotel Transylvania (3D)
Lafig Belgium is the owner of the rights to produce audio-visual works based on the Smurf universe and of the Smurf worldwide licensing rights (together with IMPS). Lafig Belgium is controlled by the heirs of Pierre Culliford, better known under his pseudonym Peyo, the author/creator of the Smurfs. For 50 years, the Culliford family has controlled the Smurf characters and all licenses worldwide.
Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. With a network of more than 1,200 affiliate and participating organizations, Keep America Beautiful forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments. For more information, visit www.kab.org.
SMURF, and all the Smurfs characters: ©Peyo, All Rights Reserved. "Smurf" and "The Smurfs" are registered trademarks of STUDIO PEYO.
To access product images or logos, please visit: http://mcd.to/pjS2rn
© 2011 McDonald's
SOURCE McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the largest chain of fast-food restaurants, primarily selling hamburgers, chicken, french fries, milkshakes and soft drinks.