Mars attack: WB lines up partners for Marvin back-to-school bash - Warner Bros.'s back-to-school event

Brandweek, Jan 19, 1998 by T.L. Stanley

Warner Bros. has lined up a passel of partners, including Subway, Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Kraft, Sara Lee and General Mills, for a back-to-school event around Marvin the Martian, a Looney Tunes character introduced 50 years ago. The promo is aimed at keeping Looney Tunes fresh in a year when there are no new movies or TV projects planned for the franchise, and is timed for the pivotal August/September window, when food, beverage and fast food partners, could use a big bang.

WB is borrowing from a strategy it took more than five years ago with the Tasmanian Devil, once a niche character, now one of its hottest properties. Research showed that Marvin the Martian, who has appeared in five animated shorts and a Nike spot, has high awareness and strong sales in Warner Bros. Studio Stores. As with Taz, Marvin could be the center of a TV show eventually.

"We wanted to bring some newness to Looney Tunes at a time when there's not a media driver," said Jordan Sollitto, vp-promotions and branded food at WB Consumer Products. "We're focusing all the attention across our divisions and with the partners to create critical mass. We think Marvin is sleeping giant."

Subway will bow a Kids Meal promotion with five premiums, supported by POP, television media and a tie with partner Frito-Lay, which will create special Marvin-skew products for the fast feeder. The snack brand also plans a major push with its Planet Lunch Packs program, incorporating Marvin into store displays and, likely, media. Planet Lunch launched this month, aimed at elementary school kids (Brandweek, Oct. 13).

A mass merchandiser also is close to inking a deal to be part of the Marvin program, becoming the "Looney Tunes back-to-school headquarters." The retailer would be decked out with Marvin signage, hosting activities such as Marvin birthday parties. Frito-Lay also is considering a special display for the retail partner.

Gatorade's plans are still being nailed down, but a TV spot featuring Marvin, Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan, a la Nike's Super Bowl spot of yore, could be in the offing, along with instore materials.

Kraft, which last year inked a grand-scale deal with Time Warner's Cartoon Network and this month launches superhero pastas based on Warner's DC Comics, plans to put Marvin's mug on 20 million boxes of Mac & Cheese. The company also is mulling using the character in its TV ads.

A deal is still gelling with General Mills, but is expected to encompass some of the fruit snacks line, with on-pack, instore and media exposure.

Sara Lee will roll out a new product, a kids' bagel, for the program. The company, which bows a Looney Tunes line of baked goods this quarter and aims to focus new product intros around key events, will keep the Marvin-themed bagels in stores beyond the eight-week promo.

Warner itself will hold Marvin-themed on-air promos, which will flag partner activities, on Kids WB and the Cartoon Network. Warner Home Video will release a collection of Marvin shorts. And Six Flags theme parks plans Marvin events, costume characters and programming on video monitors. The studio stores will step up Marvin's presence, and a gift guide will run in People magazine in August. A Warner Bros. On-line sweeps will send kids to Space Camp.