Burger King to capitalize on ‘Viva Rock Vegas’

Phil Levine

Friday, April 28, 2000 | 11:01 a.m.

What do Fred Flintstone, flame-broiled hamburgers and the Las Vegas Strip have in common?

They're part of a multi-million dollar international promotional campaign being launched Monday tied to today's release of the Universal Studio's film "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas."

Miami-based Burger King Corp. is launching the four-week ad campaign tying its products to the movie's characters.

As a result, consumers across the country -- and around the world -- will be exposed to a prehistoric version of the Las Vegas Strip.

The fast food giant is also offering four interactive toys tied to the movie's prehistoric theme.

The toys will be included in every Burger King Kids Meal and Big Kids Meal at participating Burger King restaurants in 40 countries worldwide.

Burger King's Flintstones' promotion will be supported by a national television advertising campaign on children's weekend programming.

"This is the type of family-oriented promotion that we believe works well for our customers and their kids," said Burger King Senior Vice President of Marketing Richard Taylor.

"We try and have something new and interesting to offer each week, and usually do between eight and 12 of these types of promotions a year."

Taylor declined to reveal the cost of the promotional campaign.

"You could accurately describe it as a multi-million dollar campaign," he said.

The latest Flintstone movie is billed as a prequel to the original film. The as-yet-unmarried Fred Flintstone and pal Barney Rubble wisk their fiances off to "Rock Vegas," a prehistoric version of Las Vegas touted as "the hottest rock resort on the continent."

This summer, Burger King rival McDonald's Corp. will launch its own prehistoric promotion. The nation's largest fast-food chain will cross-promote its McDonald's Happy Meal with the Disney movie "Dinosaurs."

The movie-related toys may look simple, but Taylor said promotions such as the new Flintstones campaign require "a tremendous amount of research and planning."

"Over the course of several years, we track not only what's currently popular but what will be the next 'big thing' for kids," he said.

"And our (research) efforts aren't only in the U.S., but around the world. Over the years, we have also developed long-term relationships with several of the major (Hollywood) studios."

Taylor said Burger King's corporate marketing department is responsible for both the merchandising and the development of the ad campaigns.

"We work with outside advertising agencies, but we develop and create the toys ourselves," he said.

For their part, motion picture studios view promotional partnerships as important complements to their own advertising initiatives.

"We see our partnership (with Burger King) as an extension of our own campaign," said Lisa Wright, senior vice president of worldwide promotion in Universal Studio's Consumer Product Group.

"After we green-light a film, we take it to our partners and work out the promotions involved. There can be a lead time of as much as 18 months to two years of planning in advance of a movie's release."

Wright said Universal's exclusive marketing agreement with Burger King doesn't preclude the studio from other partnerships with companies not directly in competition with the fast food giant.

"For example, with this movie we have partnerships with Post Cereal and product placement of their Pebbles breakfast cereal and Flintstones' vitamins," she said.

In keeping with the movie's prehistoric theme, even the Burger King monicker was altered.

"In the movie, we changed the name to 'Bronto King'," said Wright. "It's all part of the movie's 'Flinstonization' of familiar names."

Several familiar Las Vegas monickers were also 'Flinstonized'.

During their 'Rock Vegas' vacation, the movie's main characters visit 'Glitter Gorge', with marquees touting future performances by 'Stoney Bennett' and 'Frank Stoneatra.'

Television will be the primary media outlet for the new Flintstones campaign, but the promotional effort will likely manifest itself differently across the country.

"We provide our local franchisees in each market with a (marketing) budget they can use at their discretion," Wright said.

Given the scope of his company's promotional ties to the Flintstone film, it's no surprise that Burger King's Taylor hopes for a box-office bonanza.

"Of course, I want the film to do well," he said. "But even if it doesn't, that does not necessarily mean our (Flintstone) campaign won't be successful.

"There have been movies we've been involved with that have disappointed, and our tie-in campaign still went very well. But of course, if I had my choice, I'd want the Flintstones to do big box-office."