Undercover No More

UNLIKE ITS PREDECESSOR, SPY KIDS 2 IS SUPPOSED TO BE A HIT. Los Angeles-based Miramax Films’ Dimension division looked like a big winner last spring when SPY Kids was a surprise hit at the box office ($112 million-plus) and the promotion table (the $50 million in support it scored produced successful tie-ins).

Three of those original partners — McDonald’s Corp., PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay, and American Isuzu Motors — are back to support SPY Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams, which opens Aug. 7. A fourth, Coca-Cola’s HI-C, was busy with some kid named Harry (see Hot Properties).

The sequel’s summer release attracted some new partners, which include Radisson Hotels and Resorts, Sanford Pens’ Colorific Markers, and Schwan’s Consumer Brands’ Tony’s Frozen Pizza.

While details were still being ironed out, the partners are expected to again team for a variety of cross-promotions like the ones that helped the first marketing campaign work so well. “It’s important for each partner to bring something to the table to share with the others,” says Lori Sale, Miramax’s senior vp-worldwide promotions. “It works best for them and for the consumer. But it is a lot of extra work.”

Efforts will begin breaking as early as next month, according to Sale.

Barney’s Beach Party, the latest video from London-based HIT Entertainment’s popular pre-school franchise, hits stores April 30. It’s backed by a “Beachstakes” tagged on all videos and on barney.com offering a family trip to the Hyatt Waikiki Regency Resort & Spa in Honolulu. The hotel will host free screenings and a visit from Barney to kick things off April 27-28. The sweeps runs through Aug. 31. This month, Minneapolis-based General Mills launches an eight-week SLO for plush toys (with two proofs plus shipping and handling) on 1.5 million packages of Yoplait Yumsters. General Mills and HIT both handle in-house.

Torrance, CA-based American Honda Motor Co.’s second annual Civic Tour hits the road April 11 with rock group Incubus in the driver’s seat for 50 performances through July 3. By logging onto civictour.com, fans can access schedule information, a band scrapbook, and streaming audio and video. Concert tickets and meet-and-greets will be given away through online sweeps and radio contests in 18 markets. Incubus will autograph and help design six customized Civic Si cars to be displayed at concerts and awarded to sweeps winners. Local print ads via Rubin Postaer and Associates, Santa Monica, CA, support. Venice, CA-based Marketing Factory, Inc. handles the tour.

Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble has new tortilla-chip brand Torengos on a mobile tour offering comparison samples of the chip and other “dipping” favorites including vegetables. Through April, 11 field teams will take the Torengos ChampionCHIP Challenge to events around the country. U.S. Marketing & Promotions, Torrance, CA, handles.

DreamWorks SKG, Glendale, CA, has corralled presence in more than 25,000 retail outlets for its May 24 release, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. Burger King Corp. hosts a four-week Kids’ Meal program featuring four premiums and supported by TV spots, P-O-P displays, and a mention in the 10-million subscriber BK Kids’ Club newsletter. Equity Marketing, Los Angeles, handles premiums, DraftWorldwide, Chicago, displays, and Campbell-Mithun, Minneapolis, advertising. Glendale-based Baskin-Robbins will showcase Spirit-themed products at its 2,400 shops with in-store events, P-O-P, and TV spots. Veryfine, Inc., Westford, MA, hosts an eight-week sweepstakes on more than 50 million juice bottles (labels direct shoppers online to win trips) with TV and radio spots, print ads, Internet banners, and P-O-P to support. (Promosis, Marblehead, MA, handles the sweeps.) Other partners include Hewlett-Packard, Masterfoods USA, and grocer Ralphs.

Greenwich, CT-based U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. goes west with a Copenhagen Western Adventure Sweepstakes. Through Labor Day, consumers enter through a toll-free number or entry forms at retail stores and bars. A Copenhagen Western Legends mobile tour will also collect entries as it travels the country. Five grand-prize winners become cowpokes on a real-life cattle drive in Nevada and receive tickets to a rodeo in Las Vegas and $5,000 in cash. Ryan Partnership, Westport, CT, handles.

Paris-based Groupe Danone’s U.S. Dannon unit has partnered with movie studio Artisan Entertainment, Los Angeles, for a Spring into Health campaign with fitness guru Denise Austin. Consumers mail in five proofs-of-purchase from Dannon Natural Spring Water multi-packs through the end of May for a free 15-minute exercise video featuring Austin. The effort gets tagged on bottles and an in-pack brochure. Packages of Austin’s new video, Get Fit Fast: Abs carry Dannon coupons. A national FSI, P-O-P signage, and online activity support. Alcone Marketing, Irvine, CA, handles.

New York City-based Comedy Central this month brings Caddyshack star Bill Murray and his three actor brothers to the small screen for The Sweet Spot, a five-episode series that will follow the foursome to golf courses across the country. A Sweet Sweeps gives the grand-prize winner a round with the Murrays and a Saturn auto. The series premieres April 2.

Gillette Co., Boston, is leveraging its World Cup soccer sponsorship in 50 countries (though not the U.S.) with a Shoot for $1 Million sweepstakes. “Spot the Ball” entry forms at retail carry a photograph from a soccer game with the ball removed; consumers identify where the ball should be. One or two winners from each country will be selected from correct entries for a five-day trip to June’s World Cup Finals in Japan, where they’ll compete for the grand prize. Gillette is coordinating the program in-house with p.r. from New York City-based Alan Taylor Communications.

Norwalk, CT-based Labatt USA’s Mexican beer brand, Tecate, will host its second-annual Copa Tecate Soccer tournament this summer. The tournament pits local teams against each other for a chance to play in a national championship game, held July 21 in Dallas before a match between two professional teams from Mexico. Supporting activity includes two sweeps (one at retail, one at ESPNDeportes.com) and a five-market contest to find the nation’s “biggest soccer fans.” This year’s effort will involve about 55 leagues, 1,500 teams, and 35,000 players, according to Tecate senior brand manager Andres Siefken. DVC Worldwide, Morristown, NJ, handles the effort.