Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios will celebrate their animated RATATOUILLE (opening June 29, 2007) by bringing a mouthwatering experience to cities across the country with "The Big Cheese Tour." The tour will kick off today (May 11) at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, and continue to cross the country stopping at many events and major food festivals throughout the summer.
Inspired by Disney/Pixar's RATATOUILLE, the Brad Bird-directed comedy about a rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a great French chef, the interactive experience will be highlighted by a thrilling "Big Cheese Slide," which will give kids an exciting ride down a 25-foot wedge of cheese. Audiences will also be treated to a special sneak peek at RATATOUILLE inside the 30-foot state-of-the-art "Eiffel Tower Digital Theater." A Center Stage area features daily cooking demonstrations with a real chef featuring Tasty Treats and Healthy Snacks' for busy families as well as daily shows featuring RATATOUILLE videogame demonstrations, radio promotions and an inside look at how the animation for RATATOUILLE was created. Tour goers will also be able to see multiple making-of pieces at various kiosks.
The tour is being supported by a lineup of promotional partners: Tour goers can interact with Intel Corp.'s roaming ambassador chefs, equipped with Intel Centrino Duo processor technology-based laptops using Intel Core 2 Duo processors, where they can take photos with the RATATOILLE characters superimposed into the picture, play an interactive game or register for a chance to win an array of prizes. The tour chef's will feature recipes from the General Mills' portfolio of brands and attendees will be able to sample Chocolate Chex cereal as available. Samsung is providing all of the appliances on stage and plasma screens throughout the tour. THQ will provide videogame demonstration kiosks where consumers get a chance to sample the latest game.
"RATATOUILLE is the one truly original comedy this summer and we are very excited to let families all over the country get a unique and up close flavor for the film's humor, exciting Parisian backdrop and its wonderful characters through the 'Big Cheese Tour' experience," commented Jim Gallagher, president of Buena Vista Pictures marketing. "Besides, who wouldn't want to slide down a 25-foot wedge of cheese?" he joked.
"This experience promises to bring the magic and excitement of RATATOUILLE to families across the country," promises Eddie Newquist, president of The Becker Group's Creative Studio, who designed and is managing the touring experience. "Guests will feel like they stepped into the world of RATATOUILLE."
RATATOUILLE "Big Cheese Tour" stops will include:
* May 11-13 -- Walt Disney World Resort -- Orlando, FL
* May 19-20 -- Atlantic Station -- Atlanta, GA
* May 26-27 -- Taste of Cincinnati -- Cincinnati, OH
* June 1-3 -- Milwaukee Riversplash! -- Milwaukee, WI
* June 9-10 -- Three Rivers Arts Festival -- Pittsburgh, PA
* June 17 -- International Cultures Festival -- New York, NY
* June 23-24 -- Safeway BBQ Challenge -- Washington, D.C.
* June 30-July 8 -- Taste of Chicago -- Chicago, IL
* July 13-15 -- TBA
* July 21-22 -- TBA
Pixar Animation Studios (
www.pixar.com ) has created several of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time: TOY STORY, A BUG'S LIFE, TOY STORY 2, MONSTERS, INC., FINDING NEMO, THE INCREDIBLES and CARS. Pixar has won 20 Academy Awards and its films have grossed more than $3.7 billion at the worldwide box office to date.
Intel (
www.intel.com ), a world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. About Chocolate Chex
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (
www.samsung.com ) markets a broad range of award-winning consumer electronics, information systems, and home appliance products; and oversees Samsung's North American operations, including Samsung Telecommunications America, LP, Samsung Semiconductor Inc., Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. and Samsung Electronics Mexico Inc. The parent company is Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
The Becker Group is an experiential marketing company that has more than 50 years of experience creating immersive, entertaining attractions and brand-based experiences for a wide variety of clients and venues including top consumer brands, movie studios, shopping malls, television networks, theme parks, museums and casinos around the globe. The award-winning company is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland and has offices in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Miami, Barcelona, Spain and San Paulo, Brazil.
