More Marketing Marvels
There’s nothing comical about Marvel Enterprises’ recent business deals, which present a Fantastic Three (if you will) involving the New York City-based entertainment giant’s superhero characters moving beyond their comic-book lives.
In early May, Marvel announced a joint venture with Los Angeles-based Sony Pictures Entertainment’s consumer products division to handle the expected licensing and merchandizing blitz surrounding the fall 2001 release of Spider-Man: The Movie. The venture has been dubbed Spider-Man Merchandising L.P.
Under the agreement, Sony and Marvel will split the property by product category but share equally in sales and marketing responsibilities and revenues. Marvel’s domain includes master toys, apparel, and collectibles, while Sony gets back-to-school, food and beverage, and sporting goods.
Two weeks later, Marvel unveiled an agreement with Artisan Entertainment, New York City, to develop at least 15 superhero franchises into live-action movies, TV series, direct-to-video films, and Internet projects. Characters included in the deal include Captain America, Thor, Black Panther, Morbius, and Ant Man. The deal takes Marvel well beyond current pacts with major film studios to develop properties for its X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, Fantastic Four, and Silver Surfer franchises (June promo).
Finally, Marvel signed a deal with Crystal Sky Entertainment to develop a feature film based on the edgy Ghost Rider, a motorcycle stuntman who doubles as an avenger. Los Angeles-based Crystal Sky is an independent production company that maintains a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures.
New York City-based Time Warner’s Turner Broadcasting System struck a 10-year advertising deal with Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta. Terms were not disclosed. The agreement calls for Coke to advertise on Turner’s five cable properties, including CNN, TNT, and Cartoon Network, and get previews of Turner’s upcoming promotional programs, including online and overseas initiatives. In a related announcement, Creative Artists Agency, Beverly Hills, CA, agreed to again work with Coke on entertainment marketing for the beverage maker’s brands worldwide.
Blockbuster, Inc. and DirecTV, both Dallas, have agreed to cross-promote each other’s products and services. The deal calls for Blockbuster to offer DirecTV’s satellite system in its 5,000 outlets, and both companies to offer co-branded, satellite-delivered movie services.
Hauser Entertainment, a Pico Rivera, CA-based production and booking agency that represents top Latin acts, entered into a partnership with CFA, a Hispanic special-events agency based in Chicago. Formerly Cardenas/Fernandez & Associates, CFA produces concerts, sports competitions, festivals, and other events in the U.S. and Latin America. The multi-year deal brings together the two shops’ entertainment marketing, production, and booking services with an emphasis on the Hispanic market in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
