McDonald’s UK is offering children a free e-book download with every Happy Meal, in association with Kobo, as part of its Happy Reader scheme meal boxes will be printed with a download voucher.
The promotion is in response to research from Nielsen Book Services that suggests one in ten children’s books are now bought in digital format, as access to digital devices has grown and traditional book ownership is diminishing; while nine in ten children aged five to 15 now live in a household where they have access to the internet through a PC, laptop or netbook and in the last year, home use of tablet computers by children of the same age group has tripled.
“Kids today have come to know and expect content in digital form and introducing free e-books to the Happy Meal is another way in which we’re creating choice and keeping in step with our customers,” said Alistair Macrow, senior vice president, chief marketing officer, McDonald’s UK.
This is the first time McDonald’s has embraced digital books as part of its ‘Happy Readers’ campaign, which has already seen two annual books promotions get millions of copies of popular children’s books to families and £1 book vouchers feature prominently on the side of the Happy Meal box.
