New releases sweeten pot with cross promotions

Discount Store News, Jan 4, 1999

Propelled by the promotional power of the Disney brand and supported by a McDonald's restaurant promotion and a dollars-off cross promotion with Energizer, Buena Vista Home Entertainment's "Mulan" will street Feb. 2 at a suggested retail price of $26.99

Each "Mulan" video will also include a certificate for a free "Mulan" hardcover book.

Buena Vista will also extend the Winnie the Pooh video franchise with the March 23 release (prebook Jan 12) of "Sing a Song with Pooh Bear."

Golden Books Family Entertainment Home Video & Audio will kick off its Easter parade Feb 2 with the rerelease of four of its classic animated titles. "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" will carry a suggested retail price of $12.98, while "Madeline and the Easter Bonnet," "Happy Birthday Bunnykins" and "Precious Moments Simon the Lamb" will be priced at $9.98.

Each of the videos will contain a coupon booklet offering more than $400 in savings in the form of a free cabin upgrade on Carnival Cruise Lines, eyeglass savings from Pearl Vision, a free day of child care from Kindercare, a rebate from Toy Biz and offers from Discovery Zones, Best Personalized Books, Peeps Toys and Golden Books.

Warner Bros Family Entertainment will release the animated feature-length. "The Snow Queen" Feb 9 (prebook Jan 12) at a suggested list price of $14.95 Based on the Hans Christian Anderson story, the video will be available in 18- and 24-unit merchandisers. At least five children's books and two audio titles related to "The Swan Queen" are available for possible retail cross promotions.

In addition to "The Snow Queen," Warner will also be repromoting. "The Hobbit," "The Nutcracker Prince," "Oliver Twist," "Watership Down," "The Wind in the Willows" and "Treasure Island."

Columbia's "Animorphs" video from the popular Nickelodeon cable network program will street Feb 9 (prebook Jan 7) at a minimum advertised price of $9.95

Jim Henson's 1986 television special. "The Tale of the Bunny Picnic" will be released on video by Columbia TriStar Home Video March 2 (order date Jan 28) at a suggested retail price of $9.95.

Also due March 2 from Columbia TriStar are volumes five and six in the "Bear in the Big Blue House" home video series from the Disney Channel television show.

Harvey Home Entertainment and Columbia TriStar will release "Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure" March 2 (order date Jan 28) Packaged in a Duracase, each video will include a Colorforms activity kit.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and Marvel Comics are brining out a half-dozen animated videos based on superhero cartoons that ran on television in the 1960s. Titles in the line will include "Spider-Man," "Captain America" and "The Incredible Hulk." The line will street Feb 16 (prebook Jan 20) at $14.98.