Giant Eagle Web Site Touts Video
re used its web site (www.gianteagle.com) to promote two recent grand re-openings and the stores' video departments.
Contests and other events for the openings were centered around the Iggle Video departments, according to the web site. Executives at Giant Eagle did not return calls for comment.
At the Bethel Park, Pa., store, where the chain expanded the video department, a trip for two to Maui was offered in the department. The prize trip consisted of airfare for two, five nights at the Maui Islander hotel, car rental and hotel and departure taxes.
At the McIntyre Square store in Pittsburgh, where the company already operates a large video department, the chain offered a three-day trip for two to Scottsdale, Ariz. The trip included airfare for two, two-night accommodations at the Scottsdale Princess Resort, car rental, dinners, a hot- air balloon ride and a tour by jeep or river raft. Two bicycles were given away at The Bake Shop, and a basket of cosmetics was offered by The Drug Store.The web site also detailed schedules of personal appearances by Judy Dodd and the New Orleans Riverside Jazz Band, which played at the stores' Java Sonata Cafes.
Universal to Launch Copy Depth Program
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- Universal Studios Home Video here will launch "Universal Rewards" in April, a rental program that offers free goods, national post-street-date advertising, point-of-purchase materials, cross trailering and pay-per-view windows of 52 days or more.
The four titles that will kick off the program are "The Jackal," "Kiss or Kill" and "The Beast," all streeting April 28, and "For Richer or Poorer," streeting May 5. Orders for all four titles close April 6.
"This is a powerful program that addresses the needs of retailers," said Charlie Katz, senior vice president of marketing at Universal.
There will be a special unifying logo for the promotion that will also appear on the videocassette packaging. Advertising will include network, cable and spot radio, and will run for two consecutive weeks, June 15 to 26, which is six to eight weeks after the street dates.
Retailers can earn 20% of goods free based on their orders by meeting certain purchase requirements.
Top 10 Supermarket Video Rental Titles
Title (Weeks Out) Studio Retail Last Week
1Air Force One (1) Columbia $22.95 New
2Hercules (2) Buena Vista $26.99 New
3G.I. Jane (2) Buena Vista $107.37 New
4The Game (4 Polygram $106.99 2
5Soul Food (5) Fox $ 19.98 1
6Conspiracy Theory (7) Warner $107.11 4
7Men In Black (11) Columbia $ 23.95 5
8Contact (8) Warner $107.11 7
9Event Horizon (3) Paramount $102.56 3
10My Best Friend's Wedding (8) Columbia $ 22.95 6
New this week because the chart was preempted last week by a special video report
The chart on this page, tailored for the supermarket video market, is based on information taken from more than 1,000 supermarket rental locations serviced by Ingram Entertainment, La Vergne, Tenn.
