INTERNATIONAL: McDonald’s hires Intermarkets PR for Middle East

DUBAI: McDonald’s Middle East Development Company has appointed

Burson-Marsteller affiliate Intermarkets PR to handle its corporate and

consumer PR throughout the region.

The development company manages McDonald’s business regionally,

operating its franchise system. The fast food chain has 25,000

restaurants worldwide, including 110 in the Middle East.

McDonald’s is already a global client of B-M’s, but Intermarkets had to

compete against the incumbent, advertising agency Fortune Promoseven,

for the work. Intermarkets, which has offices in nine Middle Eastern

locations, signed a contract with McDonald’s at the end of last

month.

Intermarkets regional chief operating officer Roger Fennings will

oversee the account, which begins officially in January.

Fennings said: ’We will be doing corporate communications, including

crisis management; regional communications to co-ordinate the messages,

activities and products McDonald’s are promoting and we have a local

remit to liaise with franchisees on local projects.’

Intermarkets’ other clients include Coca-Cola, oil company BP, car

manufacturer Nissan, and credit card company Visa International. The

agency has offices in Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia,

Syria, Yemen and Dubai.