RADIO DISNEY tunes in to McDonald’s Mighty Kids Meal this month with CDs as premiums, its first tie with McDonald’s (and McDonald’s second go at a separate premium for Mighty Kids Meals). The kids-radio network, run by Burbank, CA-based Walt Disney Co. and ABC Radio Networks, created three McD-exclusive CDs that will go in approximately eight million Mighty Kids Meals between Sept. 13 and Oct. 3 via Oak Brook, IL-based McDonald’s Corp.
Each CD has four tracks from bands and artists (on different labels) such as Lil’ Romeo, Play, Myra, and Solange, the younger sister of Destiny Child’s Beyonce Knowles.
“Kids are growing up faster today and they have different interests, so this is an attempt to provide a specific lifestyle premium for our six- to-10-year-old audience,” says Karlin Linhard, senior director of kids and family marketing for McDonald’s.
“Music can be a very powerful incentive to kids,” says Jim Pastor, vp-sales and marketing for Radio Disney who calls the McD deal “a strong partnership.”
National TV spots from Leo Burnett, Chicago, support, along with ethnic work from Miami-based Del Rivero Messianu DDB Advertising. Frankel, Chicago, handles P-O-P materials. Radio Disney made the CDs.
Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, Culver City, CA, is spinning a new promotional web for the video release of Spider-Man. The film, which brought in $400 million at the box office, will be backed on video by more than $100 million in promotional support. Among the partners returning from the theatrical release are Cingular Wireless, Atlanta, and Dr Pepper/7-Up, Plano, TX, and CKE Restaurants’ Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. National TV spots begin to air Oct. 21 for the Nov. 1 video release. Radio spots in 36 markets and national print ads also support.
Visa USA, San Francisco, will field a Share Your Holidays sweeps in November and December, awarding 50 top winners $20,000 to split with a friend. Cardholders are entered in the random-draw sweeps each time they use their card. A multimillion-dollar TV, online, and p.r. campaign will support. Frankel, Chicago, handles the sweeps; BBDO, New York City, handles ad support.
Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, MI, pals with Cartoon Network, Atlanta, for the second year on a back-to-school push. Toon Up for School puts Toon stickers inside eight Kellogg cereals; its Keebler division runs an instant-win, in-pack game awarding Toon-related prizes. All pieces carry a code for free online content at toonupforschool.com. Keebler’s on-pack pitch offers Powerpuff Girls, Johnny Bravo, and Ernie Keebler bobbleheads by mail for $6 and two proofs. DraftWorldwide and Zipatoni, both Chicago, handle Kellogg and Keebler brands, respectively.
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., Chicago, takes fans to the movies with a Get Your Code & Go on-pack sweepstakes for its Winterfresh brand. Through April 2003, nine million Winterfresh PlenTPaks will carry a code that sends consumers to winterfresh.com, where they register and track points to earn free movie tickets. (Five packs earn one ticket.) TLP, Chicago, handles the campaign; Quantum Loyalty Systems, Incline Village, NV, fulfills prizes.
Squeez ‘n Go Portable Pudding is sponsoring skateboarder Tony Hawk’s 20-city action sports and music Boom Boom HuckJam Tour through Nov. 17. The new product from ConAgra Foods, Omaha, NE, will be sampled at the events and via brand reps on skateboards and rollerblades in five cities including Dallas, Tampa, and New York City (August PROMO). Through Dec. 31, kids ages six to 18 can enter a sweeps at squeezngo.com for a chance to win a trip to southern California to meet Hawk. TV and print ads, an FSI, and P-O-P support. Frankel, Euro RSCG Tatham Partners, and Dome Communications, all Chicago, take care of the campaign, ads, and p.r., respectively.
Harrah’s Entertainment, Las Vegas, and Sony Pictures’ SoapCity division will woo soap opera fans to Harrah’s casinos with events and online promos. First work is the Nov. 2-3 SoapCity Live convention at Harrah’s Showboat with fashion and memorabilia exhibits and star appearances. (Creation Entertainment, Glendale, CA, handles the convention.) Members of Harrah’s Total Rewards loyalty program get discounts at the online SoapCity Store, and the Culver City, CA-based company will tout Harrah’s on its Web sites and weekly e-newsletter.
Soft drink giant Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, has launched a physical fitness campaign dubbed Step With It that encourages 50,000 middle school students in eight cities to add physical fitness into their daily lives for the next school year. Coke teamed with the National Association for Sport and Physical Education to give kids tracking devices to see if they can take at least 10,000 steps per day to stay healthy.
Chicago-based United Airlines and American Airlines launched dueling frequent-flier campaigns. Dallas-based American Airlines’ AAdvantage has teamed with AT&T Wireless for a program that gives new customers 5,000 AAdvantage miles for each line of service (up to five lines or 25,000 bonus miles). Through Nov. 15, AAdvantage customers who make international calls using AT&T Wireless will automatically be entered into a sweeps dangling one million miles. Meanwhile, each time United Mileage Plus Visa cardmembers use their credit card through Oct. 31, they earn double miles. Cardmembers must call a toll-free number to register or apply at mileageplusvisa.com.
General Mills next month becomes the first cereal brand to offer on-pack DVDs. Through a partnership with Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, Culver City, CA, more than eight million DVDs will be distributed via 20,000 retail locations. Consumers who buy two select Columbia DVDs will get one free by mail in a year-long program flagged on General Mills cereal packs. Among the Columbia titles offered on boxes of Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Golden Grahams, Honey Nut Chex, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch are Jim Henson’s The Muppets and Jackie Chan films. General Mills, Minneapolis, handles in-house.
Meow Mix Co., Secaucus, NJ, is launching a half-hour program for cats (and their owners). “Meow TV” is scheduled to premiere this fall on a to-be-determined network, and is supported by a road-trip searching for two human voices to be featured on the show. The tour runs through mid-month and stops in 10 markets. Contestants recite the Meow Mix jingle; grand prize is a trip to the TV launch. Finalists’ auditions from each market will be featured at meowmix.com. Lime Communications, New York City, handles the effort, while Grand Central Marketing, also New York City, takes care of the tour.
Wrestle With This
THE KIDS’ WB, Glendale, CA, fields a Build Your Own Wrestler contest to launch Mucha Lucha, a cartoon set in the world of Mexican wrestling. Through Oct. 31, fans can log onto www2.warnerbros.com/lucha to create three cartoon wrestlers and answer a trivia question about the show. Five winners will be selected to have their wrestler shown during the opening credits of the Mucha Lucha, as well as their name posted on the Web site.
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