The Second Coming
HBO Video and Artisan Home Entertainment are banking on weddings and whales to bring home-video success.
The producers of the popular VeggieTales series, Lombard, IL-based Big Idea Productions, and Artisan are announcing the March 4 second coming of its CGI biblical story, Jonah — A VeggieTales Movie, with a multi-million dollar promotional and advertising campaign. The theatrical release grossed more than $25 million at the box office.
Applebee’s will promote the video by distributing Jonah-themed activity booklets and cups at all of its 1,500 restaurants, while Chuck E. Cheese’s stuffs stickers in birthday goodie bags. Auntie Anne’s Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels will sponsor a self-liquidating Jonah plush with purchase at its more than 650 locations. Curad will feature a VeggieTales movie burst on 300,000 boxes of bandages. Langer’s Juice will put Jonah on 1.5 million bottles, with an FSI to 30 million supporting. Lastly, Sea World will offer five trips to its parks through a sweepstakes promoted on the video.
Artisan Home Entertainment, Santa Monica, CA, will package coupons for Auntie Annie’s, Curad, Langer’s and Chuck E. Cheese’s inside videos. The studio is still reeling from the box office success. “This is one of our largest campaigns for any theatrical film and for the first time out for a film of this genre to make $25 million at the box office is amazing,” says Hosea Belcher, senior VP-marketing at Artisan. “And we are matching that with strategic partners who play beautifully into the wholesome film messages of second chances and compassion.”
Elsewhere, the home-video release of My Big Fat Greek Wedding debuts Feb. 11. The sleeper hit grossed more than $215 million in theaters. An extensive campaign includes spots across ABC, NBC, CBS, E! and ads in magazines such as People, Modern Bride and Cosmopolitan, breaking this month.
New York City-based HBO Video will pack $10 coupons for partner FTD.com inside videos, and through this month, consumers can visit ftd.com to enter a sweeps for a trip to Greece. Kay Jewelers will also run a sweeps for Greece trips in its 700 stores, as will Modern Bride in its April issue.
