Family- and kids-oriented summer movie tie-in promotions with restaurants used to saturate media, but it appears there’s a diminishing appetite for them.
In a sign of the times, there’s a short list of big promotions with major chains this summer. The Wendy’s restaurant chain is partnered with Universal Pictures’ “Minions & Monsters,” the July 1 animated film (image above of “Minions” integrated in Wendy’s meal packaging). Next, Papa John’s pizza and Yogurtland are connected to Disney Studio’s “Toy Story 5,” which hit theaters June 19. Finally, Subway pacts with Walt Disney’s “Moana,” the live-action film premiering July 10.
These three films are rated PG-parental guidance, an audience classification that hits a sweet spot for boxoffice and content suitability.
Missing at this June-August arc, which is the peak of domestic (U.S. and Canada) boxoffice, are McDonald’s and Burger King. However, Burger King did a tie-in with Disney’s “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” released May 20 to so-so $167 million in domestic boxoffice; McDonald’s connected to the January cinema run of Netflix’s two-hour series finale of “Stranger Things” and the Universal Pictures blockbuster “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” that opened April 1.
So why are summer movie Happy Meals missing?
Such alliances are notoriously fickle with restaurant chains burned by film flops, so they are picky and also diversifying by lining up non-movie promotions. On fickleness, Krispy Kreme donut shop boarded Amazon MGM Studio’s live-action “Masters of the Universe” that premiered June 3, though the live-action screen adaptation of a Mattel toy line fizzled with just $50.4 Million in domestic boxoffice.
Regarding diversification, restaurant chains make non-movie partnerships in music (McDonald’s aligned with Korean-pop band BTS last year), video games (“Visit McDonaldland” in Fortnite), sports (Papa John’s with football’s the Super Bowl) and others. When sizing up a video game or music group, restaurant chains already know they are successful, compared with uncertainty for a yet-to-be-released movie.
While fast food marketing with Hollywood films is in decline, Papa John’s seems an exception, especially after its publicity stunt of opening pop-up Pizza Planet restaurants. That stunt plays off a fictitious pizza parlor seen in the “Toy Story” movies.
Film marketers want tie-ins because restaurant chains promote movies in their advertising and also erect point-of-purchase movie marketing materials in their outlets. Direct advertising paid for by restaurants typically amounts to tens of millions of dollars in media spending. For in-restaurant marketing, the tie-ups include signage in windows/on walls, special meal promotions, movie-themed giveaway items and standees, which are the free-standing cardboard placards.
Restaurant physical footprints can be huge. Subway has 35,000 restaurants around the world.
In a new wrinkle for this cycle, drinking cups for Subway and Burger King movie promotions change color when filled with a cold beverage. A Subway press release says: “Subway guests can upgrade any meal to a Moana Movie Meal Deal for $1 more and receive one of five collectible Moana cups featuring beloved characters from the film, along with access to a $15 Fandango Promo Code* to see Disney’s live-action ‘Moana,’ in theaters July 10.”
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