McDonald's markets new festive food items in exploring Asian market

McDonald's has been serving new food items in its first marketing initiative to span nine markets in North and Southeast Asia for the Chinese Lunar new year, a McDonald's top administrator said here Friday. Marvin Shaley, president of McDonald's in Asia, Middle East and Africa, said the initiative called Prosperity program is timed for the Chinese Lunar New Year next month. Spanning six ethnic groups, eight religions and 10 languages, the program is being run in more than 2,200 McDonald's restaurants in China's mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Indonesia. Apart from the Prosperity Burger which has been served in Hong Kong from Dec. 30 last year until the end of February this year, McDonald's has invented other new food items with bright decorative colors to create a festive mood. Since Chinese Lunar New Year is a traditional time in Asia for celebrating with family and enjoying food, McDonald's wants to celebrate the cultural diversity of Asia through food and create an early festive spirit in the lead up to the lunar new year holidays, Shaley said. He hoped this campaign could give McDonald's the strongest possible start to 2005. -Xinhua News Agency