* Starting May 10, kids across the U.S. will get a chance to find out what Tubby Custard really tastes like. Burger King and The itsy bitsy Entertainment Company have paired up for a six-week cross-promotion featuring gallons of custard, Teletubby-shaped chicken tenders and about 20 million Tele-tubbies-themed Kids Club Meals. Each meal will include one of six bean-bag puppet keychains and a US$1 coupon, redeemable for the Teletubbies Favorite Things home video. A multimillion-dollar television, radio and print advertising campaign will support the promo, along with in-store decals, posters and educational tray liners.

* Kids could win the chance to drive a CAT heavy-duty construction vehicle in Tucson, Arizona, thanks to Mattel’s new ‘Dig, Dive & Launch’ retail program for Matchbox toys. The ‘dig’ is covered by CAT, a submarine ride off the coast of Maui covers the ‘dive,’ and a chance to watch a space shuttle take off at the Kennedy Space Center takes care of the ‘launch.’ The sweepstakes is designed to promote Matchbox’s new Deep Sea Explorer Playset line, the Mega Rig Powered Space Station line and the licensed CAT Powered Machine vehicle. It will run at retail across the U.S. from Septemer to December.

* Subway Sandwiches is stepping up its kid appeal with two Nickelodeon promos slated for the coming year. A multibrand Nick Jr. tie-in featuring Blue’s Clues, Little Bear, Maisy, Kipper and animated Nick interstitial Face breaks this summer with premiums included in children’s meals. Then in September, the sandwich chain will offer a repeat of last year’s Blue’s Clues tie-in, its most successful kids promo ever.

* Other QSR tie-ins to watch for include a repeat of the Tricon-Animorphs promo running Oct. 15 to Nov. 9, a return of Burger King’s Mr. Potato Head kids meal promo in the fall, and McDonald’s holiday 1999 promo for the release of Disney’s Toy Story 2.

* A&P Supermarkets jumped into its first-ever entertainment cross-promotion in a big way last month. About 70 SKUs of the supermarket’s America’s Choice private label-three million packs in all-featured ads for Warner-owned Morgan Creek’s animated feature The King and I. Collectible bean-bag plush toys were also available as a purchase-with-purchase incentive, with US$0.50 going to UNICEF for each plush sold. The partnership was masterminded by San Diego-based marketing and communications company The Gable Group.