Everyone wants to be king. Disney’s The Lion King commands a certain amount of respect, having reigned as the king of worldwide box office sales for an animated film since its 1994 release. (Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo surpassed the King for first-run domestic box office sales this year.)
Now, Burbank, CA-based Disney wants to dominate DVD sales. The home-video version of The Lion King has been out of print for eight years and Disney is welcoming its crown jewel back to VHS and introducing it to the DVD format with a reported $200 million promotional campaign — signifying the highest amount ever spent on a home-video release. The two-disc DVD and single-copy VHS releases Oct. 7. Disney last year spent $25.5 million and $15 million for the DVD launches of Monsters, Inc. and Beauty and the Beast, respectively, per CMR.
To date, The Lion King remains unchallenged in animated home-video sales, having sold more than 30 million copies.
“When you combine our advertising with the support of our partners, it will generate billions of impressions and millions of marketing dollars,” says Gordon Ho, senior VP-marketing at Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Disney’s home video division. “People have been waiting for this.”
Buena Vista Home Entertainment re-releases The Lion King on its Platinum Editiion Home Video line, and will include new scenes and an Elton John/Tim Rice song that was omitted from the original release. The studio since 2001 has released Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Beauty and the Beast on its enhanced Platinum home-video format.
Kellogg, Keebler and DaimlerChrysler’s Dodge are on board for the jungle blitz. Dodge is leveraging its tie-in to celebrate the 20th anniversary as the “king of minivans.” Through Oct. 6, consumers in Disney stores can enter a sweepstakes dangling a Dodge Caravan when they pre-order a copy of The Lion King DVD. Plus, consumers who pre-order receive a $500 coupon off any new 2003 or 2004 model-year Dodge caravan, including the anniversary edition with a free rear-seat DVD player. Coupons will also be stuffed in more than 10 million copies of the DVD. Home-video packaging will carry stickers communicating the sweeps.
Dodge last partnered with the studio for Disney/Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. DVD in 2002. The offer then was a free portable DVD player.
“It’s difficult out there for us advertisers to find companies who view us as partners and trust using our assets, but we can do that with Disney,” says Julie Roehm, director of marketing communications for Dodge.
National TV and print ads using Lion King characters via BBDO Detroit break at the end of this month. Extensive dealership P-O-P includes five-foot-tall Lion King standees. Global Hue, Troy, MI, handles multi-cultural marketing.
Plus, the No. 9 and No. 19 Dodge Intrepids racing in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series will feature paint schemes depicting Lion King characters. The race takes place at the Kansas Speedway Oct. 3 to 5. Die-cast models of the vehicles made by Action Performance Companies will be sold at Disney stores and online.
Meanwhile, Kellogg Co. rolls out two cornflakes SKUs, one featuring Simba as an adult, and another as a cub. The company’s Keebler line will tout the re-release and carry a mail-in offer for a talking cookie jar. All told, 35 million Kellogg’s packages will participate. P-O-P displays support. Brigandi & Associates, Chicago, handles for Battle Creek, MI-based Kellogg.
Disney retail partners such as Wal-Mart and Toys “R” Us are expected to host Lion King events in-stores. Plus, Hasbro will introduce new toys.
In February 2004, Disney releases the direct-to-video Lion King 1.5, an all-new telling of the story through the eyes of Timon and Pumba. McDonald’s is poised to support this launch with a Happy Meal program. Then, in the summer, Disney re-releases the 1998 direct-to-video The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride.
Sounds like Disney will be king for awhile.
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