# Literary Fast Food Giveaways McDonald's India Will Offer Books With Happy Meals Instead of Toys By Rahul Kalvapalle | Published 2014-08-08 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/books-with-happy-meals References: [dnaindia](http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-mcdonalds-announces-that-happy-meals-will-now-be-accompanied-by-books-not-toys-2008797) & [mcdonaldsindia](http://www.mcdonaldsindia.com/happy-meals-menu.html) McDonald's India will be giving kids books with [Happy Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pikachu-promo-cards) instead of the usual toys. The initiative is the result of a partnership between the fast food chain and award-winning global publishers [Scholastic](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/literacy-campaigns) and DK. A range of 16 different books will be offered to Happy Meal customers; they will contain stories based around themes such as science, space, the human body, animals and history. The change is temporary however, and will only be instituted for the months of August and September. McDonald's says the introduction of books with Happy Meals is "part of a global strategy, undertaken with the aim of delivering more value, fun and relevance for families." The program aims to distribute a million books with the aim of helping parents inculcate good reading habits among kids. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.9/10 - Popularity: 48% | Activity: 92% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [New Ventures](https://www.trendhunter.com/newventures) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Book Giveaways:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Partnering with fast food chains to distribute books instead of toys with meals, promoting reading habits among children. - **Partnerships with Publishers:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborating with publishers to create unique and educational book offerings for promotional campaigns. - **Value-added Promotions:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implementing promotional strategies that provide more value, fun, and relevance for families beyond traditional offerings. ### Where This Applies - **Fast Food:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporating educational elements into fast food promotions to attract families and promote wholesome experiences. - **Publishing:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Expanding partnerships with non-traditional retailers, such as fast food chains, to widen the reach of book distribution and engage new audiences. - **Promotional Merchandise:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Rethinking the types of promotional items offered by businesses, such as replacing toys with books to align with educational initiatives. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Literature-Based QSR Promotions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jollibee-values-meals.md) - [Nostalgic QSR Miniature Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/happy-meal-collectibles.md) - [Creature-Collecting Kids Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pokemon-happy-meal.md) - [Playful Adult-Oriented QSR Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/adult-happy-meals.md) - [Expansive QSR Toy Ranges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hello-kitty-happy-meals.md) - [Nostalgic Kidult Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/happy-meals-for-adults.md) - [Kids-Focused Space-Themed Collaborations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spacethemed-collaboration.md) - [Pet Toy QSR Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/happy-doggy.md) - [Film-Inspired Holiday Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grinch-meal.md)