Feature: Finding new opportunities for licensing in promotions

When Kellogg’s announced in June that it would be limiting the use of licensed characters in its advertising, it signalled a change in the face of promotions, particularly FMCG. The food company said that this came after three years of “significant changes” to the way it markets products with children’s appeal, prompted by consumers’ feedback and new regulations. One of its key commitments is to steer away from characters that are popular with children if products do not meet its own “science-based nutrient criteria”.

The change informed Kellogg’s promotional campaign on cereals such as Rice Krispies this summer when it linked up with the blockbuster, Shrek the Third, to offre free cinema tickets for families. Kellogg’s has also stressed that, for products such as Coco Pops Straws, there will not be a repeat of the kind of promotional tie-up there was with animated movie Flushed Away last Christmas. Running across several Kellogg’s products, it involved a competition offering the chance to win a luxury family weekend break in London.

The Coco Pops promotion was one of those “named and shamed” in last month’s report from consumer group Which?, called Cartoon Heroes and Villains. It provided a long list of “villains” – brands criticised for using children’s film and TV characters on promotions for products deemed “less healthy” under Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling criteria.

Other brands that came under fire included Weetabix chocolate-flavour Weetos, Kellogg’s Frosties, Nesquik chocolate-flavour cereal and Nestlé’s little chocolate pots. Sue Davies, chief policy adviser of Which?, said: “There are precious few examples of cartoons being used to promote healthy products. Our research shows that the majority are being used to encourage children to eat fatty, sugary and salty foods. We are calling on companies to follow the example of Warner Bros and Disney and no longer use cartoons to promote unhealthy foods.

“With so many parents fed up with the amount of marketing aimed at their children, it also makes commercial sense for cartoon brands to distance themselves from unhealthy food products. Regulation should be put in place to protect children from all forms of irresponsible marketing of unhealthy foods, whether it’s TV advertising, packaging, free gifts or websites.”

However, promoters pointed out that the Which? report was based on a survey of consumers at the beginning of July – when changes were introduced by the Code of Advertising Practice (CAP). Since then, advertising must not encourage the purchase of food or soft drinks by using licensed characters, celebrities or promotional offers in ads intended for children. “This report is out of date and the conclusions drawn are no longer relevant,” says Sue Eustace, director of public affairs at the Advertising Association.

“The analysis shown in this report took place between March and June 2007 before the advertising codes were changed on July 1. The new codes, which were introduced in response to this issue, prohibit the use of licensed characters and celebrities popular with children in advertisements targeted at children.”

However, Kellogg’s was not alone in running film-related promotions this summer. McDonald’s partnered Shrek with a competition on boxes of Happy Meals, while Nestlé ran a promotion linked to The Simpsons Movie across packs of Kit Kat, Rolo, Aero and Yorkie, promising £10,000 to anyone who found a yellow bar in packs. The Simpsons Movie also featured in a promotion by Burger King, with talking toy characters being given away with meals from its Kids Menu.

David Pearson, director of movie marketing company Filmology, has noted a shift in the way that FMCG brands have been using film and TV and characters over the past five years. “They are now recognizing that they have a duty of care and are taking more responsibility,” he says. “We have seen a lot of brands moving towards one-off incentives to purchase rather than driving consumers to purchase again and again. They realise that their brand could be damaged if they are seen as taking advantage and are instead going for a long-term approach.”

With marketing of products to children increasingly seeking a healthy message, Pearson believes there is potential for creative use of film characters. “Superheroes are very active characters and a good role models for kids,” he explains. “There are a lot of characters out there that represent everything that society says you should be doing, such as healthy living and social conscience, and brands using these sorts of characters can associate themselves with what is seen as desirable within society.”

One licence that is causing a lot of buzz is LazyTown, an award-winning children’s TV show launched last year. With a licensing programme created by The Licensing Company (TLC), it features super-fit superhero Sportacus and encourages children to live life to follow the show's philosophy of leading a healthy and active life.

Another new property is Franny’s Feet, a preschool TV series, broadcast on Five. Handled in the UK by Rocket Licensing, it focuses on a girl with magical shoes that take her around the world – indirectly promoting the health benefits of walking.

LazyTown and other child-oriented licences feature prominently at the Brand Licensing Europe exhibition at Olympia in London on October 2 and 3. 4Kids Entertainment International will be presenting plans for licences such as Viva Pinata, a children’s TV series on GMTV, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, while Coolabi’s growing portfolio includes preschool series The Doodlebugs, which is aired on GMTV.

A more familiar children’s property is set for a higher profile next year with the 50th anniversary of Paddington Bear. At Brand Licensing Europe, The Copyrights Group is unveiling plans for major activity for the marmalade-loving bear over the next 18 months, including a partnership with an FMCG brand.

The exhibition will feature a host of films and TV shows that could provide inspiration for promotional partnerships. Twentieth Century Fox will be previewing the next instalment of the Ice Age franchise as well as animated film Space Chimps. TLC Entertainment will be focusing on future releases such as the fourth Indiana Jones film, the 22nd Bond film, Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons and the trilogy of movies based on Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, starting with The Golden Compass.

There is also an increasing emphasis on adult licences. Pearson at Filmology notes that film properties – even those based on comic books – appeal to a broader market than 10 years ago. “Films based on comic books are generally seen as a bigger franchise, going for the ‘fan boy’ market of boys who have never quite grown up,” he says.

Coolabi has been developing partnerships for the classic film property, Hammer House of Horror, which includes Dracula and Frankenstein. It is set to be given a new lease of life after Hammer Films’ acquisition in May by a consortium that intends to return to film and television production after more than 30 years.

Copyright Promotions Sports handles a large number of licences that appeal to all age ranges, including Rugby Football Union, the Football Association, the World Rally Championships and the England and Wales Cricket Board.

With exhibitor numbers for next month’s Brand Licensing Europe well up on last year – reaching 180 at time of going to press – the range of licences available for marketers looks set to be broader than ever.