Hot Wheels Rolls Out Instant-Win Game on 8 Million Packages
Mattel is out with an instant-win game tied to Hot Wheels that gives kids a chance to win daily prizes, including Toys “R” Us gifts cards, DVD players and Hot Wheels bicycles.
Mattel has branded packages of its Hot Wheel toy cars with an instant-win promotion targeting boys four to 10 that sends fans to the newly launched HotWheels.com Web site. There, codes from packages can be entered to determine the winners of such daily prizes as a Samsung Sports Camcorder or Digital Audio Player, Toshiba DVD players, $100 Toys “R” Us gift cards and Hot Wheels bicycles/scooters. One go-kart will be awarded as part of the prizing.
Kids who don’t have a code can obtain one online by clicking on banner ads on kids’ sites, including Nick.com and CartoonNetwork.com. The same code can be entered each day through Nov. 29. About 8 million Hot Wheels packages are expected to sell through the end of November with on-pack codes. Hot Wheels generated some 18 million codes online for the game. The codes also unlock exclusive content on the site.
The promotion is meant to drive kids to Hot Wheels’ new Web site and foster a stronger brand relationship with HotWheels fans, Erin Sullivan, Hot Wheels marketing manager, said. The site offers three new online games, downloads and an online tracking tool that lets fans track their Hot Wheels collection.
“Boys six to nine…are spending more time online,” Sullivan said. “It’s a touch point for us to ensure the brand is present for them online. We’re basically going to where they are.”
The pre-holiday push is also meant to tout Hot Wheel’s 2007 lineup, which launched Oct. 1, the same time major automotive brands rollout new vehicles, Sullivan said. For example, Hot Wheels is selling 24 different “mystery” vehicles as part of its mystery car segment, blacking out the packaging so consumers don’t know what they are going to receive to help fuel Hot Wheels collections, Sullivan said.
On-pack materials, print ads and online banner ads support the game. Vertical Marketing Network, Inc., Tustin, CA, manages the promotion; Pleasant Ridge, MI-based ePrize created the Web site.
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