HANDY ANDY IS CASTING SHOPPERS IN 'SELENA: THE MOVIE'

AMITY K. MOORE

SAN ANTONIO -- Handy Andy Super Markets here is making its shoppers famous while improving grocery sales through a promotion of the forthcoming "Selena: The Movie."

As the exclusive south Texas supermarket retailer affiliated with the filming of the movie, Handy Andy has worked out an agreement with Selena Film Productions to have selected customers volunteer as movie extras, said Stan Edde, the chain's president. Selena was a Tejano singer who was assassinated by the head of her fan club.

National manufacturers are participating in the promotion as well. The core manufacturers -- those featured in circular advertisements that run in conjunction with the promotion each week -- include Coca-Cola, Keebler cookies, Tony's pizza, Rainbo bread, Mission tortillas, Fuji film and Oak Farms dairy products.

Other vendors also are participating, but are not committed to advertising each week of the campaign, said Lupe Anguiano, grocery buyer and merchandiser.

The production has put Handy Andy in the spotlight.

"We've had a lot of people visit our stores. The last count was something like 5,000 to 7,000 Handy Andy customers who are actually extras in the movie," Edde said. That number does not include the 15,000 to 20,000 people who participated in an Alamodome concert scene.

Handy Andy has been providing groceries to the catering service that is feeding the crew and actors of the film. The production company may shoot a scene in one of the stores, Edde added.

The chain supported the promotion with television spots, in-store signs and posters. At stores SN visited this month, displays and registration sites were located toward the front end of grocery aisles. Endcaps near the displays held products from Keebler and other manufacturers.

The retailer dedicated a full page of its in-store circular to registering shoppers as potential extras in the film. Customers could register by filling out a form located in the circular and also at in-store displays. Photographs of registrants were required.

The promotion began the first week in August and is scheduled to run for 12 weeks, though it may extend into November, said Anguiano.

Beginning Nov. 1, Handy Andy shoppers who spend $25 or more will receive the first copies of autographed movie posters.