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'Speed Racer' Tanks, Promo Partners Stuck

With Warner Bros.' blockbuster movie "Speed Racer" going bust, it is faced with finding ways to appease the movie's tie-in partners, including McDonald's, Target, General Mills and Esurance, that got far less exposure than expected.

One option is to offer a "make good," similar to TV, in which the sponsor gets exposure in better-performing shows to snag viewers it missed the first time around. Producer Joel Silver says, "I can't say Warner will go, 'Here's two "Harry Potters" for one "Speed Racer,"' but there are lots of movies around here."

The film has $80 million in promotional partnerships, but hardly any paid integrations, so the partners may ultimately find they have little recourse Says one partner: "We wanted to find a brand that was relevant and that reflected our look and feel. We feel that was accomplished, whether it opened at $20 million or $80 million."

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