• by Nina Lentini  @Nina_Lentini, May 9, 2007

It's all things Shrek at McDonald's around the world.

Beginning Friday, McDonald's will air a new global TV spot with original animation created by DreamWorks as part of the companies' promotion of Shrek3. Customized by countries, it will start in the U.S. and roll out throughout the world in the next few months.

From high-tech Shrek Happy Meal toys in eight languages to an online community for kids, the fast-food giant is launching one of its largest promotions and its biggest promotion yet of fruit, vegetables and milk.

On Friday, the movie character will arrive at McDonald's North American restaurants, a week in advance of the release of "Shrek the Third" in movie theaters. With a "Go for Green" message, McDonald's campaign will showcase healthier food options at the restaurants. Low-fat white or chocolate milk will be served in child-friendly containers with Shrek packaging to encourage consumption.

U.S. and Canadian McDonald's will also offer limited-edition Shrek Arch Cards and four collector's glasses.

In other parts of the world, promotions include:

Australia: "Far Far Away Pasta Happy Meal" with Shrek-shaped pasta. Consumers can win one of five "Family Ogre-Whelming" Shrek Adventures to such locations as Sea World Resort and Warner Bros. Movie World.

Europe: In partnership with Nokia, promotion for young adults in which they can send text messages to receive Shrek screen shots and animations.

Hong Kong, Singapore and Russia: Shrek ears sales benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Latin America: Fiona Salads. An outdoor campaign featuring Shrek will include road and public transportation billboards, oversized airport posters, full-covered exterior train ads and a unique escalator teaser.

United Kingdom: Shrek Happy Meals will have carrot sticks, organic milk and fruit bags. McDonald's U.K. is teaming with HarperCollins Children's Books and WH Smith to offer vouchers on Happy Meal boxes for discounts on exclusive Shrek books.

Online, the company has turned to promoting kids' well-being with a new site, "Shrek Treketh to Adventure," designed to stimulate imagination and activity through online games and energetic, offline activities and challenges. As kids complete each activity, they earn points redeemable for digital downloads such as sound mixers, screensavers and IM buddy icons.

Beginning Friday, the site will be up in English. Beyond that, it will roll out in multiple languages. It also will expand with new activities coinciding with future company initiatives that will include Sony Pictures Entertainment's "Surf's Up" and DreamWorks Animation's "Bee Movie."

The site will also expand to help kids and families learn more about World Children's Day, an annual fund-raiser for kids in need around the world, and to experience the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, of which McDonald's is a leading sponsor.

Meanwhile, the Oak Brook-Ill.-based company reported yesterday that its global comparable-store sales rose 4.8% in April on continued expansion in Asia and Europe.

Overall sales rose 9.6% in April. Comparable-store sales rose 3.5% in the U.S., McDonald's said, noting that its Snack Wrap product continues to sell well.

On a year-to-date basis, McDonald's said U.S. comp-stores sales are up 5.9%, compared with a 5.5% growth rate in the same four-month period a year ago.