• Chicago Breaking Business/Dow Jones Newswires , Tuesday, July 13, 2010 11:25 AM

McDonald's is launching it national smoothies campaign today with a budget "hitherto unseen by the category," Paul Ziobro reports. Without getting into details, McDonald's marketing director Sofia Therios admits the company is making a "respectable investment" in the new -- for it -- category.

"Even though we aren't the first in the category, we are committed to grow the category," Therios tells Ziobro. "We're open to taking market share on the way." Other key players who might have other ideas about the latter part of that notion include Jamba Juice, Starbucks and Panera Bread.

McDonald's will highlight its $2.29 price for a 12-ounce blend, which come in strawberry-banana and wild berry flavors. Jamba Juice's smoothies start at $3.55 for 16 ounces. McDonald's TV spots feature dancers depicting the blending and pouring of the frozen fruit drinks, and participating outlets will hold three national sampling days starting July 22.

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