Recently in McDonald's Category

Informed sources say the NBA has a new lead quick service restaurant sponsor -- Taco Bell, replacing Oak Brook-based McDonald's, which had been an NBA sponsor for some 20 years. Taco Bell is a unit of the world's largest restaurant company, Louisville-based Yum! Brands. An official announcement of the newly-inked sponsorship deal is expected within the next couple of days.

Sources say the NBA's switch in principal quick service restaurant sponsors evolved from a developing relationship with Yum! that began in 2006. The NBA has been working internationally with another Yum! unit, KFC. The new sponsorship affiliation with the NBA will yield Taco Bell a number of high-profile opportunities to tout the Mexican fast food chain to a large basketball audience.

Remember "The Egg?" We sure do. The McDonald's billboard in the form of a giant egg was one of a small number of true advertising triumphs to come out of Chicago ad shops last year. And Leo Burnett/Chicago, a McDonald's roster shop created it. Now "The Egg" has won a 2009 Obie Award in the traditional billboard category. The Obie Awards are handed out by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America. Per Nancy Fletcher, OAAA president and CEO, the Obie judges every year look to honor advertising that illustrates the essence of outdoor -- simple creative that surprises and delights audience.

"The Egg," designed to crack open at daybreak to promote McDonald's fresh breakfast offerings and then slowly close up as lunch draws near, is surely one billboard execution that beautifully showed the power of great outdoor work last year. Quite coincidentally, we're sure, Leo Burnett Worldwide Chief Creative Officer Mark Tutssel headed the panel of judges that selected the 2009 Obie winners.