remember: Toyota and Universal Studios Form Alliance
July 31, 2001
Toyota and Universal Studios today announced a global partnership that represents the largest-ever marketing alliance between an auto manufacturer and an entertainment company - if you don't include NASCAR.
The long-term agreement positions Toyota as the Official Car of Universal Studios, and grants Toyota opportunities to establish a presence and create business opportunities with all of Universal's businesses, including theme parks, motion pictures, television, consumer products, online, interactive games, and music. This agreement is in addition to the already existing multi-year agreement in Japan where Toyota Motor Corp. is the exclusive automobile of Universal Studios Japan.
"We're on the threshold of another Golden Age for the automobile, and this alliance provides Toyota with expanded marketing opportunities to increase our sales and customer satisfaction," says Steve Sturm, vice president of marketing at Toyota Motor Sales. "We're excited to be partnering with Universal Studios, the entertainment company that we believe will help take our brand to new heights."
Among the plans are: Toyota's exclusive sponsorship of theme park attractions, such as "Back to the Future - The Ride" at Universal Studios Hollywood, "Men in Black: Alien Attack" at Universal Studios Florida, and "Adventures of Spider-Man" at Islands of Adventure; year-round vehicle placement in Universal's theme parks -- including Port Aventura in Spain -- and at CityWalk Hollywood and Orlando.
The agreement also includes first-look opportunities for product placement and promotions in Universal-produced motion pictures, home video, and DVD releases; the use of various Universal properties -- including characters, as well as film and music library titles -- for advertising, premiums, displays, and many other consumer incentives; sponsorship of "Cinema 13," a programming block on the 13th Street channel in France, Germany, Spain, Latin America, and Brazil, as well as advertising and branded programming sponsorship opportunities on Universal's branded channels in Europe, Latin America, and other key markets across the world; placement in interactive games like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon; and music opportunities -- such as customized compilation tapes and CDs -- focusing on a variety of retail, marketing and distribution programs.
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