WINTERGREEN WILL SPRING
The Original Celebrated Curiously Strong Peppermint Altoids are going to have some company in the curious mint category from now on. After 200 years of peppermint, Callard & Bowser-Suchard Inc. here is rolling out its new wintergreen-flavored Altoids. The advertising campaign will include wintergreen-specific ads in the company's first national print campaign. Slogans keep to the tradition of humorous, if curious, campaigns of the past. "Turn other mints green with envy," reads one ad, or "Nuclear Wintergreen" reads another. Other promotional elements will include in-store displays.
HOME SWEET NABISCO
EAST HANOVER, N.J. -- A total of 12,000 LifeSavers, 500 Stella D'Oro Angel Wings, 500 sticks of Fruit Stripe Gum and 500 Wheat Thins -- is this snack heaven, or just an eclectic grocery store aisle?
This monster heap of sweets is actually a list of materials used in the construction of the Nabisco 100th Anniversary House. As part of its centennial celebration, Nabisco is also inviting people across the country to design their own candy dream-homes made with their favorite Nabisco foods. Finalists in the contest will get a package of anniversary memorabilia and products. Grand prize winners, of which one will be chosen from each of four age-based categories, will get a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond and a one-year supply of Nabisco products. Four finalists within each age category will get a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond and a one-year supply of products.
EIGHTH WONDER OF WHEATIES
MINNEAPOLIS -- Of all the faces to grace the front of the famous orange Wheaties box, only seven have become members of the Wheaties Team of permanent spokesmen and women. These select few appear solo on nationally distributed packages of the cereal box, and in television commercials. General Mills here announced that Tiger Woods, the 22-year-old top-ranked golfer and the youngest-ever winner of the Masters Tournament, is going to make the circle a little bigger here by becoming the eighth member of the team.
Helping unveil the new Tiger Woods Wheaties boxes were some of the other athletes who are Wheaties spokesmen and women -- Bob Richards, Bruce Jenner, Walter Payton and Mary Lou Retton. Pete Rose, Chris Evert Lloyd and Michael Jordan are also Wheaties athletes.
Limited Edition collector's packages of Wheaties, Crispy Wheaties 'n Raisins and Honey Frosted Wheaties with Woods on the front are now in stores.
SPRINT GENERATING SPEED
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Sprint here announced that it is uniting three generations of National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing drivers under the Spree Prepaid Foncard banner by continuing its associate sponsorship of Kyle Petty, by becoming an associate sponsor for Richard Petty, and by becoming the primary sponsor for the newest Petty on the circuit, Adam. At age 17, Adam becomes the fourth generation of NASCAR drivers in the family.
The biggest promotion coming out of this newly expanded NASCAR sponsorship will be the "Million Dollar Crew Chief Sweepstakes," which will send each of five winners to be an honorary crew chief on Kyle Petty's pit crew at a Winston cup race. Should Petty win the race, the sweepstakes winner will also receive a check for $1 million.
Other events planned around this promotional campaign include the "Fantasy Drive to Daytona '98," where the top three drivers of Spree racing simulators, which will be placed at participating convenience and grocery stores, get flown to Daytona for the '99 Daytona 500. Also as part of the campaign, Spree will sponsor the "Fourth Annual Kyle Petty Charity Ride Tour," a cross-country motorcycle ride to raise money for children's charities and the Winston Cup Racing Wives Auxiliary.
Foncards are sold at supermarkets, as well as at other vendors.
FORWARD -- TO THE PAST
MILWAUKEE -- It seems that the nostalgia bug is getting everyone these days and Miller Brewing Co. here is no exception. The company is planning a new, or renewed, image for its Miller High Life beer.
The beer's new packaging reflects a return to the sleek tall bottle that characterized the beer in the past. Also revived are the image of the girl on the moon and the slogan "the champagne of beers," both of which appear on the bottle. The television ad campaign is also something of a throwback, since it will focus on such traditional values as hard work, simplicity and common sense.
Television spots will run regularly during Major League Baseball games, as well as prime-time shows and high profile events.
Also included in the campaign is a baseball promotion giving fans 21 years or older the chance to win season tickets for their favorite major league team. Other promotional elements involve merchandising materials and displays.
