PILLSBURY HELPING 'E.T.' RETURN TO EARTH HOMES

DAN ALAIMO

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- Supported by a massive cross-promotional program with Pillsbury, MCA/Universal Home Video will re-release "E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial" Oct. 1. Suggested retail price will be $14.98 and orders will close Sept. 16. The cross-promotional campaign with Pillsbury is expected to generate over 2 billion impressions, reaching 97% of households 16.3 times, according to the studio. National advertising will include network and cable television, print, radio, Hispanic promotions and on-line promotions. The centerpiece of the Pillsbury tie-in is a $5 mail-in rebate offered with the purchase of the video and any five participating products. The brands include Totino's pizza, Hungry Jack and Old El Paso. The offer will be valid from Oct. 1, 1996 to May 31, 1997. Other promotional support from Pillsbury will include a sweepstakes, with a trip for four to Universal Studios Hollywood as a grand prize. "E.T." will be available in three versions. The regular full-frame version and Spanish-dubbed version will include a 10-minute retrospective featuring recent interviews with Steven Spielberg and others. Priced at $14.98, these will be sold in a clamshell case. A letter-boxed version will retail at $19.98, and will include a 30-minute retrospective.