– Colgate, Howard Johnson’s, Hardee’s board the Magic School Bus

Colgate-Palmolive, Howard Johnson’s and Hardee’s Restaurants are all jumping on board Scholastic’s The Magic School Bus with a series of promotional tie-ins related to a new home video line from Warner Home Video.

Colgate is offering to redeem proofs of purchase from a variety of its products in return for Magic School Bus merchandise. Howard Johnson’s is offering a Magic School Bus Fun Pack of premium items and a savings coupon. And Hardee’s has created a Magic School Bus kids meal with collectibles and a savings coupon.

-Carl’s Jr. bites into Hercules

Western U.S. restaurant chain Carl’s Jr. is tying into the home video release of Universal Home Video’s Hercules The Legendary Journeys with a cross-promotion that features characters from the Hercules and Xena Warrior Princess television programs in Cool Combo meals. Consumers can collect premium items and TV show fact cards.

Sound Source Interactive is also offering a US$5 rebate on its Hercules and Xena Learning Center CD-ROM.

The video release includes four original 90-minute movies based on the TV series. The videos are priced at US$14.98.

-Europe drinks to Star Trek

Star Drinks Produktions and Vertriebs GmbH of Austria will use TV commercials and point-of-purchase materials to promote the relaunch of Warp 4, a non-alcoholic beverage derived from the Star Trek film and TV series. The drink is available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Greece and Poland.

-TOONAMI gets promo support

Cartoon Network has launched the ‘Big Heavy Giveaway,’ a national promotion tied to TOONAMI, its action-adventure cartoon program block.

Every weekday afternoon, viewers can win TOONAMI merchandise by calling a toll-free telephone number that flashes on the TV screen. Prizes, including T-shirts, shorts, jackets and hats, go to 50 callers each day.

-KFC launches Extreme Ghostbusters kids meal

Columbia TriStar and KFC have entered a marketing partnership for Extreme Ghostbusters. The promotion will offer six different premiums-Ghost Trap Challenge, Key Chain Keeper, Slimer Squeezer, Haunted Cube, Screamer Scrambler and Ecto-1 Vehicle-and run from November 11, 1997 to January 4, 1998 in the U.S. Sony Signatures initiated the relationship between KFC and Columbia TriStar and developed the promotion. Extreme Ghostbusters premieres this fall.

-Mrs. Fields celebrates with the Peanuts

In its first foray into the licensed promotion arena, Mrs Fields’ Original Cookies will celebrate its twentieth anniversary with the Peanuts. The promotion, which runs from July 1 to August 31, will give customers in 450 Mrs. Fields Original Cookies stores across the U.S. a chance to win a trip to Camp Snoopy, free cookies for a year or a copy of It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown on video. Customers will also receive a free Peanuts fun frame with a purchase of US$10 or more or a decorated cookie. A free cookie coupon will also be packaged with It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown.