McDonald’s, Brach’s Buzz Over ‘Bee Movie’
McDonald’s, Brach’s and MySpace are buzzing with promotional support for the upcoming release of DreamWorks Animation’s “Bee Movie.”
Starting Friday, McDonald’s will offer one of six “Bee Movie” toys in its Happy Meals in North America. The promotion includes a cause-marketing element where McDonald’s and its longtime partner Conservation International are encouraging kids to take an eco-friendly “Bee Good to the Planet” pledge. The pledge, available starting Friday at http://www.happymeal.com, asks kids to go outside, discover nature and protect living things.
On its Web site, Conservation International http://www.conservation.org hosts pledges for kids and parents. Online content offers visitors eco-friendly tips and a slide show featuring bees and other creatures. McDonald’s has donated money to help Conservation International assist crucial bee habitats in Mexico and South Africa.
To further support the movie, which rolls out Nov. 2, McDonald’s is using TV spots featuring characters from the film to push healthier food options, including Apple Dippers, low-fat white milk and white meat Chicken McNuggets, and its coffee and breakfast offerings for adults. The company has also “Bee Movie” branded its reloadable gift card, the Arch card.
“It adds excitement to the restaurants,” Neil Golden, McDonald’s vice president of U.S. marketing, said.
An online community launches Friday at http://www.HappyMeals.com. Visitors can play online games, and take part in offline activities and challenges that are designed to promote physical fitness and health. The community originally launched last spring as part of McDonald’s promotional tie-in with “Shrek the Third.”
“We had success with ‘Shrek’ and consumer appeal made us want to extend some of the same ideas for ‘Bee Movie,’” Golden said.
TV and radio spots, print ads and online marketing will support the promotion, which runs through mid November.
Arc Worldwide handles merchandising for McDonald’s and Arnold Worldwide and Moroch Partners handle the breakfast advertising. DRM created Spanish-language TV spots for the campaign.
McDonald’s restaurants in other countries are marketing the movie with a variety of promotions. Canada, for example, is offering Honeycomb-flavored straws with the purchase of a Milk Jug. Moms can also enter a sweepstakes to be recognized for their heroic efforts as “Queen Bee.”
In the U.K., restaurants will launch a new pineapple and grape fruit bag featuring “Bee Movie” graphics. And kids who draw a bee friendly flower and submit their artwork will receive a packet of flower seeds to plant.
For its part, Brach’s Candy is out with an on-pack sweepstakes promoted on packages of Candy Corn.
The sweepstakes runs through Oct. 31 at http://www.brachs.com/beemovie. One grand-prize winner gets a trip for four to New York and $1,000 in spending money. Lesser prizes include $50 in Brach’s candy. P-O-P and online marketing supports the promotion.
DreamWorks Animation has created a page on social networking site MySpace.com at http://www.myspace.com/beemovie, where users can view videos of “Bee Movie” or download images from the film to their desktop.
“Bee Movie,” created by comedian Jerry Seinfeld, follows the story of a college-educated bee who wants more out of life than just making honey. He decides to sue humans for eating honey, and wins.
