McDonald’s Kicks off 100-Day Countdown To Winter Olympics

McDonald’s is counting down the days for the start of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy as the top sponsor and official restaurant of the Games.

The QSR is rolling out a series of initiatives for its 2006 Olympic Games plans, including locating two official Olympic venue McDonald’s restaurants in the Torino Olympic Village and main press center with the first-ever McCafé, the worldwide debut of McDonald’s nutrition information on packaging and McDonald’s Olympic Champion crew.

As the official restaurant for the sixth consecutive Games, McDonald’s will feed more than 15,000 athletes, coaches, officials and media at its Olympic venue restaurants. Both restaurants will open at the end of January. For the first time at the Games, McDonald’s will unveil the McCafé, featuring premium espresso-based coffees, made-to-order specialty drinks and a variety of cookies and snacks.

TV spots will support the Olympic initiative. The new commercials will debut in early January. Select countries around the world will offer special restaurant promotions and Olympic-theme advertising to celebrate the Games.

One of the featured components to the sponsorship includes the McDonald’s Olympic Champion blog, an online web diary where visitors can learn about crewmembers’ journeys to the Games, their adventures in Torino and their overall experience. The site is expected to launch in February.

McDonald’s first became an official sponsor of the Olympic games in 1976.