Thunderbirds roll into Little Chef kids meals

Media conglom Carlton International and British QSR chain Little Chef have cooked up a multimedia promotion based on Carlton’s skyrocketing kids property Thunderbirds. Beginning next month and continuing through to the end of June, 435 Little Chef stores will serve up Thunderbirds-themed kids meals-think Parker’s Pizza and Brain Burger-offering five pull-back-and-release vehicles and one standard push-along car to collect free with purchase.

With proposed satellite TV exposure, an on-line competition to win Thunderbirds/Little Chef prizes, and outdoor advertising including exterior pole signs and a 48-sheet poster campaign, the promo will hit all media outlets, but most of the marketing hoopla will center on in-store and POS offers. Features include kids menu placemats highlighting the toy giveaway, with feature games/puzzles from Carlton Books’ Brain’s Puzzle Book and a money-off voucher for Thunderbirds videos. Posters, cardboard cutouts and Thunderbirds hats round out in-store marketing efforts. At press time, Carlton was in discussions with Thunderbirds licensees for possible cross-promotions.

The 4-1-1 on Mattel’s Matchbox 9-1-1 promo

This fall, Mattel will join forces with Safe Kids, a national organization dedicated to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury, to introduce the ‘Matchbox 9-1-1: Be Ready for an Emergency!’ program. Launching September 11, National 9-1-1 Day, the program will provide educational material that teaches kids how to react during an emergency and how to use, not abuse, the 9-1-1 system. Planned elements include an educational pamphlet, phone sticker and a 9-1-1 kids activity and sticker book. Information will be distributed through retailer promotions, on the Matchbox and Safe Kids websites (www.matchbox.com and www.safekids.org) and via public service announcements.

Poké-icon Ash Ketchum and Kids’ WB! challenge kids to read

Kids’ WB! bookmarked its first-ever national in-school reading initiative at the beginning of this month with the launch of ‘The Premiere Kids’ WB! Poké-read-a-rama Challenge.’ The month-long program, offered to more than 65,000 elementary schools through a direct-mail campaign, is sponsored by Nintendo of America and Kids’ WB!

Supported by a national on-air PSA campaign featuring Ash Ketchum and the Pokémon gang, the program was developed under the direction of educational organization Youth Media International and its advisory board.

In a random draw of schools registered by March 2, one school will be awarded an advance in-school screening of Pokémon 3: The Movie before its April 11 debut, and a US$500 donation to the school library. Elementary schools have until March 30 for students to read as many books as possible, with each student receiving one Poké-Point for every book read. Each school will tally the total number of points collected, divided by the number of students enrolled in grades one to six. The highest-scoring school will host a Saturday morning of Kids’ WB! programming, as well as receiving a private screening of Pokémon 3: The Movie at their school, a US$5,000 donation to the school library and 10 Pokémon Stadium 2 games. The additional top nine schools will also receive a private in-school screening, a US$500 donation to the school library and 10 Pokémon Stadium 2 games.