They mention how they are going to be plugging "Bag Borrow or Steal" in the new SATC film. Interesting article
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/b...c6&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
March 17, 2008
Sex and the City and Its Lasting Female Appeal
By STUART ELLIOTT
WHEN it comes to products helping to promote the coming film based on the popular TV series Sex and the City, it seems the sky is the limit.
Better make that the Skyy is the limit, as in Skyy vodka, which is being named the official spirits sponsor for the movie. Among the tie-ins are drinks made with Skyy to be served at Houlihans restaurants and named after characters like Carrie, Samantha and Mr. Big.
Skyy Spirits, part of Gruppo Campari, is among eight marketers big, small and in between that have agreed to be promotional partners for the New Line Cinema release Sex and the City: The Movie, due May 30.
The partner brands are included in the film in ways that range from mentions in lines of dialogue to numerous appearances on screen. In exchange, the owners of the brands will help publicize the movie with commercials, posters, sweepstakes, viewing parties, events in stores, contests, ticket giveaways and even products with labels inspired by Sex and the City.
Reflecting the appeal of the series, a mainstay on HBO from 1998 to 2004, the sponsors mainly sell products aimed at women or want to increase sales among female shoppers. In addition to Skyy, they include Bag Borrow or Steal, which rents handbags and jewelry online; Coty fragrances; Glacéau Vitaminwater, sold by the Coca-Cola Company; the Mercedes-Benz USA division of Daimler; and the jeweler H. Stern.
Weve positioned this movie from the beginning as the Super Bowl for women, said Chris Carlisle, president for marketing at New Line Cinema, part of Time Warner, borrowing a phrase used by Madison Avenue to celebrate the large female audience for the annual broadcasts of the Academy Awards.
So we want to align only with those brands that make sense, that match up with the Sex and the City brand, he added, and extend our footprint, not duplicate it.
Executives at New Line and the partner sponsors met frequently to coordinate how the brands efforts can amplify the campaign planned by New Line.
The first phase is under way with trailers in theaters, signs in Midtown Manhattan and a Web site (sexandthecitymovie.com). Ads will begin in about a month in magazines and newspapers as well as on Web sites, radio and television, especially during the reruns of Sex and the City on cable and broadcast stations.
Hollywood has been asking brands for marketing assistance since General Electric teamed up with Warner Brothers in 1933 to send a seven-car train across the country as a publicity stunt for 42nd Street. The practice has become more sophisticated recently as the entertainment landscape grew cluttered and studio budgets to market movies soared.
There is an unusual back story, as movie people say, to the efforts by New Line to find promotional partners: It was complicated by the myriad brands seen and discussed in the 94 episodes of the TV series. Among them were shoes designed by Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo, an Apple computer on which Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) wrote her columns and designer labels like Chanel, Dior and Dolce & Gabbana.
Those brands were written into the scripts for purposes of verisimilitude rather than commercial considerations, said John Melfi, an executive producer of the series who is a producer of the film, to establish the reality of the world the characters lived in.
Its not sticking a bowl of cereal or a Coca-Cola in front of the camera, he added. Its organic to the lives of the ladies.
That became the guidance for the film, Mr. Melfi said, to ensure theres nothing egregious about what we do that could alienate potential ticket buyers. Were not going to Burger King, he added. This is not Star Wars.
For instance, Bag Borrow or Steal became involved with the film, Mr. Melfi said, because a character mentions the company in a scene in the script, which was written by Michael Patrick King. (Mr. King is also a producer of the movie as well as the director.) Its a Cinderella story for us, said Jodi Watson, chief marketing officer at Bag Borrow or Steal, and we hope our prince will be Mr. Big.
In return, Bag Borrow or Steal will offer visitors to its Web site (bagborroworsteal.com) a chance to watch the movie trailer, win tickets to the premiere and shop for merchandise inspired by Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda.
Mercedes-Benz became involved because an event during Fashion Week in Bryant Park officially known as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is a big part of the movie, sort of the 11 oclock number, Mr. Melfi said, using a theatrical term for the climactic scene of a musical.
We wanted to portray Fashion Week accurately, he added, and in negotiating permission with Mercedes-Benz to use the brands name, the idea came up for a partnership.
As part of the deal, Mercedes-Benz helped re-create Fashion Week for the film, down to repitching the tents that fill the park. The brand is also providing an S-Class limousine for Mr. Big (Chris Noth) and a new GLK luxury sport utility for Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
Returning the favor, Ms. Cattrall joined Dieter Zetsche, chief of Daimler, at the Detroit auto show in January to introduce the GLK.
Mr. Big driving from Point A to Point B in an S-Class is O.K., but not interesting for us as marketers, said Stephen Cannon, vice president for marketing at Mercedes-Benz USA. But a trifecta Mr. Big, re-creating Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, the GLK thats when it starts to get interesting. He added that Mercedes-Benz maintaining itself as an important part of pop culture is great. But at the end of the day, it has to be authentic.
Executives at Glacéau echoed that perspective. We only partner with properties that are a natural fit, said Rohan Oza, senior vice president for marketing at Glacéau.
The pervasive retail presence of Vitaminwater in New York, he added, where the movie, like the series, takes place, meant that people will accept the partnership.
The centerpiece will be the relabeling of two flavors, Rescue Green Tea and XXX (Triple Antioxidants), to salute the film. The beverages and the movie will be peddled together on popcorn bags at AMC theaters, on posters in grocery stores and on a section of the brands Web site (vitaminwater.com/sexandthecity).
Promotional partnerships do not guarantee a film will be boffo at the box office. New Lines Semi-Pro has been underperforming despite imaginative deals with brands like Bud Light and Old Spice; the star, Will Ferrell, even appears in character in TV commercials for both products. We feel the pressure, said Mr. Melfi, the producer. If we do it right eight out of 10 times, were doing our job.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/b...c6&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
March 17, 2008
Sex and the City and Its Lasting Female Appeal
By STUART ELLIOTT
WHEN it comes to products helping to promote the coming film based on the popular TV series Sex and the City, it seems the sky is the limit.
Better make that the Skyy is the limit, as in Skyy vodka, which is being named the official spirits sponsor for the movie. Among the tie-ins are drinks made with Skyy to be served at Houlihans restaurants and named after characters like Carrie, Samantha and Mr. Big.
Skyy Spirits, part of Gruppo Campari, is among eight marketers big, small and in between that have agreed to be promotional partners for the New Line Cinema release Sex and the City: The Movie, due May 30.
The partner brands are included in the film in ways that range from mentions in lines of dialogue to numerous appearances on screen. In exchange, the owners of the brands will help publicize the movie with commercials, posters, sweepstakes, viewing parties, events in stores, contests, ticket giveaways and even products with labels inspired by Sex and the City.
Reflecting the appeal of the series, a mainstay on HBO from 1998 to 2004, the sponsors mainly sell products aimed at women or want to increase sales among female shoppers. In addition to Skyy, they include Bag Borrow or Steal, which rents handbags and jewelry online; Coty fragrances; Glacéau Vitaminwater, sold by the Coca-Cola Company; the Mercedes-Benz USA division of Daimler; and the jeweler H. Stern.
Weve positioned this movie from the beginning as the Super Bowl for women, said Chris Carlisle, president for marketing at New Line Cinema, part of Time Warner, borrowing a phrase used by Madison Avenue to celebrate the large female audience for the annual broadcasts of the Academy Awards.
So we want to align only with those brands that make sense, that match up with the Sex and the City brand, he added, and extend our footprint, not duplicate it.
Executives at New Line and the partner sponsors met frequently to coordinate how the brands efforts can amplify the campaign planned by New Line.
The first phase is under way with trailers in theaters, signs in Midtown Manhattan and a Web site (sexandthecitymovie.com). Ads will begin in about a month in magazines and newspapers as well as on Web sites, radio and television, especially during the reruns of Sex and the City on cable and broadcast stations.
Hollywood has been asking brands for marketing assistance since General Electric teamed up with Warner Brothers in 1933 to send a seven-car train across the country as a publicity stunt for 42nd Street. The practice has become more sophisticated recently as the entertainment landscape grew cluttered and studio budgets to market movies soared.
There is an unusual back story, as movie people say, to the efforts by New Line to find promotional partners: It was complicated by the myriad brands seen and discussed in the 94 episodes of the TV series. Among them were shoes designed by Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo, an Apple computer on which Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) wrote her columns and designer labels like Chanel, Dior and Dolce & Gabbana.
Those brands were written into the scripts for purposes of verisimilitude rather than commercial considerations, said John Melfi, an executive producer of the series who is a producer of the film, to establish the reality of the world the characters lived in.
Its not sticking a bowl of cereal or a Coca-Cola in front of the camera, he added. Its organic to the lives of the ladies.
That became the guidance for the film, Mr. Melfi said, to ensure theres nothing egregious about what we do that could alienate potential ticket buyers. Were not going to Burger King, he added. This is not Star Wars.
For instance, Bag Borrow or Steal became involved with the film, Mr. Melfi said, because a character mentions the company in a scene in the script, which was written by Michael Patrick King. (Mr. King is also a producer of the movie as well as the director.) Its a Cinderella story for us, said Jodi Watson, chief marketing officer at Bag Borrow or Steal, and we hope our prince will be Mr. Big.
In return, Bag Borrow or Steal will offer visitors to its Web site (bagborroworsteal.com) a chance to watch the movie trailer, win tickets to the premiere and shop for merchandise inspired by Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda.
Mercedes-Benz became involved because an event during Fashion Week in Bryant Park officially known as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is a big part of the movie, sort of the 11 oclock number, Mr. Melfi said, using a theatrical term for the climactic scene of a musical.
We wanted to portray Fashion Week accurately, he added, and in negotiating permission with Mercedes-Benz to use the brands name, the idea came up for a partnership.
As part of the deal, Mercedes-Benz helped re-create Fashion Week for the film, down to repitching the tents that fill the park. The brand is also providing an S-Class limousine for Mr. Big (Chris Noth) and a new GLK luxury sport utility for Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
Returning the favor, Ms. Cattrall joined Dieter Zetsche, chief of Daimler, at the Detroit auto show in January to introduce the GLK.
Mr. Big driving from Point A to Point B in an S-Class is O.K., but not interesting for us as marketers, said Stephen Cannon, vice president for marketing at Mercedes-Benz USA. But a trifecta Mr. Big, re-creating Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, the GLK thats when it starts to get interesting. He added that Mercedes-Benz maintaining itself as an important part of pop culture is great. But at the end of the day, it has to be authentic.
Executives at Glacéau echoed that perspective. We only partner with properties that are a natural fit, said Rohan Oza, senior vice president for marketing at Glacéau.
The pervasive retail presence of Vitaminwater in New York, he added, where the movie, like the series, takes place, meant that people will accept the partnership.
The centerpiece will be the relabeling of two flavors, Rescue Green Tea and XXX (Triple Antioxidants), to salute the film. The beverages and the movie will be peddled together on popcorn bags at AMC theaters, on posters in grocery stores and on a section of the brands Web site (vitaminwater.com/sexandthecity).
Promotional partnerships do not guarantee a film will be boffo at the box office. New Lines Semi-Pro has been underperforming despite imaginative deals with brands like Bud Light and Old Spice; the star, Will Ferrell, even appears in character in TV commercials for both products. We feel the pressure, said Mr. Melfi, the producer. If we do it right eight out of 10 times, were doing our job.
