Young Women: McDonald's Wants You

McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) is launching a new entree just in time for the Olympics. Hold onto your socks, everybody -- it's chicken.

Yes, the fast food giant already sells chicken in the form of its Chicken McNuggets, but this new meal will be a different experience entirely. Get ready for bigger pieces of chicken, America.

Size seems to be about all that separates the new entree, named Chicken Selects, and Chicken McNuggets. Chicken Selects, which are similar to chicken fingers found at other restaurants, feature lightly breaded all-white meat and come with a variety of dipping sauces, just like McNuggets. At long last, though, customers who would have liked to order McNuggets -- if only the nuggets were larger! -- need not despair. Their ship has come in.

All right, I'm having some fun at McDonald's expense. The fact is, the company has had noteworthy success with its new, healthy options, as well as not-so-healthy new items such as the McGriddle. The Chicken Selects may not be particularly unique, but they could be part of a larger concerted effort to appeal to an important customer segment.

McDonald's is planning an advertising blitz for Chicken Selects, using soccer star Mia Hamm and tennis champion Serena Williams as spokespeople. The restaurant operator claims the new chicken will target an older demographic than McNuggets, but the ad campaign seems to be particularly zeroing in on young women. Capturing more of this segment, which has traditionally been more diet-conscious, could bring rich rewards.

McDonald's strategy of continually introducing new fare while staying true to its staples, burgers and fries, seems to be broadening its appeal and remaking its image without alienating traditional customers. It's a lesson Yum! Brands' (NYSE: YUM) KFC chain should take to heart. It's questionable whether Chicken Selects will be enough to keep McDonald's sales humming, but innovations in other areas offer some hope for more top-notch results.

Fool contributor Brian Gorman is a freelance writer in Chicago. He does not own shares of any companies mentioned in this article.