SPECIAL K TIE-IN TO SUPPORT REEBOK TAPES

DAN ALAIMO

NEW YORK -- A new series of Reebok fitness tapes will be priced at $9.95 and backed by a cross-promotional tie-in with Kellogg's Special K cereal. Four titles in the "Reebok Versa Training Series" from PolyGram Video, here, are available now, but will be promoted from January through March. Marketing support will include a network television advertising campaign, a freestanding insert, point-of-purchase materials and an offer of a sampler video of the series with two Special K proofs-of-purchase and $5.99. The four titles in the series are "Strong Abs," "Dance Step Reebok," "Strong Legs" and "Hi-Low Aerobics." Two more titles will be added to the line early next year, said Sal Scamardo, director of marketing, sports and fitness at PolyGram Video. In addition, the line will be promoted on 15 million Kellogg's Special K boxes, which will offer the sampler tape, he noted. "We will cross-promote Kellogg's Special K with a commercial on our video tapes, and there will be impact coupons inside the packages to drive traffic back to them," he said. "This is a big opportunity for supermarkets to generate incremental revenue, especially on a video item that has a high perceived value and an impulse price of $9.95," said Scamardo. "There is no purchase required, but we would like to see the videos merchandised alongside Special K product," he said. "This gives us an opportunity to work closely with the Kellogg's sales group to do a joint sell-in on this program," he said. The combination of the Reebok brand name, the Kellogg's cross-promotion and the low price point give this line a leg up on the many competing fitness titles in the first quarter, said Scamardo.

"From a positioning standpoint, we feel that we have the most credible product. We have a multimillion promotion commitment from Kellogg's coupled with a very integrated program that Reebok has put together. There will be tens of millions of dollars in exposure for Versa Training, and we have the right price," he said.