McDonald's Feeds Canadians' Imagination with the Launch of Happy Meal Books

TORONTO, ON (October 30, 2013) – McDonald’s Canada today announced that it will offer books in its Happy Meals at participating restaurants for a two-week promotion starting November 1, while supplies last. The promotion includes four limited edition books, offered in sequence, which feature Happy Meal original characters with fun and playful themes, and a focus on nutrition and imagination. The company is also introducing monthly e-books, which are available on McPlay™, McDonald’s Happy Meal app.

“As a top family destination, we’re proud to offer Happy Meal books for parents and kids to enjoy together and to foster the joy of reading,” said Joel Yashinsky, Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald’s Canada. “In recent years we’ve made significant strides to enhance the Happy Meal experience and the launch of this program is another step towards that commitment.”
The books were developed to bring each character and their adventures to life, while delivering a nutritional message that’s relatable for children. The books include:

·         The Goat Who Ate Everything – Tells the story of a goat who has a big appetite and struggles to eat right, but when he does, he feels great and becomes the playful ‘kid’ everyone loves.

·         Deana’s Big Dreams – Shares how Deana, the world’s smallest dinosaur, grew tall by eating right.

·         Ant, Can’t – Features Ant, a bite-sized bodybuilder who’s big on encouraging physical fitness through exercise and eating right.

·         Doddi the Dodo Goes to Orlando – Follows happy-go-lucky bird Doddi, who travels the world. She eats right because this dodo is always on the go-go.

Customers can also interact with a digital version of The Goat Who Ate Everything – the first e-book available for free download via McPlay.

The launch of books in the Happy Meal is part of McDonald’s ongoing commitment to evolve the Happy Meal to reflect customers’ changing wants and needs, while championing children’s happiness and well-being. Happy Meal offerings include a Danino® Strawberry Yogurt, the choice of apple slices, small or mini-size French fries, and the choice of a low-fat dairy option like 1 per cent white or chocolate milk .

The launch of Happy Meal books is supported by marketing elements including a TV spot and in-store merchandising. *

*Excludes Quebec