Maybe McDonald's is just feeling generous because its second-quarter net income rose by 15% and the iconic brand has been able to buck the vestiges of recession that have been afflicting so many of its competitors. Or maybe company executives are just tired of being played as villains by food activists.

Whatever the reason or reasons, McDonald's today laid out details of a new multi-pronged, multi-year commitment to boost nutrition in its menu and, to the extent it can, across American society. Most notably, it includes a major overhaul of the much-maligned Happy Meal in response to concerns about childhood obesity, as well as significant new uses of its influence in various forms of communication about food choices.

The company’s “Commitments to Offer Improved Nutrition Choices” aim to help Americans “make nutrition-minded choices whether visiting McDonald's or eating elsewhere.”Continue reading...

McDonald's last week surprised office workers in downtown Chicago Oak Brook, Illinois, with a pop-up "summer beach party" to celebrate the launch of the new McCafe Mango Pineapple Real Fruit Smoothie. Tomorrow, they can find out just how nutritious that smoothie is.

The chain will unveil its new nutrition commitments tomorrow morning via a live webcast with Jan Fields, McDonald’s USA President, and senior director of nutrition Dr. Cindy Goody.

According to the press release, it's a "long-term" (multi-year) national initiative designed to "impact consumers and communities across the country," and will involve "ongoing menu evolutions and comprehensive nutrition awareness efforts." It will also "help kids and adults nationwide make informed food decisions."

Update: Click here for the details on McDonald's new nutrition commitment

Gap Inc. announced its first major design move since ousting Gap's chief designer Patrick Robinson last month.

Following GapKids' successful collaboration with Stella McCartney, Diane von Furstenberg has been tapped to design her first childrenswear collection at Gap, slated to debut next March.

DVF is famed for her bold graphics and, of course, the wrap dress — can a Gap Wrap Dress to tots be heading to stores?Continue reading...

Michelle Obama is teaming up with the first couple of tennis, Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf, in a partnership between the United States Tennis Association and the first lady's Let’s Move campaign to fight childhood obesity.

In a new public service announcement debuting tonight on ESPN, Obama, Agassi and Graf are shown as ballpersons in a PSA that will air during telecast of the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden.

Let's Move celebrated its first anniversary earlier this month, while Agassi and Graf — parents themselves — have long been active with Agassi's Las Vegas-based foundation to help kids. Agassi, the eight-time grand slam champion and former #1 men's tennis player, is being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on July 9th.

Today is the first anniversary of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative, the government's program to combat childhood obesity.

To mark the occasion, the First Lady unveiled a new series of public service announcements that will run on-air and online.

Created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Ad Council, the PSAs aim to provide parents and caregivers throughout the country with information to help them make healthy food choices and increase physical activity.

Check them out after the jump and let us know in the comments if you think they're effective.Continue reading...

A report appearing in the February issue of Pediatrics magazine confirms what those in the advertising business already know — tobacco advertising can be highly influential on young people.

The survey of German public school students showed that 46% of young people who saw the most ads for cigarettes were more likely to try smoking than those who saw no tobacco ads. The study was conducted with children age 10 to 17 years old.

To those in the tobacco business, the new study is cause for anything but celebration.Continue reading...

SillyBrandz, the maker of the widely copied and on the wane Silly Bandz, is trying to fan the flames of the rubber bracelet phenom this holiday season.

It just launched a Silly Bandz game for the Nintendo DS platform (right), and it's coming to the iTunes store next week with its first mobile app, a game for Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices which had been slated for September. 

Declining in popularity since they peaked earlier this year, the brand this year partnered with the hottest kiddy bait on the planet (Justin Bieber) and added pricier wrist candy with a Silly Slapz watch line.

Just as Silly Bandz overtook last year's hot holiday gift — Zhu Zhu pets — it's now trying to reinvent itself in the face of this year's hot collectibles for kids.Continue reading...

Budget woes in U.S. municipalities and states are creating a newly aggressive attitude towards novel ways to raise money — and one of those ways could impact public schools.

Now under debate and consideration by the Centennial Public School District, a cluster of seven schools north of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, is whether or not the schools will accept advertising in their hallways.

Colorful vinyl ad wraps featuring large graphic decals could appear on as much as 10% of school lockers, walls, and floors if the school board approves the plan on November 1, reports the Star Tribune. The income (and temptation) from such an ad program could put an additional $184,000 into the school's pocket each year.Continue reading...