|
Digital
Media FX News Archives
Tuesday
- April 17, 2001
- Michael Eisner: "Disney
Animators Deserve Greatest Protection!"
- Shrek Tie-Ins
Begin
- DreamWorks Extends Distribution
Deal with Universal Studios
- News Link of the Day
- PacketVideo Juices Up Wireless Gaming
Michael
Eisner: "Disney Animators Deserve Greatest Protection!"
(by digitalmediafx.com) Disney CEO Michael Eisner recently
made a surprising comment. In speaking to the Washington News
Bureau, Eisner commented that he believed that Disney animators
deserve the greatest protection from the recently announced layoffs
because they "represent the heart and soul of Disney".
While the
statement was a testament to Eisner's desire to keep the animation
division together, it came as a surprise because of a recent report
that Disney
animators were having their salaries slashed by up
to 30%. The comments from Eisner brought a backlash from Disney-owned
ABC Nightline anchor Ted Koppel who pointed out that some ABC
news correspondents, like David Kaplan, have given their lives
in the line of duty.
Click
here to discuss this article in the dFX Forums.
> Return
to the top of page
 Shrek
Tie-Ins Begin
(by digitalmediafx.com) DreamWorks Consumer Products has started
to announce its initial co-marketing and promotion deals for the
upcoming Shrek animated feature. Yesterday, the company
announced a joint promotion with The Kroger Co. that allows shoppers
to earn free movie tickets to the computer-animated film being
released in theaters nationwide on May 18, 2001.
The four-week
promotion will take place in more than 2,000 Kroger-owned stores
nationwide (which includes Ralphs, Pay Less, Fry's, and Fred Meyer's
among others). Customers who purchase $300 in groceries using
their shopper's card will earn two free tickets (child admission
or adult matinee) to Shrek.
The program
will be supported by television commercials, radio and print ads,
direct mail, heavy in-store point-of-sale and online support in
most markets where Kroger-owned stores are located.
Kroger joins
the lineup of multi-million dollar promotional partners including
Burger King, Chevron, Heinz, Sour Punch and Baskin-Robbins to
make the Shrek promotional campaign the largest to date
for DreamWorks SKG.
Participating
Kroger-owned stores will offer customers an exclusive assortment
of "Shrek" licensed merchandise in locations nationwide,
including toys from Todd McFarlane with an exclusive 3" action
figure 4-pack, candy products from ToySite, digital watches and
sunglasses from IMT, and a variety of hats from American Boy &
Girl.
In addition,
many stores will offer a variety of other Shrek-themed
products and services, including Shrek cookies, cakes and
cupcakes at store bakeries and the opportunity for customers to
have their photos taken with Shrek standees at one-hour
photo booths.
DreamWorks has become a master at marketing animated films since
last year's Chicken Run, which won an Animatasia Award
for Best Animated Movie Marketing.
Shrek
was animated by DreamWorks subsidiary PDI.
Click
here to discuss this article in the dFX Forums.
> Return
to the top of page
DreamWorks
Extends Distribution Deal with Universal Studios
 (by
digitalmediafx.com) In a surprise announcement, DreamWorks SKG
states that it has extended, for five years, its animated and
live action movie distribution deal with Universal Studios. The
move was a surprise because of industry talk that DreamWorks was
going to sign a distribution contract with AOL Time Warner, which
it partnered with for A.I.:
Artificial Intelligence.
"We greatly
value our relationship with DreamWorks and its principals,"
says Ron Meyer, president and chief operating officer, Universal
Studios. Steven Spielberg, one of the three principals at DreamWorks
added, "This alliance is particularly gratifying for me because
Universal has been an important part of my life for 32 years.
I look forward to five more years of a collaborative and rewarding
relationship.
The agreement,
which was originally established in June 1995, grants Universal
international theatrical distribution rights to live action and
animated DreamWorks motion pictures, and worldwide home video,
as well as music distribution rights and the rights to utilize
characters and concepts created by DreamWorks in Universal's theme
parks (like last year's Universal Studios Chicken Run adventure).
> Return
to the top of page
News Link
of the Day - PacketVideo Juices Up Wireless Gaming
According to the NewsFactor Network:
"PacketVideo
Corp. Thursday announced it has formed partnerships with four
European wireless game providers to develop and market applications
that offer streaming media, rich graphics, animation and interactivity
for games on mobile devices.
PacketVideo
named the four companies -- Digital Bridges, Picofun, Orchimedia
and Cash-U -- but did not disclose financial terms of the partnerships..."
Click
here for the full story.
> return
to the top of page
> click here for
a printable version of this page
> return
to April News Archives
> return to
today's news
> return
to Front Page
|
