McDonald’s Corp. is readying a global initiative to promote walking as exercise.

Big Mac signed an endorsement deal with Polish speed-walker Robert Korzeniowski, a three-time Olympic gold medallist who will serve as spokesperson for the campaign, which likely will have some classroom execution.

“Walking is the most democratic sport,” said McDonald’s CMO Larry Light, who mentioned the deal (but didn’t give details) at the IEG Sponsorship Conference this week.

Korzeniowski is the second athlete McDonald’s has signed this year: Its February deal with Yao Ming makes the NBA wunderkind the first-ever global spokesperson for McDonald’s (Feb. 17 Xtra).

Meanwhile, watch for Ronald McDonald to appear “in surprising places” as Oak Brook, IL-based McDonald’s “lets him out of the playpen” to target adults as well as kids, Light said. Ronald already has shown up in a sidecar at a 2003 Harley Davidson ride; on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; and strolling Hollywood with contestants from The Bachelor. In Australia, McD has seeded five- to seven-second TV spots into programs, putting Ronald in settings suited to each show.

Light also had an admonishment for conference attendees: “Marketing has corrupted the word ‘promotion,'” he told the crowd. “‘Promotion’ has become an evil empire, and we talk about advertising versus promotion. ‘To promote’ means ‘to elevate,’ to raise to a higher level. Let’s get out of the mindset that there’s a promotion budget and there’s an advertising budget; it’s all promotion. Every ad that carries our name promotes our brand.”

McDonald’s Corp. is readying a global initiative to promote walking as exercise.

Big Mac signed an endorsement deal with Polish speed-walker Robert Korzeniowski, a three-time Olympic gold medallist who will serve as spokesperson for the campaign, which likely will have some classroom execution.

“Walking is the most democratic sport,” said McDonald’s CMO Larry Light, who mentioned the deal (but didn’t give details) at the IEG Sponsorship Conference this week.

Korzeniowski is the second athlete McDonald’s has signed this year: Its February deal with Yao Ming makes the NBA wunderkind the first-ever global spokesperson for McDonald’s (Feb. 17 Xtra).

Meanwhile, watch for Ronald McDonald to appear “in surprising places” as Oak Brook, IL-based McDonald’s “lets him out of the playpen” to target adults as well as kids, Light said. Ronald already has shown up in a sidecar at a 2003 Harley Davidson ride; on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; and strolling Hollywood with contestants from The Bachelor. In Australia, McD has seeded five- to seven-second TV spots into programs, putting Ronald in settings suited to each show.

Light also had an admonishment for conference attendees: “Marketing has corrupted the word ‘promotion,'” he told the crowd. “‘Promotion’ has become an evil empire, and we talk about advertising versus promotion. ‘To promote’ means ‘to elevate,’ to raise to a higher level. Let’s get out of the mindset that there’s a promotion budget and there’s an advertising budget; it’s all promotion. Every ad that carries our name promotes our brand.”