FOXVIDEO FIRST TO DEBUT VIDEO FSI IN FEBRUARY

DAN ALAIMO

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- On Feb. 9, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment here will become the first studio to use a freestanding insert to exclusively promote video product, said Brad Kirk, senior vice president of marketing.

The full-page ad in a national newspaper insert will offer a $1 coupon on three hit titles: "A Walk in the Clouds," "Nine Months" and "The Truth About Cats and Dogs." The ad is timed for Valentine's Day -- all three titles have romantic themes. Street date for the repricing is Feb. 4.

The suggested retail price on the titles will be $14.98, with a minimum advertised price of $9.95. "This coupon is a high percentage of the value," said Kirk. Pre-order date on shippers is Jan. 13. The titles have a cumulative box office gross of $150 million, he said.

"This is the first time that a major studio has ever dropped a freestanding insert coupon on video," said Kirk.

The titles appeal to supermarkets' core demographic of women aged 25 to 49. Because most FSI coupons are redeemed in supermarkets, FoxVideo hopes to achieve a high percentage of its total sales through the grocery trade, he said.

"We realize that coupons are redeemed everywhere now, but certainly with the weekly traffic that supermarkets have, this is a very important vehicle for them," said Kirk.

"These are great movies and this is a great vehicle for getting trial on them. It has worked in launching new products in other categories. Hundreds of thousands of people will walk in the next day with a dollar-off coupon. We think this will provide a focal point, a merchandisable date," said Kirk.

Participating in this promotion can also help supermarkets build their image as a video sell-through destination, he noted. "These are the kinds of titles that get people in the habit of going to a supermarket for video. This is a way that they can really compete with the other classes of trade," he said.