DISNEY TIES-IN SWEEPSTAKES WITH FRANCO-AMERICAN PASTA

JUDY CORCORAN

NEW YORK -- Disney Adventures Magazine has created a sweepstakes for Franco-American's new Gargoyles Shaped Pasta which is sending kids into supermarkets to solve the gargoyle mystery before they enter the sweepstakes.

Disney Adventures put together a four page section with a one and one-half page custom comic, "Gargoyles In Cyberhunt." The last frame asks, "Who did it?" and sends kids to the stores because the gargoyle who defeated the Cybermage is pictured on the Franco-American can. Franco-American is owned by Campbell Soup Co., Camden, N.J.

In addition to the magazine insert, the same comic ran in a recent Sunday newspaper 64-page supplement called Disney's Big Time. This supplement appeared in a dozen newspapers with a total circulation of 3.8 million. "We've had success with promotions like this in the past," said Susan Wolfe, Marketing Manager at Disney Adventures. "We have a strong dialogue with our readers and the interaction between them and the magazine is intense. It also works well for the client because they don't have to change their packaging. We design the contest around their existing package."

No numbers are in yet, but sweepstakes like this in the past have drawn over 33,000 responses. The Gargoyles promotion is sending the winner to Hollywood to tour Disney Studios. Gargoyles videos will be awarded to 125 other winners. Entries are due by July 15.