NZ Milk inks multi-platform package with Nickelodeon

The deal links Nickelodeon's pre-school show Blue's Clues with the dairy's milk brand for toddlers, Anchor 1+, in a cross platform campaign featuring on-air promotions, events at two shopping malls in Manila and an original range of branded gifts packaged with selected Anchor 1+ products. Nickelodeon hopes to persuade other brand owners to forge similar arrangements, and is currently working on another deal with a fastfood chain. The on-pack component of the Anchor campaign consists of specially created Blue's Clues bibs, utensils, plates and training cups bundled with Anchor 1+ vanilla and chocolate, available throughout the Philippines from mid-June. The TV element includes on-air billboards around the Blue's Clues series, a viewer competition and a promotional spot for the mall events, where children will be able to meet Blue, an animated girl puppy from the show. Box tops from Anchor 1+, or any proof of purchase, will give children the opportunity to have their picture taken with Blue against a version of the set recreated at the mall, and also entitles them to enter a draw for a Blue's Clues party. New Zealand Milk's ad agency Foote, Cone and Belding provided support, coordination and recommendations for the TV and mall events. New Zealand Milk hopes the promotion will encourage more families to try out the Anchor 1+ brand, which first launched in the Philippines in June 2001. Rival brands include Nido Fortified, Bonakid and Lactum. New Zealand Milk has cut similar deals for Anchor before, tying up with Warner Brothers to use its Looney Tunes brand, and Bankee for Japanese kid's show Crush Gear, to promote its cream milk powder. Nickelodeon has cut smaller cross-platform deals since 2002 with Johnson's Kids and three banks: HSBC, OCBC and Taishin.