Global reach, global impact
McDonald’s has a long history of sponsoring global events that create strong, relevant connections with our customers everywhere. In 2007 and 2008, we continued as official sponsors of two global sports events – the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup – that enrich the lives of children and adults alike through inclusion and awareness.
The Olympic Games
We have been a proud supporter of the Olympic Movement for 40 years. As a System, we believe in the spirit of the Games and their unique ability to engage the world in a way that is constructive and inspirational. We recognize the power of the Games to reinforce excellence, unity and achievement among people the world over. Our goal is always to bring that spirit to our customers. That is what our Olympic sponsorship is all about.
Concerning political issues, we believe they need to be resolved by governments and international bodies like the United Nations, where they can most effectively drive discussions, diplomacy and help speed solutions.
McDonald’s history with the Olympics – a snapshot
McDonald’s takes great pride in being a long-time Olympic supporter. Here’s a brief history of our commitment to the Olympic Games.
1968: Just 13 years after opening our first restaurant, McDonald’s began our support of the Olympic Movement by airlifting hamburgers to U.S. athletes competing in Grenoble, France, where they reported being homesick for American hamburgers.
1976: McDonald’s became an Official Sponsor of the Olympic Games at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.
1998: For the first time, McDonald’s officially provided food service for athletes at the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. This was also our first opportunity to bring the fun and excitement of the Olympic Games to our customers around the world through our official global sponsorship and local promotions.
2000 and beyond: McDonald’s continues our Worldwide Sponsorship of the Olympic Games and our commitment to serving food to millions of athletes, coaches, their families and fans. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games marked McDonald’s sixth Olympic Games as a Worldwide Partner and seventh as the Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games. McDonald’s current sponsorship will continue through the 2012 Games in London.
Connecting McDonald’s to the 2008 Olympic Games
As part of McDonald’s ongoing commitment to children and our people, we launched several initiatives that make a strong connection to the Olympic movement.
- Champion Kids: Mini Olympic journalists in Beijing
We created the McDonald’s Champion Kids program to engage young people worldwide in activities that reinforced sport, fitness and fun. This grassroots outreach program provided more than 200 kids from around the world with the opportunity to travel to Beijing and report their stories and experiences back to their local communities and hometown news outlets. Children from more than 40 countries had a chance to see the games, meet Olympic athletes, visit historic sights and interact with kids from different cultures around the globe. Fourteen-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps served as McDonald’s Global Ambassador for the program.- McDonald’s Olympic Champion Crew
As part of our Olympic sponsorship, we honored the hard work and exceptional service of our restaurant employees by bringing our best to serve the world’s best at the Games. Nearly 1,400 of McDonald’s top-performing crew members were chosen to experience first-hand the fun and excitement of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and serve the world’s top athletes, coaches, officials, media and spectators at four McDonald’s Olympic restaurants.
Feeding the world’s athletes
In 2008, McDonald’s served as the Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games for the seventh time. Four official Olympic-venue restaurants served food during the games. One, in the Olympic Village, was for athletes, who enjoyed the full spectrum of menu options - from favorites such as the Big Mac sandwich to Premium Chicken offerings, including salads, Fruit n’ Yogurt Parfaits, and Corn Cups (a local favorite). Another restaurant served media representatives at the Main Press Center. Two more served spectators in the main activity area called the Olympic Green.
FIFA World Cup: Uniting customers through the thrill of football
As part of our tradition of supporting football (soccer in the U.S.) on both the global and grassroots levels, we have served as an Official Partner of the FIFA World Cup since 1994. As a FIFA World Cup Sponsor through 2014, we’re continuing to bring the world’s passion for football to life for millions of fans through special creative promotions, contests, ads and in-store activations in more than 100 countries around the world.
The centerpiece of our FIFA World Cup sponsorship is the Player Escort Program. Through this initiative, more than 1,400 children ages 6-10 have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to realize their dreams by escorting the world’s best football players hand-in-hand onto the field before all official FIFA World Cup matches.
Our relationship with FIFA demonstrates our ongoing commitment to promoting balanced, active lifestyles. As a global network of local family restaurants, McDonald’s encourages thousands of families and children to participate in community football activities through such means as sponsorships of clubs, youth football schools and junior tournaments.