United Media is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Peanuts with a massive pan-European QSR promotion with McDonald’s Europe and two North American promotions with Wendy’s Restaurants.

Brokered through Leo Burnett, Europe, the European promo began rolling out on May 14 in Italy. ‘Snoopy’s World Tour’ will spend four weeks in almost every European country, hitting Germany and the U.K. in July, France in September, and winding up in Turkey in October. Twenty-eight premiums featuring Snoopy in the native dress of regions and cultures from around the world will be offered with Happy Meals at over 4,500 restaurants, with an estimated premium distribution tally of 35 million. In-store materials will support in all regions, with additional TV advertising in the U.K., France, Germany, Belgium and five other countries. According to United Media, the promotion was exempt from the exclusivity agreement between McDonald’s and Disney because Snoopy is considered to be based on a comic strip rather than on a TV series or feature.

Back in North America, the QSR deals with Wendy’s Restaurants are slated for Christmas 1999 and back-to-school 2000. Running from November 29, 1999 to January 2, 2000, the first promo offers five different Peanuts premiums with kids meals, and an additional premium for kids under the age of three. The second promotion, which will run during July and August 2000, also offers Peanuts premiums with kids meals. Both will be supported by in-store and pick-up window materials, with local and U.S. national TV advertising kicking in for the second tie-in.

Nabisco and Sony Computer Entertainment America have teamed up to offer kids a chance to win a one-day visit from ‘Thrills on Wheels,’ a 68-foot mobile touring attraction. Running from July 1 to October 31, the sweepstakes offers over 200,000 prizes consisting of Nabisco snacks, Sony Discman CD players, PlayStation consoles, games and other merchandise. The promotion will be supported by splashes on 28 million packages of Nabisco products, national U.S. TV advertising, print ads in kids publications, 17,000 POP displays, a national full-page FSI and info on Nabisco’s Web site (www.nabiscokids.com).

The Muppets are beaming down to Wendy’s Restaurants and Travelodge Hotels this July to promote the launch of the Jim Henson Pictures/Columbia Pictures co-production Muppets from Space. Five premiums will be given away with kids meals for six weeks starting July 26. Travelodge is joining in with a ‘Blast off with the Muppets’ promo offering guests one of three Muppet videos through its Travelodge Miles frequent stay program. Print ads in USA Today and TV ads on Fox Family and other channels will support.

Immediately following the Muppets tie-in, Wendy’s is partnering with Hearst Enter-tainment’s Eerie, Indiana to give away Wind-up Eyeballs, Bone Hand Pocket Pens, Crazy Puzzles, Secret Compartment Banks and Goo Door Hangers. The promotion runs from September 6 to October 24 with support from U.S. network TV advertising and POP.