PRODUCTS & PROMOTIONS: MONSTROUS MARKETING...HERBAL ONLINE...LASAGNA LOVER 2004-09-06 (2)

MONSTROUS MARKETING

alif. -- The faint of heart must beware this fall when Universal Studios Home Video releases "Van Helsing," supported by cross promotions with Carl's Jr. and Pumpkin Masters, as well as a coupon offer for its Monster Legacy Collections. Beginning Oct. 1, Carl's Jr. will offer three "Van Helsing" collector's cups, mint tins and point-of-sale support in restaurants. Carl's Jr. will also have an online sweepstakes and an instant-win game. The promotion will last about four weeks. Pumpkin Masters, manufacturers of the Pumpkin Carving Kit, will promote the feature release on in-store displays and on the kits. DVD purchasers can buy four free bonus carving patterns on the company Web site. Consumers who buy the "Van Helsing" DVD will receive a $5-off coupon toward the purchase of any video from the studio's Legacy collections, which include "Dracula," "The Wolf Man," and other classic horror titles. Pre-order for "Van Helsing" is Sept. 7. The release comes with a suggested retail price of $29.98 for DVD and $22.98 for VHS.

HERBAL ONLINE

CINCINNATI -- Procter & Gamble is promoting its Herbal Essences hair care line with a comprehensive Web site. It features a "Beauty Garden" product guide, "Your guide to the totally organic experience"; a "Club Herbal" page with personal and pop culture information, including horoscopes and trivia questions; and a "Herbal Mobile Page," which provides ring tones, wallpaper and other content for cellular phones. The site can be found at www.herbalessences.com. The Web site highlights the advertising line, "Never underestimate the power of Herbal."

LASAGNA LOVER

CENTURY CITY, Calif. -- Hide your lasagna. Consumers will get a double dose of the pasta-loving cat when "Garfield the Movie" and "Garfield Holiday Celebrations" are released one week apart this fall by Fox Home Entertainment. "Garfield the Movie," the live-action, feature-length release, will be supported by an extensive marketing, publicity and advertising campaign in print, online and on television. Prebook for the release will be Sept. 15. The title has a suggested retail price of $29.98 for DVD and $19.98 for VHS. "Garfield the Movie" will be available in stores Oct. 19, just one week before the release of "Garfield Holiday Celebrations" on DVD. "Holiday Celebrations" is a collection of 30-minute specials of the animated Garfield character celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Prebook for "Holiday Celebrations" is Sept. 19. The release has a SRP of $14.98.

TOP 5 SUPERMARKET SELL-THROUGH TITLES

Rank, Last Week: Title (Weeks Out), Studio, DVD Retail

1, N: The Three Musketeers; Buena Vista; $29.99

2, 1: Hidalgo (2); Buena Vista; $29.99

3, 2: 13 Going on 30 (2); Columbia; $28.95

4, 5: The Prince & Me (1); Paramount; $29.99

5, NL: The Butterfly Effect (7); New Line; $27.95

N = New; NL = Not Listed

As of Aug. 22, 2004

This chart, 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.