INVASION OF THE GROUCHY GREEN GUYS

RANDY WEDDINGTON / Additional reporting: Mark Hamstra

Grocers are dreaming of a green Christmas.

With the box-office smash "Shrek" hitting store shelves Nov. 2 and "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" -- better known as "The Grinch" -- following closely on Nov. 20, retailers can expect to see both titles stuffing a lot of stockings.

"Shrek," a computer-animated feature from DreamWorks Home Entertainment, Glendale, Calif., has already grossed more than $260 million in theaters, about the same volume "The Grinch" did in theaters when it opened last year.

Both titles will be backed with multimillion-dollar advertising campaigns and numerous cross-promotional sponsorships. Companies with tie-ins to the "Shrek" DVD/home video debut include Microsoft's X-Box, Nintendo, Baskin-Robbins, Phillips Electronics and Kia.

The movie will be released with a minimum advertised price of $15.95 for the video and $19.95 for the DVD version, which will be chock full of special features.

Retailers seem to be leaning toward "The Grinch," from Universal Studios Home Video, Universal City, Calif., as the video to beat in this year's holiday season, however.

"I would say 'The Grinch' is going to be the more popular one," said Cheryl George, video manager at the Poulsbo Thriftway, Poulsbo, Wash. "That's the one customers have been asking about."

Bill Glaseman, video specialist, Bashas', Chandler, Ariz., said his customers also have been asking about the movie, which featured actor Jim Carrey under a thick layer of Academy Award-winning makeup.

"'The Grinch' will do excellent business for us," he said.

Paul Richard-ville, director of video/photo, Reasor's, Tahlequah, Okla., agreed, adding that the studio's plans to incorporate sponsors throughout the grocery store should be a bonus.

"We're very excited because we know there are many different products that will tie into the grocery and video departments in a major way," he said.

Indeed, the Universal video division is fielding what it calls the largest advertising campaign in its history. "We have a 'Who's Who' of promotional partners," said Craig Kornblau, home video president.

Included among the promotional partners is Dole Food Co., Westlake Village, Calif., which will place more than 100 million collectible Grinch stickers on bananas. "Hopefully, when the consumers buy them they'll be slightly green," Kornblau quipped.

Heinz North America, Pittsburgh, will have a 10-week promotion with its EZ-Squirt bottle ketchup, featuring a rebate offer for the video. The Grinch will appear on the green bottles, while Max the Dog and other film characters will be on the red.

Hershey Foods Corp., Hershey, Pa., will market customized Grinch candy, while Nabisco, Parsippany, N.J., will provide green Oreo cookies.

In addition to freestanding newspaper inserts planned for the week of Nov. 20, there is also an extensive TV, radio and print campaign in three phases: a pre-street date countdown Nov. 11 to 19, a post-street push Nov. 20 to 25 and a holiday "pull" Nov. 26 to Jan. 1.

The studio also is tying in with a major charity, First Book, which provides low-income children with their first new books, said Kornblau. For this tie-in Universal is working with Dr. Seuss publisher Random House.

Universal also will offer a VHS gift set that includes a Grinch plush toy for a retail price of $29.98. A limited edition DVD gift set will also be available for $39.98.

Some retailers will be extending their own marketing beyond the official campaign. "We've ordered Dr. Seuss hats," said Craig Hill, video specialist, Harps Food Stores, Springdale, Ark. "We're ordering a lot of merchandising tie-ins."

"All the studios will have seasonal releases, but none will compete with 'The Grinch,"' said Bill Bryant, vice president of sales, grocery and drug, Ingram Entertainment, La Vergne, Tenn. "Most retailers will be doing everything possible to promote 'The Grinch."'