New JV makes big-screen media buys a little easier

Two major U.S. theater chains have combined their sales forces to offer marketers a one-stop forum for in-theater ad buying. The new umbrella shingle, National CineMedia, will coordinate all promotional and advertising activities involving AMC Entertainment and Regal Entertainment, which together control roughly 11,200 North American movie screens.

Based in Centennial, Colorado, National CineMedia will also produce preshow entertainment and distribute live content such as concerts and sporting events to Regal and AMC theaters.

Maya & Miguel scooooooooore with MLS

Major League Soccer players including Freddy Adu, Jamie Moreno and Carlos Ruiz will make cameo appearances as animated characters in the second season of Scholastic Entertainment series Maya & Miguel, as part of a cross-promo deal the prodco cooked up with the league earlier this year. For its part, MLS is promoting the toon through Futbolito, its grassroots family soccer tournament program, whose games are sure to be spiced up by Maya & Miguel costume character appearances and in-field posters and banners. Maya & Miguel currently airs Monday to Friday in the PBS Kids Go! block.