Pirates Brings M&M’s, Volvo On Board

Masterfoods USA’s M&M’s brand is putting all hands on deck with an integrated marketing campaign built around one of the summer’s most anticipated films, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. The candy company is dangling movie-branded packaging, interactive games and a sweepstakes.

M&M’s is one of a number of brands (including Volvo, Valpak and McDonald’s) that are backing the Disney film, which opens nationwide July 7.

M&Ms’ partnership with the Pirates sequel dovetails with the launch of its newest candy creation, White Chocolate M&M’s. For a limited time, the brand is rolling out packages of White Chocolate Pirate Pearls (white, cream, pastel yellow and light blue candy shell colors with pirate images). M&M’s is incorporating the Pirates theme across its other favorite flavors with new colors, including M&M’s Milk Chocolate Pirate Gems and M&M’s Peanut Chocolate Captain’s Gold varieties. Each bag features the M&M’s characters donned in pirate gear and actor Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, with the tagline “Plunder a Bag.”

M&M’s Mini brand features an “under the sea” Sunken Treasure color blend, including sea-green chocolate lentils that turn gold when eaten. The confectioner is further immersing fans in the Pirates experience via online games and Webisodes at MMS.com/Pirates. In one game, consumers can design their own ship, complete with M&M’s characters as crewmembers. Visitors to the micro site can also create and send e-cards and watch animated Webisodes in which the Red and Yellow characters review basic rules on being a pirate.

“M&M’s candies has a history of being part of the movie experience—being the quintessential sweet movie treat,” said Anibal Martini, marketing director for M&M’s. “Pirates of the Caribbean is a blockbuster film filled with humor and adventure, much like the M&M’s brand, M&M’s brand characters and the entertaining experience we bring to consumers with a great tasting product.”

“Tying in with Pirates of the Caribbean was a great platform to introduce White Chocolate M&M’s for the first time in the U.S. with unique new colors, new symbols and innovative packaging,” she added.

In addition, the company has launched an online sweepstakes with Women’s World magazine, offering a Bahamas-getaway. Consumers enter at MMS.com/Pirates. One grand-prize winner gets a trip for two to the Bahamas and 10 bags of M&M’s White Chocolate Pirates Pearls. BBDO, New York City, handles print and TV ads; TJ Paul, Philadelphia, PA, handles packaging; Grey Interactive, New York City, handles online efforts.

Last month, Masterfoods debuted its NASCAR-themed Pirates car that features Red, Yellow and Green M&M’s characters on the hood of Elliott Sadler’s #38 White Chocolate M&M’s Ford. Sadler drove the vehicle in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series in May.

As part of the promotion, Masterfoods USA is spreading Pirates fever across its many brands, including Skittles, M&M’s Minis, Starburst and M&M’s ice cream. The Skittles and Starburst brands will feature new tropical flavors to celebrate the Caribbean adventures Jack Sparrow and company. For Skittles, new flavors include Pineapple Passionfruit, Strawberry Starfruit and Mango Tangelo; for Starburst, Royal Berry Punch and Piña Colada flavors are set to debut. M&M’s ice-cream cookie sandwich and ice-cream cones will feature Pirates-themed packaging.

Meanwhile, automaker Volvo is out with a global treasure hunt tied to the film. To win a Volvo XC90, consumers must visit a Volvo dealer to obtain a treasure map that contains a code. Players then solve puzzles sent via e-mail to receive additional clues. The first three people in the U.S. who correctly solve the last puzzle will fly to a secret location where the Volvo SUV is buried. There, semi-finalists (seven in all) from around the world will compete to find the Volvo XC90.

“This gives us the opportunity to put [the Volvo brand] in people’s eyes and awareness in a very fun way,” said Linda Gangeri, national ad manager for Volvo. ‘We want to give people a fun reason to visit a Volvo dealership.”

Some 357 dealers nationwide are participating in the promotion, Gangeri said. Consumers who visit participating dealers will receive Pirates tattoos and be greeted by P-O-P and in-store displays hyping the promotion and film, she said.

“We trying to use [the promotion] to attract a broader audience,” Gangeri said. “Volvo will not just partner with anyone. Disney is obviously a very strong brand that stands for family. Volvo is a very family-friendly brand. [Those] values make a ton of sense.”

The sweepstakes runs through July 11. TV spots by Euro RSCG, New York and Amsterdam, and online materials support. Other Volvo regions participating in the promotion include the U.K., Japan, Spain and Austria. The promotion grew out of Volvo’s relationship with Disney for the worldwide Volvo Ocean Race. The Volvo ship bears the name of the ship in the first Pirates flick, the Black Pearl. The race began in Vigo, Spain on Nov. 12 and ends in Gothenburg, Sweden on Saturday.

Later this month, Volvo will team up with McDonald’s in a separate Pirates-themed promotion. Further, McDonald’s is slated to roll out a Happy Meal’s promotion tied to the film July 7 through Aug. 3.

Following the treasure hunt, Volvo plans to launch another Pirates promotion, this time tied to radio. Volvo will use its existing radio buy to tout the Pirates film and its sell-down messaging offering a second call to action for a chance to win a Caribbean getaway. In mid-July, the brand will drop treasure chests filled with jewelry and coins at participating dealers. Consumers can pick up a coin branded with a Web-site address from a dealer and visit the Web site for a chance to win Pirates-themed prizes. The grand prize is a Pirates-themed vacation for four. P-O-P materials and radio spots will support.

Volvo kicked off its movie-themed promotions in March with a sweepstakes offer dangling a trip to the Bahamas and a cash prize to promote Volvo Truck’s VT 880 long-haul truck (Xtra, March 8, 2006).

Direct marketer Valpak is rolling out movie-themed envelopes to 40 million houses starting June 21-28. In addition, Valpak is dangling free-movie vouchers to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. The company will distribute 800 vouchers seeded among the savings offers inside the envelope. Valpak is also running a sweepstakes offering a chance for one winner and a guest to sail on a Caribbean adventure and a pirate-themed prize pack. The promotion ends Aug. 11. Valpak, Largo, FL, handles in-house.

Eastman Kodak Co. is running its own promotion tied to the film at retail and via an online sweepstakes. Consumer who make qualifying purchases at Kodak EasyShare Gallery, inkjet paper or two Kodak color cartridge and photo paper kits will qualify for a free movie ticket to the film (Xtra, May 31, 2006).

Kodak is also sponsoring an online sweeps dangling Kodak merchandise or grand-prize trips for four to Disneyland. Eric Mower and Associates’ Atlanta office developed the concept and handles creative; ePrize, Pleasant Ridge, MI, handles the sweepstakes.

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