The Clown Prince
01-08-2002, 03:16 AM
This comes courtesy of IGN.com....
"Sony Slings Promo Web
Sony has signed with several unorthodox promotional partners to feed consumers the Spider-Man hype.
by Brian Linder
2002-01-05
Promotional tie-ins are a tricky business. The benefits for the participating restaurants and food companies are often intangible, but it's just become an accepted part of the business. However, some companies have begun to restructure their policy on partnering and promotions. The best example of this is Tricon, the company that owns Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken. The company was slammed by the lackluster performance of costly Phantom Menace promotions in 1999 and has adopted a new approach to partnering.
One Tricon official said in a recent interview, "What we've learned from Star Wars is that our focus is the business of selling pizzas, not selling movies or toys or plastic. The company is not outright abstaining from cross-promotions in the future, but the focus must be selling the product. Often times you will see fast food operations jumping on board with movies and tie-ins where it doesn't seem to make much sense. We're not going to jump on some sort of promotion just so the competition doesn't."
That shift was bad news for Sony who had planned to partner with Taco Bell for a huge Spider-Man promotion. The Bell dropped out of the deal. Instead, as reported in today's Hollywood Reporter, Spidey will be partnering with Hardee's and Carl's Jr. restaurants. Yuck! I can only attest to the crappy quality of the Hardee's restaurants in my area (the Southeast), but I wouldn't eat there if they were giving the stuff away. Hardee's, around here anyway, are dated and dirty places where the employee's unhappily serve up some of the greasiest fast food available. I just can't wait to suck down a big fat Frisco" Burger and some nasty fries so I can get my paws on that Spider-Man antenna topper! Bleh!
The promotion begins the week of April 15 and will run for a month. It will be supported by TV and radio spots in addition to extensive in-store signage. In mid-May, restaurants will shift to a Spider-Man kids meal promotion, even though the film is PG-13. Premiums will include antenna toppers and plastic collectors' cups.
Sony has slung its promotional web into the soft drink and candy markets as well. Dr. Pepper, a hugely under-appreciated beverage if you ask me, will also participate in an April-July promotion. The soft drink maker is creating a 30-second TV commercial featuring the web-slinger himself, as well as print ads, a dedicated website, various point-of-sale materials and a movie-themed sweepstakes. Dr. Pepper will also feature the all-important collectible decorated cans and packaging highlighting the promotion. And don't forget that product placement! Don't be surprised if Aunt May's fridge is stocked full of the choice brown beverage.
Hershey's also gets a piece of the Spidey sweets. They'll distribute a free-standing insert in late April, along with decorated packaging, retail signage and three Spider-Man posters as a mail-in offer.
The combined deals are reportedly worth around $20 million. Further details and other promotional partners should be announced in the next few weeks, around the annual Toy Fair in New York." -End of Article
Begin to Rant: First off, Hardees?! I've eaten there once and never will again. UGH! Second, I love Dr. Pepper and it is an under-appreciated drink. I'm glad to see them involved if they have to be with all this promotional crap.
I can understand Pizza Hut not wanting to it, and same with Taco Bell. Though I'm not sure if they got burned or not when Batman and Robin came out. They were promoting the heck out of that movie and it turned out to be a bomb.
God, I hate promotional advertising. I really, really do.
The Clown Prince
"Sony Slings Promo Web
Sony has signed with several unorthodox promotional partners to feed consumers the Spider-Man hype.
by Brian Linder
2002-01-05
Promotional tie-ins are a tricky business. The benefits for the participating restaurants and food companies are often intangible, but it's just become an accepted part of the business. However, some companies have begun to restructure their policy on partnering and promotions. The best example of this is Tricon, the company that owns Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken. The company was slammed by the lackluster performance of costly Phantom Menace promotions in 1999 and has adopted a new approach to partnering.
One Tricon official said in a recent interview, "What we've learned from Star Wars is that our focus is the business of selling pizzas, not selling movies or toys or plastic. The company is not outright abstaining from cross-promotions in the future, but the focus must be selling the product. Often times you will see fast food operations jumping on board with movies and tie-ins where it doesn't seem to make much sense. We're not going to jump on some sort of promotion just so the competition doesn't."
That shift was bad news for Sony who had planned to partner with Taco Bell for a huge Spider-Man promotion. The Bell dropped out of the deal. Instead, as reported in today's Hollywood Reporter, Spidey will be partnering with Hardee's and Carl's Jr. restaurants. Yuck! I can only attest to the crappy quality of the Hardee's restaurants in my area (the Southeast), but I wouldn't eat there if they were giving the stuff away. Hardee's, around here anyway, are dated and dirty places where the employee's unhappily serve up some of the greasiest fast food available. I just can't wait to suck down a big fat Frisco" Burger and some nasty fries so I can get my paws on that Spider-Man antenna topper! Bleh!
The promotion begins the week of April 15 and will run for a month. It will be supported by TV and radio spots in addition to extensive in-store signage. In mid-May, restaurants will shift to a Spider-Man kids meal promotion, even though the film is PG-13. Premiums will include antenna toppers and plastic collectors' cups.
Sony has slung its promotional web into the soft drink and candy markets as well. Dr. Pepper, a hugely under-appreciated beverage if you ask me, will also participate in an April-July promotion. The soft drink maker is creating a 30-second TV commercial featuring the web-slinger himself, as well as print ads, a dedicated website, various point-of-sale materials and a movie-themed sweepstakes. Dr. Pepper will also feature the all-important collectible decorated cans and packaging highlighting the promotion. And don't forget that product placement! Don't be surprised if Aunt May's fridge is stocked full of the choice brown beverage.
Hershey's also gets a piece of the Spidey sweets. They'll distribute a free-standing insert in late April, along with decorated packaging, retail signage and three Spider-Man posters as a mail-in offer.
The combined deals are reportedly worth around $20 million. Further details and other promotional partners should be announced in the next few weeks, around the annual Toy Fair in New York." -End of Article
Begin to Rant: First off, Hardees?! I've eaten there once and never will again. UGH! Second, I love Dr. Pepper and it is an under-appreciated drink. I'm glad to see them involved if they have to be with all this promotional crap.
I can understand Pizza Hut not wanting to it, and same with Taco Bell. Though I'm not sure if they got burned or not when Batman and Robin came out. They were promoting the heck out of that movie and it turned out to be a bomb.
God, I hate promotional advertising. I really, really do.
The Clown Prince