Hostess Rebate and Sweeps Promotes DVD Release

Hostess is once again partnering with DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. for a Halloween-themed campaign that encourages people to buy a newly released DVD.

Promotions around the DVD, “Monsters vs. Aliens,” include a rebate, instant-win game and $1 million sweepstakes: A combination of consumer incentives that have worked well for Hostess in the past.

As part of the promotion, Hostess has introduced two limited-edition snack cakes themed around the film. Monster Cakes are chocolate Hostess CupCakes topped with blue icing and blue sprinkles. B.O.B. Cakes, or blue Hostess Sno Balls, are inspired by the film's lovable blue gelatinous monster. B.O.B. cakes are available exclusively at Wal-Mart.

A $4 mail-in rebate on the DVD or Blu-Ray disc is offered with the purchase of any two family-sized packages of Hostess products. Consumers download the rebate form.

Shoppers who learn about the instant-win game on packaging and through in-store materials can play once a day for the duration of the promotion. Each play earns an entry into the sweepstakes for the chance to win $1 million.

In a play on Publisher’s Clearing House’s Prize Patrol, reps from Hostess will visit the home of one of its sweepstakes contestants on Halloween to dish out $1 million to one winner.

Last year, Hostess ran a similar promo on Halloween night when reps planned to visit finalists’ houses between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. People who answered the door with a Hostess product in hand or an index card with the words “Hostess Hulk Out Halloween with Hostess” could select from 15 sealed envelopes, each which contained a prize. The person who selected identical images of a Hostess Hulk Cake won $1 million.

"Last year's Halloween promotion was one of the most successful promotions for Hostess in years. Sales were up notably over the year before and compared to other promotions we have executed during that timeframe,” David Leavitt, vice president of snack marketing at Interstate Brands said.

NMA Entertainment & Marketing is the promotion agency that worked with Hostess and DreamWorks Animation on the concept and execution of this program and others, including the DVD release of “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” offering the chance to win a trip to San Diego for an animal adventure and the DVD release of “Transformers.”