Hamtaro premium gets its own TV special

ShoPro Entertainment is taking the QSR promo to a whole new level this Halloween by creating a TV special to coincide with a Hamtaro premium program launching this month at Burger King restaurants throughout the U.S. and Canada. The very first Ham-Ham Halloween TV special will air on Cartoon Network October 21, while interactive toys featuring characters including Hamtaro Franken-Ham, Elder Wolf-Ham, Penelope Ghost-Ham and Cappy Pumpkin-Ham will be available in Burger King kids meals throughout October.

‘Never before has one of our promotional partners produced an exclusive TV special to complement and build on the excitement of a promotional program,’ says Brian Gies, director of youth and family marketing at Burger King. The QSR chain plans to support the promotion with national TV advertising, extensive in-restaurant merchandising, an Adventures newsletter, a Kids Club birthday mailer and a customized Hamtaro interactive site at www.burgerking.com where kids can learn more about the Hamtaro Halloween TV special.

Classic cartoons make waiting easier for sick kids

Boomerang, Cartoon Network’s sister cable service devoted to classic toons, is bringing its cast of well-known characters to State-side doctors’ offices this fall to help keep kids occupied in waiting rooms. Activity kits were distributed in September to nearly 3,200 pediatricians nationwide through Parenting Magazine’s quarterly mailing of free product-sampling packages.

Each kit includes a large, four-color poster spotlighting the stars from classic Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Warner Bros. Saturday morning cartoons, including Yogi Bear, Quickdraw McGraw, Top Cat, Huckleberry Hound, Magilla Gorilla, Atom Ant and Hong Kong Phooey. The kits also come with games and coloring sheets, an ‘I-Spy’ list of items for kids to identify in the poster, and a full-color, five-foot growth chart for kids to compare their own height to that of their favorite characters.