It was a classic double-dip.
Baskin-Robbins came back for seconds on Shrek’s November video premiere after its spring fling with the theatrical release gave the ice cream chain its best sales increase in 15 years. (See Feature Film, page 46.)
Here’s the cherry on top: The video tie-in did even better.
DreamWorks approached Baskin-Robbins shortly after Shrek premiered in theaters to boffo results; the video tie-in was “a no-brainer,” says Joe Adney, senior vp-marketing at Baskin-Robbins, Glendale, CA. “We jumped on it even though the [original] program wasn’t done yet.”
The theatrical release “had been such a success it seemed natural” to partner again for the home video, adds Erin Garay, director of promotions for Norm Marshall & Associates, Sun Valley, CA, the chain’s agency of record. “Franchisees were very excited about it.”
The two-month promotion built on the spring campaign, when fans first tasted Hot Sludge Sundae and Shrek’d Out Chocolate Mint ice cream. Familiarity with the characters and flavors helped boost store traffic 17 percent in November — an off-season record. (Sales rose a crisp five percent in December.)
“People were asking for Shrek products months after [the spring promo] had run its course, so it was great to bring them back with the video release,” says Adney.
The second campaign centered on a DreamWorks instant-win game that delivered free-scoop prizes in 15 million VHS and DVD packages. (Videos also contained a coupon for $2 off cakes.)
To support the campaign and the video’s release, Baskin-Robbins ran $1 million in 10-second TV spots (via Los Angeles-based PIC-TV) as well as 30-second spots on Cartoon Network. Meanwhile, DreamWorks added Baskin-Robbins imagery to TV spots and video displays in 40,000 stores.
“It was tricky asking franchisees to give away ice cream in the winter,” admits Adney. “They questioned whether we could drive incremental business or if they’d just be handing out ice cream.”
The other worry was staffing. Shops have fewer employees in winter, and headquarters didn’t want franchisees unprepared. “We had a lot of folks in that first week” of the video’s release, he says. “But we didn’t get caught short.”
And the extra work was worth the effort: Same-store sales jumped eight percent over the three-month promo window. “It rejuvenates the franchisee system to have this kind of sales bump in the off-season,” says Adney.
Two home runs with the same property in the same year have set an ambitious standard for the chain’s future promos. “Talk about the shoes I have to fill now,” laughs Garay.
“DreamWorks is very demanding and has high standards, but they’ll work things out with us,” says Adney. “They’ve driven us to do things better, and have embraced everything we wanted to do.”
The chain was a relative newcomer to tie-ins, but was “really open to different possibilities,” says Wendy Ryding, head of national promotions at DreamWorks, Glendale. “They really put their arms around the property.”
Next up is a summer collaboration behind DreamWorks’ Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. The effort will include special products in stores and in-theater events with Loews Cinemas.
The Shrek is Back! campaign was Baskin-Robbins’ first major winter push, says Adney, who joined the chain in 1998 after eight years with Walt Disney Co. Conventional wisdom held that Baskin-Robbins couldn’t bump winter sales enough to justify any spending for marketing. But a December 1999 tie-in with the direct-to-video Casper’s Haunted Christmas (from Universal Studios) showed that in-pack offers helped traffic, and Shrek resoundingly confirmed it. “That idea was proven to be a myth,” he understates.
Now that’s a fairy tale ending.
Supporting Cast
Joe Adney, Baskin-Robbins
Devery Holmes, Erin Garay, Norm Marshall & Associates
Anne Globe, Wendy Ryding, DreamWorks
Network
