<I>The Cat in the Hat</I> Is Finally Out of the Bag

Universal Pictures' Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat finally arrives in theaters today as the film's numerous promotional partners continue what has been an impressively strong marketing blitz.PepsiCo., Kellogg Co., Procter & Gamble, Burger King, Rayovac, the United States Postal Service, MasterCard, Kraft Foods, J.M. Smucker Co. and Hershey Foods have been making Cat noises for weeks -- even months, in some cases. From FSIs to TV ads to a spate of in-store activity, it has been difficult for consumers to escape the Cat's claws. For some partners, the tie-in has been an occasion for corporate milestones. Procter & Gamble is uniting multiple brands in one campaign for the first time; Rayovac is powering up its largest consumer promotion to date; MasterCard is running its first movie tie-in. For other partners -- Kellogg, Kraft, Hershey, USPS -- aligning with Cat was about looking to repeat the success they enjoyed in 2000 by tying into Universal's first Seussian hit, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Whatever the motivation behind them, campaigns from these companies -- plus a mountain of licensed merchandise -- will keep retail aisles bustling with Cat activity through the holidays. Activity from official partners includes:Rayovac is betting on Cat for its largest consumer promotion yet. Packaging for Rayovac Maximum Plus batteries feature "Win This Thing or That" game pieces containing a code that consumers enter at rayovac.com. Players choose between two prize pools: "This," with a high chance of winning sweatshirts, caps or batteries; or "That," which offers a lower chance of scoring $1 million and a 2004 Ford Thunderbird. The game runs through July 2004; a supporting FSI dropped Nov. 9. P-O-P includes temporary displays (with casters) and film-character standees; all displays carry tearpads communicating a mail-in offer for a free Cat T-shirt with the purchase of two battery packs. Cramer-Krasselt, Milwaukee, handles. Hershey Foods is also hosting an instant-win game. Consumers who find red- and white-striped candies inside Hershey's packages can win one of 100 trips to Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. The promotion is running on 55 million packages across such brands as Reese's peanut butter cups, Hershey's Kisses and York peppermint patties. A supporting FSI dropped Nov. 9. Burger King Kids Meals will contain one of 10 toys depicting movie characters through Dec. 28. The fast-food chain is also selling silver-plated Dr. Seuss ornaments for 99 cents with the purchase of a value meal. Ornament packages contain entry forms for a "Want it, Win It" sweeps offering 10 $50,000 shopping sprees, Universal Studios Theme Park vacations, and other prizes. Burger Bucks gift certificates will come in Cat-themed envelopes throughout the promotional window; customers receive a $5-off coupon for the Cat video game from Vivendi Universal Games with the purchase of a $5 Bucks booklet. TV advertising and P-O-P materials including counter cards, posters and window signs support. Chicago-based Wunderman handles P-O-P; Equity Marketing, Los Angeles, takes care of premiums, including ornaments.Kellogg is hosting a "Clean House" sweeps offering a house-cleaning service for one year. The company is plugging the film across millions of packages of cereal and Pop-Tarts. (See "Kellogg Plasters Cat in the Hat On-Pack" in Related Articles.) Smucker's and Jif are dialing up a "Ring-Ring FunNumber Thing" promotion to support the film. Codes are found on packages of Smucker's jams, jellies, preserves and Jif peanut butter (all of which feature film imagery). Consumers call a toll-free number to enter the code and find out if they've won one of 10,000 prizes, including a family pack of Cat movie tickets, hats and plush toys. Online activity supports, as did a national FSI that dropped Oct. 5. Consumers can also receive a Cat clip watch through a mail-in offer. Flair Communications, Chicago, handles. Kraft Foods is using themed packaging and an instant-win game to tout Cat. Oscar Mayer Lunchables products contain four different Cat-themed door hangers, each carrying a code to plug in at lunchables.com to win one of three grand-prize trips to Universal Studios theme park in Los Angeles. Additional participating brands include Kraft Singles Cheese, Macaroni & Cheese, Mini Oreos and String Ums, Twist-Ums and Rip-Ums cheeses. Procter & Gamble is linking five of its home-cleaning brands for a Cat campaign, marking the first time the CPG has corralled multiple brands for one effort. (See "P&G Cleans Up with Cat in the Hat" in Related Articles.) The United States Postal Service is relying on the comical Cat to plug a new Priority Mail bundling system. (See "Post Office Delivers Cat" in Related Articles.) PepsiCo is leveraging Cat with a Power of One campaign uniting Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay brands. (See "Pepsi-Cola, Frito-Lay Tout Cat" in Related Articles.) In its first movie tie-in ever, MasterCard International is hosting a sweepstakes giving away one trip to Universal Studios in Orlando, FL, every day for 62 days. A number of account-specific overlays support. (See "MasterCard Charges Cat Tie-In" in Related Articles.) In activity at specific retailers:Rite Aid is leveraging the film for an extensive seven-week program that is serving as the chain's primary holiday marketing campaign. (See Related Articles.) ShopRite hosted account-specific versions of Cat promotions from four of the film's partners. PricePlus loyalty cardholders were automatically entered into a sweeps offering one of 50 sets of four tickets to the film with each Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner purchase. The offer ran Nov. 9-15. (See ShopRite's other film promos in "Kellogg Plasters Cat On-Pack," "Pepsi-Cola, Frito-Lay Tout Cat" and "P&G Cleans Up with Cat in the Hat" in Related Articles.) Kroger Co. is giving away two free Cat movie tickets to shoppers buying specified amounts of film-partner products through their store loyalty cards. The offer varies per store. For example, the Kroger chain extends the offer to consumers spending $25 on Kellogg's or P&G items. (See "Ralph's Welcomes Cat in the Hat" in Related Articles.) 7-Eleven gets some Cat action compliments of Pepsi. Through November and December, the chain is selling two two-liter bottles of Pepsi for $2, running a mail-in offer for limited-edition Cat merchandise, and distributing movie-themed fountain cups. Supporting P-O-P includes window banners, vault blades, translite images on fountain boards, and header cards. Wal-Mart is hosting "Stack the Cat's Hat Challenge" on Nov. 22. Kids visiting supercenters will receive movie-themed stickers and activity kits. A host of movie-related activities are posted at walmart.com. Meijer is giving Cat in the Hat heavy play this month. The chain's Nov. 15 circular featured a two-page spread touting the Rayovac and Kellogg sweepstakes and various Cat-themed products from Hershey and Pepsi. The chain is also hosting its own sweeps giving away 30 tickets to the film, and holding in-store events at which costumed characters will read The Cat in the Hat book. Best Buy is offering one child's admission ticket to The Cat in the Hat with the purchase of either Universal's Grinch home video or the animated TV version of The Cat in the Hat. The tickets are delivered on-pack. At Sears, shoppers who purchase $20 worth of Cat merchandise receive a child's movie ticket by mail. The offer runs through Nov. 22.

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