Burger King and Pokemon Teaming Up
Pokemon USA has announced a partnership with Burger King to release 12 Pokemon promo cards and accessories to children around the world via their kids’ meals. The campaign will start July 7th in the United States and end August 3rd, and will begin in the late summer and fall internationally. You can read the full press release below.
Around the release of Mewtwo Strikes Back, Pokemon was in partnership with Burger King as well. Gold-plated Poke Balls, accessories, and special cards featuring artwork from the movie were released, and due to the popularity of Pokemon at the time, most of the product was gone immediately. Perhaps this partnership is rekindling because of Pokemon’s re-emerging popularity?
BURGER KING(R) Restaurants Worldwide to Offer Exclusive Pokemon Premiums with Each Purchase of a Kids Meal
BELLEVUE, Wash., June 10 — Pokemon USA, Inc., and Burger King Corp. today announced a promotional partnership that will bring popular characters like Pikachu(R), Darkrai(TM), Dialga(TM) and Palkia(TM) to children around the world. Participating BURGER KING(R) restaurants worldwide will offer an exclusive Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) card and accessory with each purchase of a BK(R) Kids Meal. These BURGER KING(R) restaurants will be the only place where children can obtain each of the 12 different Pokemon TCG cards and accessories. The promotion will run from July 7 through August 3 domestically and throughout the late summer and fall internationally.
Available for a limited time only, while supplies last, the premiums are based on Pokemon TCG: Diamond & Pearl — the latest expansion of the best-selling Pokemon Trading Card Game — featuring characters from Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl, the video games sold exclusively for Nintendo DS(TM). The program will be supported by Burger King Corp. through a fully integrated marketing campaign that includes television advertising, in-restaurant merchandising, custom packaging and an online minisite (www.bk.com/pokemon).
“Burger King is a wonderful partner for Pokemon,” said J.C. Smith, marketing director at Pokemon USA, Inc. “The combination of highly collectible Pokemon Trading Card Game giveaways with the extensive worldwide reach and marketing provided by Burger King is certain to create excitement and anticipation among Pokemon fans and players.”
“Burger King Corp. and Pokemon are both big brands widely known for innovation, which makes this partnership a great fit,” said Cindy Syracuse, Senior Director of Marketing Impact for Burger King Corp. “Together we offer consumers access to Pokemon TCG Diamond and Pearl cards as well as exclusive card accessories found only in BURGER KING restaurants.”
About Pokemon USA
Pokemon USA, Inc., a subsidiary of The Pokemon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia which includes licensing, marketing, the Pokemon Trading Card Game, an animated TV series, the Pokemon Trading Figure Game, home entertainment and the official Pokemon website. Pokemon was launched in Japan in 1996 for play on Nintendo’s Game Boy(R) and has since evolved into a global cultural phenomenon. Pokemon was introduced in North America in 1998 and today is one of the most popular toy and entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.
About Burger King
The BURGER KING(R) system operates more than 11,400 restaurants in all 50 states and in 70 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. Approximately 90 percent of BURGER KING(R) restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades. To learn more about Burger King Corp. please visit the company’s Web site at www.bk.com.