McDonald's, having doubled profits in 2006 and seemingly safely entrenched in the fourth year of an impressive turnaround, is nevertheless conducting a $1-2 million global brand study to make sure it is on the right track, and it's shifting national creative duties on its $100 million breakfast account - its biggest - Ad Age reports.

Mary Dillon, exec VP-global marketing officer, tapped Omnicom Group's Interbrand to oversee the branding study that McDonald's hopes will keep it abreast of consumer trends. "Consumer needs and attitudes change every day, so we have to be out ahead of it," she is quoted as saying.

McDonalds has also brought on consultant Just Kid, Stamford, Conn., to compile intelligence on global youth trends, as well as AKQA, San Francisco, to develop the marketer's global digital strategy. McDonalds spent $15 million on digital in 2005.

The fast-food chain is reassigning its U.S. national breakfast account from DDB Chicago to two of its largest field-marketing agencies: Havas's Arnold Worldwide, Boston, and independent Moroch, Dallas.