Twentieth Century Fox has announced that its global promotional campaign for ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN, to be released nationwide March 31, 2006, is among Fox's most far-reaching and ambitious ever.
Fox has garnered more than $100 million in promotional support, including a synergistic tie-in with the Fox Broadcasting Co. ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN's beloved Scrat character will make a special appearance on the March 26 episode of the network's popular animated comedy series FAMILY GUY, and the Sid the sloth character will host a night of programming that same evening.
The studio also has synergistic tie-ins with these divisions of parent company News Corp.: FX, Fox Movie Channel, Fox Sports Regional, National Geographic Channel, Fox Sports En Espanol, DIRECTV, MySpace.com, Fox News Channel, Speed, Fuel and BEST DAMN SPORTS SHOW.
Another highlight of the promotional media campaign is a partnership with the National Basketball Assoc., in which Sid will be the star of a custom "I Love This Game" spot.
Additional media support will come from: Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, Nickelodeon, Univision, E!, Telemundo, Radio Disney, National Geographic Channel, MTV and National Cinemedia.
For the first time, the National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Assoc. (NFRA) has partnered with a major motion picture; the association and ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN are collaborating on a massive promotion to celebrate National Frozen Food Month in March.
Fox's other retail partners encompass multiple brands on a global stage the theatrical division's largest retail program ever. The studio's many partners include Kellogg/Keebler, Burger King, and Airheads Candy, as well as retailers Wal-Mart, Safeway, Giant Eagle, Harris Teeter, Meijer, and Ralph's Grocery. In addition, Fox has cross-promoted Vivendi-Universal Games with ConAgra, Totino's and Valpak.
Twentieth Century Fox and Glu Mobile, a leading creator and global publisher of mobile entertainment, have launched ICE AGE 2: ARCTIC SLIDE, a mobile game based on the animated film. Also available for download are ringtones, wallpaper and in select regions, video.
The mobile game, created by the award-winning studios at Glu Mobile, features Scrat, whose love for acorns gets him into catastrophic trouble. Scrat chases acorns by sliding down frosty slopes, stalagmite caves and mountain peaks in more than 18 levels of high-speed, roller coaster-style fun.
"Scrat is a real audience pleaser and we think fans of the Ice Age films will love playing this game," said Robert Nashak, cco, Glu Mobile. "With great graphics and easy controls, we're bringing the animated world of ICE AGE to life on your phone."
ICE AGE: ARCTIC SLIDE is now available to customers on major wireless carriers in more than 55 countries. For more information, visit iceage2.glu.com.
In ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN, Manny the woolly mammoth, Sid the sloth, Diego the saber-toothed tiger, and the hapless saber-toothed squirrel known as Scrat return. In the new film, the Ice Age is coming to an end and the animals are delighting in the melting paradise that is their new world. Manny, Sid and Diego quickly learn that the warming climate has one major drawback: a huge glacial dam is about to break, threatening the entire valley. The only chance of survival lies at the other end of the valley. So our three heroes, along with a mammoth named Ellie (Queen Latifah) and her two "brothers" possums Crash and Eddie embark on a mission across an increasingly dangerous landscape towards their salvation.
One of the world's largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Fox Filmed Entertainment produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of FFE: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox Animation.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
