• Brandweek, Monday, May 5, 2008 10:45 AM

Five years after McDonald's started its rebound from a tarnished image and heightened competition, global CMO Mary Dillon has the task of keeping the chain's sales singing even as the company faces a new challenge: the struggling economy. (In March, same-store sales grew only 0.9%, the smallest gain in about three years.)

Dillon, now in her third year as McDonald's top marketer, is ready-armed with a flurry of integrated efforts centered on the Olympics, the "Kung Fu Panda" film and fresh "I'm Lovin' It" ads. She calls it "The Year of Innovation." McDonald's will look to activate its innovations leading up to the Olympics in Beijing, despite the many protests about the Games. This includes new global ads, an online game called The Lost Ring (which has generated two million players to date) and a chance for some lucky kids to see the Olympics live.

McD's also will continue to not only try to get kids more active via its Happy Meal promotions but also make them mini-activists. As part of a promotion around "Kung Fu Panda"-- a DreamWorks animated film opening in June in the U.S.--it will partner with Conservation International.

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