BURGER KING CORP:
widens its menu—but sticks to its “fire-grilled” roots—with a handful of new items. BK will add three varieties of low-fat Fire-Grilled Chicken Baguette sandwiches to its permanent menu: Santa Fe Chicken Baguette hit restaurants Sept. 18; Savory Mustard Chicken Baguette launches Oct. 13, and Smoky BBQ Chicken Baguette launches on Oct. 27. Diners can get a “Lite Combo Meal” with a sandwich, side salad and bottle of water. In fact, diners can swap the usual fries and soft drink on any Value Meal for the salad and water. Ads support the launch with the tagline “Flavor from fire-grilling, not from fat.”
MARRIOTT VACATION CLUB INTERNATIONAL: Orlando, FL, named Sports & Entertainment Direct, Marietta, GA, to handle a sampling program that begins first-quarter 2004. The Marriott Vacation Resorts Starter program will give Amenity packs to guests at check-in; packs will include samples, coupons and premiums from a number of brands. Participating brands also get airtime on in-room TVs. The program will reach 550,000 guests at 36 resorts throughout the year; it’s timed to Marriott Vacation Club’s 20th anniversary. Sports & Entertainment will target packaged goods, OTC pharmaceutical and direct marketing brands to participate.
KIDS FUTURES: Toronto, signed a multi-year deal that gives an equity stake in the fledgling college-savings program to Vesdia Corp., Atlanta. Vesdia owns BabyMint, a coalition loyalty program that deposits rebates into a college savings account when members buy participating brands. KidsFutures launches this week in Ontario, and rolls out across Canada by month-end. Vesdia lends its micro-investing platform and will help manage KidsFutures.
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