PILLSBURY, RALSTON JOIN 'LION KING' CAMPAIGN

DAN ALAIMO

BURBANK, Calif. -- The marketing campaign behind Disney's megahit "The Lion King," which includes tie-ins with two packaged goods companies, is likely to be the biggest ever for a home video title.

Pillsbury and Ralston/Chex are among four cross-promotional partners for the video, which will have a suggested retail price of $26.99 and a minimum advertised price of $16.99. The National Advertised Availability Date will be March 3, with will-call on Feb. 28 and prebook on Jan. 17. Exact numbers were not available, but the total marketing effort for "Lion King" will surpass that of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," making it the biggest ever for a home video title, said Tania Moloney, vice president of publicity and event marketing at Buena Vista Home Video here. Buena Vista is the video sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of Walt Disney Co. As of Christmas weekend, "Lion King" had earned $291 million at the box office and was still playing nationally. Over 70 million people have seen the movie, said Moloney. "It's very likely to be the biggest video ever. It will certainly go into the high 20s [million units] and it is possible that it may go over 30," she said. Consumer intent to purchase the title, as measured by the company's research, is the highest of any video to date, she said. " 'Lion King' is a great opportunity for any retail class of trade that is involved in video," said Moloney. "The incremental sales, especially for supermarkets, are probably a bigger opportunity than has been out there before." Key components of the giant marketing program include: Video release within two months of the movie's second theatrical run during the holiday season.

A $5 mail-in rebate from

Pillsbury with the purchase of "Lion King" or one of Disney's other Masterpiece Collection titles or one of 12 Walt Disney Film Collection movies along with various Pillsbury products.

Cross-promotion on the front and back panels of five Ralston/ Chex brands, a total of 10 million cereal boxes.

A $5 mail-in rebate from Mattel Toys, structured similarly to the Pillsbury offer.

A national tie-in with Burger King that will include a "multimillion dollar" television advertising campaign.

Trailers on the "Snow White" video and on "The Lion King -- Circle of Life" Sing-Along video.

The February release of "Rhythm of the Pride Lands," a second music album based on "The Lion King" soundtrack, with some additional selections. "The array of products that we are connected with is very wide and that is good for supermarkets," said Moloney. This is the first time that Buena Vista has linked rebates on its Masterpiece Collection -- formerly known as "The Walt Disney Classics" -- to live action titles in the Walt Disney Film Collection, said Moloney. Twelve of these movies will be repackaged in clamshell cases and offered as part of the promotion. The 12 titles are: "Old Yellar," "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," "Swiss Family Robinson," "The Love Bug," "The Parent Trap," "Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier," "That Darned Cat," "Pollyanna," "The Shaggy Dog," "Escape to Witch Mountain," "Herbie Rides Again" and "The Apple Dumpling Gang." Other Masterpiece titles in the promotion include "Robin Hood," "Alice in Wonderland," "Mary Poppins" and "Dumbo." "Snow White" and "The Fox and the Hound," which will be put on moratorium on April 30, will also be part of the offer. These two titles will get their own print, radio and TV campaign that will run in January and make 1.7 billion impressions.

The Pillsbury marketing effort will include network TV advertising, on-pack exposure, in-store merchandising and a two-page national freestanding insert that will drop on March 5 and reach 55 million homes. Seventeen Pillsbury brands will be involved in the promotion, including Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookies, Pillsbury Moist Supreme Cake Mix and Creamy Supreme Frosting. The offer is valid from Feb. 28 to April 30.