*Golden Books gets its Kix with cereal promo

Golden Books Family Entertainment is running a fall promotion in partnership with General Mills’ Kix cereal. The cereal boxes will offer one of three Little Golden Books redeemable with one proof of purchase from Kix cereal. Books offered include The Poky Little Puppy, Tootle the Train and Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever.

During the promotion, commercials will run during prime time on national networks and on cable television. Newspapers will carry print support throughout the U.S.

Golden Books wants to build consumer awareness of its products, as well as introduce a new generation of readers to its books.

This is the second joint promotion between General Mills and Golden Books.

*Borrowers plan mall tour

The February release of The Borrowers, a feature film from PolyGram, is being supported by a 10-city mall tour that begins three weeks prior to the February 1998 release of the movie.

The tour will also include displays from a national youth education science program. Spearheaded by PolyGram, ‘The Borrowers-For-A-Day Regional Science Project’ will be publicized in activity books distributed to 6,000 schools throughout the U.S. Children will be encouraged to come up with new and creative uses for everyday household items, as the characters do in the movie. Winners of the science fair will be given scholarships named after the corporate sponsors. So far, the sponsors on board are The Guinness Book of Records and the restaurant chain TGI Friday’s.

The Borrowers, starring John Goodman, is a family comedy that charts the adventures of a family of tiny, four-inch-tall people who live under the floorboards of a life-size house.

*Wendy’s tie-ins to cartoons

Wendy’s is a busy place for cartoon tie-ins this season. Cartoon Network’s Dexter Laboratory and PorchLight Entertainment’s Adventures from the Book of Virtues are readying for promos with the fast-food chain.

The Dexter promo features five premiums aimed at kids four to 12 years and one for kids under three years. Four different kids meal bags will also be distributed. The promotion wraps up November 23.

Adventures from the Book of Virtues, which airs on PBS (see story page 48), is the latest kid-targeted campaign for the QSR chain. The six-week promotion, scheduled to begin in February 1998, will run in 5,000 Wendy’s restaurants across the U.S. and will be supported by approximately US$1 million in media. A kids meal tie-in with six different premiums is planned. The promotion also coincides with the spring `98 launch of Book of Virtues retail merchandise, including videos from Warner Home Video, activity books from Golden Books and dolls from The Family Company.

*Cartoon Network and Kraft get tooned

Cartoon Network and Kraft Foods have joined together for a promotion valued at more than US$10 million. Called ‘Get Tooned,’ the campaign runs from January 1 to March 31 and consists of different consumer premiums tailored to the six participating Kraft brands, which include Kraft Singles, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and Kool-Aid. The promotion culminates in a national contest awarding the winner a trip to Hollywood to meet animators and star in his or her own two-minute cartoon that will air nationally in prime time on Cartoon Network.

*Correction

In our October 1997 issue (‘Barney goes to the movies,’ page 18), it was reported that Kellogg’s and Oscar Mayer were signed promotional partners with the upcoming movie Barney’s Great Adventure. PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, the producer of the movie, regretfully reports that this information is not accurate. ‘While discussions with these companies did take place, no deals were made. The report was a miscommunication between PolyGram, Lyrick Studios and the publicity department. We regret any damage or confusion that this incident caused these potential partners,’ says Beth Goss, vice president of marketing services for PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. Confirmed promotional partners include Southwest Airlines, Chef Boyardee, Planet Hollywood, Luv’s and New Balance.