Coca-Cola, Blockbuster build on marketing alliance

Atlanta – Blockbuster Inc. and The Coca-Cola Co. have signed a multi-million dollar, five-year global marketing and product alliance.
Terms were not disclosed.
The global alliance builds on a distribution agreement the two companies have had since 1995, with Dallas-based Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) continuing to distribute Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) products in up to 8,000 of its stores around the world.
Under the expanded agreement, Atlanta-based Coca-Cola will purchase media assets and incentives from the video company. The agreement also includes provisions for several major national promotions each year.
Beginning in spring 2002, Coca-Cola will buy space in the video company's marketing resources, including the in-store television network, direct mail and point-of-sale coupon system.
The two companies will also partner on several national marketing campaigns designed both to drive Coca-Cola volume at Blockbuster, with others targeted to drive volume for additional Coca-Cola distribution partners and provide out-of-store exposure for Blockbuster. The first national campaign, the Blockbuster & diet Coke "Steal the Scene" promotion, launches this week and features an instant-win game on more than 90 million specially-marked packages of diet Coke. Additionally, the promotion will extend to customers purchasing Coca-Cola at concession stands at more than 1,400 U.S. movie theaters.
The grand prize is a star-treatment trip to Los Angeles with a walk-on movie role. Other prizes include Club Med vacations, DVD players and a year of free DVD rentals at Blockbuster, digital cameras and free diet Coke product.
A new diet Coke television ad, "Casting Call," has been developed to support the promotion. The ad, which is a continuation of the diet Coke "Poetry" campaign that debuted in February, features quick cuts of people describing what feels good, including winning a walk-on role in a movie courtesy of Blockbuster and diet Coke.
There is both a 30-second television spot and a special 60-second version for in-cinema use. The promotion will also be supported by print and electronic media, including the Blockbuster Entertainment Network and direct mailers, as well as special packaging and point-of-sale materials.