ATLANTA -- Little Debbie snack cakes and Nestle ice cream novelties have joined with the Turner Home Entertainment here for summer promotions centered around characters from the Cartoon Network.
McKee Baking Co., Collegedale, Tenn., which markets Little Debbie, will promote select Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters including Top Cat and Yogi Bear on 70 million packages of its products, beginning this month. The program is expected to run until early 1997.
Also beginning this month, and lasting through the summer, Nestle Ice Cream Co., Solon, Ohio, will distribute 2.5 million specially marked boxes of its Flintstone Push Up Treats. These packages contain an in-pack promotion with two of six collectible Cartoon Network temporary tattoos, as well as cut-out versions of cartoon characters. The activities tie into a corporate-wide branding program for the Cartoon Network by Turner Home Entertainment Licensing and Merchandising. Days Inns, the hotel chain, is also participating with a major tie-in program. Several brands have smaller-scale tie-ins planned.
"Turner Broadcasting is really carving out a niche in the kids business. Anything we do with kids will brand Cartoon Network," a Turner Home Entertainment spokeswoman said.
Another consumer product tie-in is "The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest," an action figure line from Galoob, which will bear a Cartoon Network logo, she said. Other items, like Flintstones Curad for Kids bandages, will incorporate a Cartoon Network logo down the road.
"We're doing this because so much of our library on the animation front through Hanna-Barbera Productions is relating to kids. We're teaming up with industry leaders in consumer categories so we can increase awareness of Cartoon Network off channel to support tune-in and generate revenue," she said.
The Hanna-Barbera library includes such cartoon staples as Huckleberry Hound, Top Cat, Space Ghost and Yogi Bear.
McKee's promotion will involve 10 varieties of its Little Debbie snack cakes, including Yo-Yo's, Fudge Macaroo, Marshmallow Pies, Star Crunch, and Raisin Creme Pies.
Jennifer Jas, communications coordinator at McKee, said the promotion will be centered on its Yo-Yo's product. Boxes will feature the Cartoon Network logo, with several Cartoon Network characters, along with a mail-in offer for T-shirts and hats. Other brands will simply feature a violator on the front announcing the offer.
Jas said that the promotion will run for six months, and be advertised via point-of-purchase displays and shelf talkers.""This is a test. We haven't done anything like this before with licensed characters. We're anxious to see how it goes over."
The Nestle Ice Cream Co.'s Flintstones Push Up Treats tie-in is targeted at children age 2 through 11. This is the second year Nestle has partnered with Turner. Nestle officials declined comment.
