The Collectible Connection

Can children be tempted into healthier eating habits through the promise of receiving a collectible toy? The answer is yes, especially if that toy is the final piece needed to complete a set. This was the surprising finding in a two-part study of preschoolers by marketing professor T. Bettina Cornwell and her coauthor, Anna McAlister, University of Wisconsin–Madison. "What was interesting to us," said Cornwell, "was that the presence of the collectible toy moved the healthier food option up to the point that it was just as likable as the fast-food offering." The high-profile study is sure to add a new twist to a debate that has lead to bans on the giveaways in some areas and an anti-ban backlash in others. Watch a video interview and get more details.