"Transformers Revenge of the Fallen" Limited Edition Candies Promotion Begins

businesswire.com- For those who crave another part of the promotion of the Transformers movie sequel, well, here it comes. In announcement today by Mars snackfood, we find out the details of their limited time promotion with the highly anticipated Transformers sequel.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mars Snackfood US announced today the availability of limited-edition M&M'S® Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies and SNICKERS® Nougabot^TM Bar to celebrate the June 24 release of "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, in association with Hasbro, Inc. M&M'S® and SNICKERS® fans are sure to "fall" for the limited-edition product, which will be available from May through July in food, drug, mass and convenience outlets.

As anticipation for the summer blockbuster builds, Mars Snackfood US will also be rolling out a full-contact, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"-themed marketing campaign in support of the limited-edition products. Specific marketing campaign executions include:

Action film director Michael Bay is putting his signature touch on a dramatic television commercial in which animated M&M'S® Brand characters, "Red" and "Yellow," team up with the popular AUTOBOT® OPTIMUS PRIME^TM, to deliver the M&M'S® Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies to stores around the country. The commercial will debut on June 1, 2009.
Michael Bay himself will become an M&M'S® character for a new "Inner M" print ad that will be featured in June issues of Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly and USA Weekend. The print advertising is an extension of the brand"s "Inner M" equity campaign which encourages Americans to find their fun side and embrace their "Inner M."
Consumers will be able to join "Red" and "Yellow," as well as other "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" characters on a digital scavenger adventure on http://www.mms.com, as well as other sites throughout the Web, beginning May 19, 2009.
Kyle Busch"s No. 18 M&M'S® car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will sport a special "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"-themed paint scheme during the June 21, 2009, race at Infineon Raceway, where Busch took the checkered flag last year. The special paint scheme features movie title decals on the hood, trunk and TV panel and the M&M'S® Brand "Red," "Green" and "Yellow" characters modified into "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" characters.
"M&M'S® Chocolate Candies have always been a favorite movie-watching treat and aligning ourselves with one of the most-anticipated films of the summer is a perfect match," said Michele Kessler, vice president, marketing, Mars Snackfood US. "The battle between AUTOBOTS® and DECEPTICONS® echoes the ongoing debate over peanut M&M'S® versus milk chocolate. Fortunately, you don"t need to choose between favorite flavors with our limited-edition M&M'S® Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies."

"This campaign with the iconic M&M'S® brand is a great way to build even more excitement about the new installment of the "Transformers" movie franchise with consumers everywhere " from the grocery store, on their computer screens and even at the racetrack," commented LeeAnne Stables, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Partnerships for Paramount Pictures.

About the Limited-Edition Candies and Collector Packaging

The M&M'S® Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies feature smooth peanut butter and sweet strawberry flavor surrounded by a colorful M&M'S® candy shell. The M&M'S® Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies are offered in singles (1.4 oz) and medium bags (11.4 oz) and retail for $.79 and $3.49, respectively.

The limited-edition flavor along with traditional M&M'S® Chocolate Candies are available in seven limited-edition collector packs featuring "Red," "Blue," "Yellow" and "Orange" M&M'S® characters, transformed into CHOCL-O-BOTS^TM and DELECT-O-CONS^TM alongside images of the dynamic "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" characters.

M&M'S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies limited-edition packaging features images of AUTOBOTS® characters OPTIMUS PRIME®, BUMBLEBEE^TM and IRONHIDE^TM while M&M'S® Brand Peanut Chocolate Candies limited-edition packaging features DECEPTICONS® STARSCREAM^TM, BARRICADE^TM AND MEGATRON^TM.

In addition to M&M'S®, Mars" SNICKERS® brand is launching a limited-edition SNICKERS® NOUGABOT^TM Bar with deceptively delicious bright Yellow Nougat and Dark Caramel to resemble the colorings of one of the coolest and most popular AUTOBOTS®, BUMBLEBEE^TM. The packaging includes images of the BUMBLEBEE^TM character as well as "Bits & Bytes" "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" movie and Snickers candy trivia. The SNICKERS® NOUGABOT^TM Bar is available nationwide in singles for $.79.

About "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"

In the highly-anticipated "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," debuting June 24, 2009, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) again joins with the Autobots® against their sworn enemies, the Decepticons®. Michael Bay directs from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger & Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman.

"Transformers" was the highest grossing original film and bestselling DVD of 2007. The film also received three Oscar® nominations and won "Best Movie" at the MTV Movie Awards.

TRANSFORMERS is a brand of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS). Hasbro is a worldwide leader in children"s and family leisure time products and services with a rich portfolio of brands and entertainment properties that provides some of the highest quality and most recognizable play and recreational experiences in the world. As a brand-driven, consumer-focused global company, Hasbro brings to market a range of toys, games and licensed products, from traditional to high-tech and digital, under such powerful brand names as TRANSFORMERS, PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, CRANIUM and WIZARDS OF THE COAST. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com (C) 2009 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures Present In Association with Hasbro A di Bonaventura Pictures Production A Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production A Michael Bay Film "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, John Benjamin Hickey, Ramon Rodriguez, Isabel Lucas, Glenn Morshower and John Turturro. The film is directed by Michael Bay. Written by Ehren Kruger & Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman. Based on Hasbro"s Transformers^TM Action Figures. Produced by Don Murphy & Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Ian Bryce. Executive producers are Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay, Brian Goldner and Mark Vahradian. This film has not yet been rated.

For more information about the new M&M'S® Strawberried Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies, SNICKERS® Nougabot^TM Bar or the Transformers^TM-themed marketing campaign, visit http://www.mms.com or http://www.snickers.com.

About Mars Snackfood US:

Mars Snackfood US is the United States snack operations of Mars North America. With more than $7 billion in annual sales in the United States, Mars North America includes food, snack and pet care segments, which are a symbol of excellence for quality brands. Headquartered in Mount Olive, N.J., Mars North America employs more than 12,000 associates in the United States, with 54 facilities nationwide. Mars Snackfood US, headquartered in Hackettstown, N.J., includes some of the world"s favorite brands such as DOVE® Brand Chocolate, M&M'S® Brand, MILKY WAY® Brand, SNICKERS® Brand, 3 MUSKETEERS® Brand, TWIX® Brand and more. Additional popular brands in the petcare and food segments for Mars North America include UNCLE BEN"S® Brand, PEDIGREE® Brand Food for Dogs, and WHISKAS® Brand Food for Cats. Please visit http://www.mars.com.

And in supprot of this announcement, I also found them at my local Toys R' Us this past weekend. So if you are into it, you can start going to your favorite grocery store, etc., and eating some Revenge of the Fallen movie promotion goodness. I do recommend the strawberry-peanut butter packs, it was a really good treat!