SAFEWAY DVD PROMO AT TOP OF CLASS 2004-08-02 (1)

LIZA CASABONA

PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Safeway here will go back to school this fall in a partnership with Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Burbank, Calif., built around a "Schoolhouse Rock!" theme.

The back-to-school promotion ties the re-release of "Schoolhouse Rock!: Special 30th Anniversary Edition DVD" to a number of major grocery companies and gift cards across all Safeway banners. The program started July 14 and runs through Sept. 14, according to company statements.

The "Schoolhouse Rock!" initiative is part of a larger marketing effort for Buena Vista.

"This is part of an overall strategy to grow the video category in grocery. We think that grocery should be able to both grow the pie and take a bigger piece of the pie," said Liz Crystal, vice president, trade marketing, Buena Vista. Earlier this year, the studio announced an initiative that spanned many movie titles and promotional programs with Kroger, Cincinnati, and Albertsons, Boise, Idaho.

Safeway did not respond to requests for comments.

The "Schoolhouse Rock!" promotion is incorporated into Safeway's circular advertisements and appears on the company's Web sites and in-store signs.

The promotion is also tied into Safeway's loyalty card program. Consumers can collect four "Schoolhouse Rock!" gift cards during the promotion, one during each of the four phases, by purchasing 10 items that are part of the program with their club card. Each gift card is worth $5 and features a different "Schoolhouse Rock!" character. Featured brands include General Mills, Kraft, Skippy, Frito-Lay, Kellogg, Quaker, Campbell's Soup and Pepperidge Farms, stated Crystal.

Prepack displays of the DVD release will be featured at the front of the store and near related products in the aisles during the two-month program, Crystal explained. Signs will also appear on every third register.

Safeway banners include Vons, Randalls, Dominick's Finer Foods, Genuardi's, Carrs, Pavilions, Tom Thumb and Pak 'n Save stores.