NABISCO, COCA-COLA, CHAINS RUN NATIONAL SUPER BOWL DRIVE

RUSSELL SHAW

Nabisco Brands and the Coca-Cola Co. have teamed up with the National Football League and several supermarket chains for a nationwide promotion tied in with Super Bowl XXVIII.

According to Christine Franck, manager of integrated marketing for Nabisco Foods, a Super Bowl pin offer is being promoted exclusively through Catalina Marketing's Checkout Coupon system on a market-by-market, exclusive retailer basis. Franck expects retailers in approximately 70% of the nation's television markets to participate.

Customers who buy any two boxes of participating Nabisco products and two liters of Diet Coke or Caffeine Diet Coke in the same transaction prior to Jan. 23 at participating retailers receive a mail-in voucher from the Checkout Coupon dispenser at the register. The voucher is redeemable by mail with an additional $1.50 payment through Feb. 20 for a commemorative Super Bowl pin.

"The system assures 100% consumer compliance since it verifies purchases," said Helene Monat, executive vice president of Catalina.

Participating Nabisco brands include Wheat Thins, Mr. Phipps, Better Cheddars and Ritz Bitz Sandwiches.

The pins were designed by a contract vendor under the supervision of Coca-Cola and Nabisco Foods and appoved by the NFL. Candidate retailers in different markets were identified by local bottlers and Nabisco field personnel.

"The tie-in with the NFL is a natural for both of us," Franck said. "Sports-related pin collecting has grown tremendously in popularity, while the Super Bowl has a high consumer awareness factor. With this promotion we are catching the consumer in the store right in the middle of the big pregame build-up," she added.