This summer, McDonald’s restaurants nationwide will dive into a promotion that includes
three New Tastes Menu(TM) products and a Happy Meal collection with an Atlantis: The Lost Empire theme. The movie is Walt Disney
Pictures’ latest animated feature film.
The Atlantis: The Lost Empire in-store promotion, themed “Discover Two Worlds: One of Taste; One of Mystery,” runs from June 15 to
July 10. Starring in the “World of Taste” portion of the promotion will be three New Tastes Menu products—Eggs Benedict McMuffin®,
Hot Ham ‘N Cheese sandwich and in select markets, a BBQ Chicken sandwich. The New Tastes Menu is a permanent part of the
McDonald’s restaurant menu board that features a rotation of new products designed to bring taste, value and variety to customers. As
part of the “World of Mystery,” the promotion brings the adventure and mystique of Atlantis: The Lost Empire to McDonald’s customers
through a set of nine Happy Meal toys, movie-themed packaging on cups, fry boxes, carry-out bags and in-restaurant decor.
“Through McDonald’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire promotion, we are bringing to customers some new tastes they are really going to
love. We also think kids will have fun with these new Happy Meal toys linked to this blockbuster summer movie,” said R. J. Milano, vice
president, McDonald’s U.S. Marketing. “Both kids and adults will enjoy the great ‘discoveries’ at McDonald’s this summer.”
There are a variety of components to McDonald’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire promotion:
New Tastes Menu products
• The Hot Ham ‘N Cheese sandwich includes sliced ham, American cheese,
lettuce and tomato on a triple split, sesame seed bun with a choice of
mayonnaise or honey mustard sauce.
• The Eggs Benedict McMuffin breakfast sandwich is made up of Canadian
style bacon, egg, special breakfast sauce, and American cheese on a
toasted English muffin.
• The BBQ Chicken sandwich has seasoned BBQ sauce over shredded chicken
served on a bun and will be offered in select markets nationwide.
The Happy Meal toys consist of a collectable series featuring the main characters and vehicles from the movie, which allow kids to
recreate the movie from start to finish. Some of the toys included in the set are Milo Thatch—the movie’s lead character —in a
submarine-like vehicle that has a flashing red light when pushed; the Atlantean crystal that functions as a necklace and lights up when
a button is pressed; Audrey in an Oiler truck that makes ink stamps as it moves along; and Leviathan, a creature that has
water-squirting claws. One toy is included with each Happy Meal and can be purchased at participating McDonald’s restaurants, while
supplies last.
To capture the excitement and adventure of the movie for McDonald’s customers, artwork featuring maps, submarines and the
mysterious continent of Atlantis will be included on fry boxes, cups, carry out bags and trayliners, as well as on in-restaurant decor.
An advertising campaign supporting the McDonald’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire promotion will begin June 15. Adult general market TV,
radio and print spots were created by DDB Chicago and Leo Burnett Company, Chicago created the general market TV and print
Happy Meal commercials. Hispanic TV and radio advertising was developed by del Rivero Messianu Advertising, Miami, and
African-American TV, radio and print spots were created by Burrell Advertising, Chicago.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire is an animated feature about an inexperienced young adventurer who becomes the key to unraveling an
ancient mystery when he joins up with a group of daredevil explorers to find the lost empire of Atlantis. At the movie’s center is
museum cartographer Milo Thatch (voice of Michael J. Fox) who dreams of completing the quest begun by his grandfather, a famous
explorer. He takes part in an expedition with a lively group of experts, including Preston B. Whitmore (John Mahoney), led by Captain
Rourke (James Garner) to find Atlantis. Other celebrities lending their voices to the movie characters include Phil Morris as Dr. Joshua
Sweet, Cree Summer as Princess “Kida,” and Jacqueline Obradors as Audrey. The
McDonald’s Corporation and The Walt Disney Company® are global alliance partners in an exclusive 10-year multi-divisional,
multi-national relationship. McDonald’s has exclusive restaurant industry marketing rights to Disney properties, including film, home
video, theme parks and television.
The Walt Disney Company is the world’s foremost family entertainment company engaged in animated and live-action film and
television production; cable and broadcast television; theme parks and resorts; character merchandise licensing; consumer products
retailing; and book, magazine and music publishing.