MUPPET TITLE TO CARRY INSTANT COUPON

DAN ALAIMO

BURBANK, Calif. -- Buena Vista Home Video will support its second direct-to-video title, "Muppet Classic Theater," with a $2 instantly redeemable coupon on the package.

This is the first use of such a coupon for a sell-through video, according to industry observers. Buena Vista will release the title from Jim Henson Video on Oct. 28, the same day as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Suggested retail price will be $19.95; prebook is Sept. 6. The 70-minute video includes six spoofs of well-known fairy tales such as "Rumpelstiltskin" and "The Three Little Pigs."

An earlier release date had been scheduled for the title, said Dennis Rice, senior vice president, marketing. But Buena Vista executives were so impressed with its content that "we felt it needed a more prominent place in our schedule. We couldn't think of a more appropriate time than the day we launch 'Snow White."

The instantly redeemable coupon will make the title a strong performer in supermarkets, Rice said. "People who shop in grocery stores are predisposed to coupons. We think this is a natural for the shopper in the grocery store channel of distribution," he said.

"We are very excited about what the supermarkets can now do with 'Muppet Classic Theater' and with videos in general. We think this is an underdeveloped distribution channel and we are working very aggressively to make it a bigger source of business for us," said Rice. The marketing campaign supporting the title will include national television and print advertising expected to generate 2 billion impressions. This is comparable to past Henson releases, such as "The Muppet Christmas Carol," said Rice. "The overwhelming success of 'The Return of Jafar' proves that quality, direct-to-video programming can be as successful as a major hit film," said Kelley Avery, vice president, marketing.