AFL AFLAC Inc

Lemony Snicket's Major Marketing Campaign Most Fortunate for Paramount HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Paramount's outrageously successful feature film, "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," benefited tremendously from an impressive list of partners on a groundbreaking worldwide marketing campaign. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991206/PARLOGO) "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," has grossed nearly $100 million since it opened nationwide on December 17. It is based on the first three books in the Lemony Snicket series, which was the first to knock the Harry Potter series out of the New York Times children's best-seller list. With rave reviews from the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly and U.S. News and World Report, the books have sold more than 27 million copies in 39 languages. The film stars Jim Carrey, Jude Law, Liam Aiken, Emily Browning, Timothy Spall, Catherine O'Hara, Billy Connolly, Cedric "The Entertainer," and Meryl Streep. "Our successful promotional campaign reflected the high level of excitement for this film, which is based on one of the most popular books of all time and stars some of the biggest movie stars in the world," said Lisa DiMarzio, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Partnerships for Paramount Pictures. "The film's storyline gave us the opportunity to pursue groundbreaking partners with clever campaigns, a la AFLAC, Sunny D, and Papa John's and reach different segments of our extremely large audience in a fun and unique ways." Promotions for "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," included: * AFLAC The beloved and award-winning AFLAC Duck starred in an unfortunate TV spot encountering an experience alarming enough to be right out of the movie. The alliance between Paramount Pictures and AFLAC, a leading provider of insurance worldwide, marked the first-ever marketing partnership between an insurance carrier and a film studio. * PAPA JOHN'S Papa John's participated in their first-ever promotional program tied to a major film release. "Papa's Fortunate Deal," invited customers to purchase a large Papa John's pizza with up to five toppings and a limited edition "Lemony Snicket" CD-ROM for only $13.99. The Activision(R) CD-ROM included a demonstration of the PC game based on the movie, movie previews, interviews and other Activision extras including Lemony Snicket PC wallpapers, screensavers, icons and e-cards along with the PC game, Skateboard Park Tycoon 2004. "With such a highly popular children's series, the Lemony Snicket movie and Papa John's Pizza truly were a 'Fortunate Deal' and exceptional value for Papa John's customers," said Bill Van Epps, Papa John's International's Chief Operations Officer. * SUNNY D Sunny D released a new beverage, limited edition Lemony Snicket Limeade. This delicious blend of sweet and sour is available in Wal-Mart stores nationwide while supplies last. Additionally, Sunny D launched an online instant win sweepstakes for kids, "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Prizes." Kids played to win a variety of prizes including a trip for five to any Paramount Park, a set of Lemony Snicket books, video games, board games, magic 8 balls and DVDs. "This was the perfect opportunity to release a new flavor and introduce more kids to Sunny D," said Jennifer Cottle, Brand Manager Sunny D. * KRAFT LUNCHEABLES Kraft featured film tie-ins with several of their products in a multi-million dollar ad campaign on Nickelodeon and The Cartoon Network. In a Series of Snicket Snippets, every Lunchables Fun Fuel and Fun Pack box contained a quick chapter from a never- before-seen side story about the Baudelaire orphans that introduced customers to the characters from the film. An Even More Monstrous Story for Mega Kids delivered an entirely different story, focused on Count Olaf and printed on mini-booklets in every package of Lunchables Mega (a larger meal for older kids 11- 13). And, Unfortunately Fun Games and Activities for All, Lunchables segments contained quick bits of fun for kids. * LIMITED TOO Limited TOO ran a nationwide sweepstakes in 565 stores to bring one fortunate winner and her guests to the film premiere. It was promoted in-store with movie and sweepstakes posters and in their holiday catazine with promotional integration using props, movie stills and art. The Limited Too "Catazine," distributed to more than five million girls, is the only catalog with a significant 'tween girl audience. * RALPH'S GROCERY Ralph's Grocery ran a movie ticket program at more than 340 stores in California offering their consumers two free movie tickets to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events when they accumulated $35 on specific products over the 4-week promotion period. The program was supported by television, radio and in-store ads. Paramount Pictures is part of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc., one of the world's largest entertainment and media companies and a leader in the production, promotion and distribution of entertainment, news, sports and music. It is not associated with any secret organization of noble volunteers, and it does not employ anyone whose name is Lemony Snicket, except in certain instances. About the Movie: "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," is based on the first three books in the Lemony Snicket series, which was the first to knock the Harry Potter series out of the New York Times children's best-seller list. With rave reviews from the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly and U.S. News and World Report, the books have sold more than 27 million copies in 39 languages. The mysterious Lemony Snicket (the voice of Jude Law) recounts the alarming story of the three Baudelaire orphans. Violet (Emily Browning), age 14, is one of the greatest inventors the world has ever known. Her brother, Klaus (Liam Aiken), age 12, is extraordinarily well read. And their baby sister, Sunny (Kara Hoffman and Shelby Hoffman) is very good at ... biting things. After the children's parents perish in a terrible fire, they are placed in the care of the diabolical actor Count Olaf (Jim Carrey). Olaf hatches one outrageous plot after another to steal the children's vast fortune, and he's not going to let anybody stand in his way -- not Uncle Monty (Billy Connolly), not Aunt Josephine (Meryl Streep), and certainly not the children themselves! Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures present a Parkes/MacDonald Production and a Nickelodeon Movies Production of a Brad Silberling film, "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," starring Jim Carrey, Jude Law as the voice of Lemony Snicket, Liam Aiken, Emily Browning, Timothy Spall, Catherine O'Hara, Billy Connolly, Cedric "The Entertainer" and Meryl Streep. Directed by Brad Silberling from a screenplay by Robert Gordon based on the books by Lemony Snicket, the film was produced by Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes and Jim Van Wyck, and it was executive-produced by Scott Rudin, Barry Sonnenfeld, Julia Pistor and Albie Hecht. If you know anything at all about any of these people, you know they are all suspiciously successful, successfully suspicious, or both. "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," opened nationwide on December 17. About AFLAC AFLAC Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) is an international holding company. A Fortune 500 company, AFLAC insures more than 40 million people worldwide. It is a leading writer of insurance products marketed at the worksite in the United States, offering policies to employees at more than 309,000 payroll accounts. The company insures one out of four Japanese households and is the largest life insurer in Japan in terms of individual insurance policies in force. In January 2004, AFLAC was included in Fortune magazine's list of "The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America" for the sixth consecutive year. Also in January 2004, AFLAC was named to Forbes magazine's "Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies" for the fifth consecutive year. In March 2004, Fortune magazine included AFLAC in its annual listing of "America's Most Admired Companies." AFLAC's Internet address is http://www.aflac.com/. About Papa John's: Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Papa John's remains focused on using the highest-quality ingredients to serve its customers superior-quality products including original and thin crust pizzas, breadsticks, cheesesticks, Papa's Chickenstrips and it's newest side item, Papa's Wings. Papa John's makes the crust of every traditional pizza with fresh dough (never frozen) prepared with clear-filtered water in the company's regional quality control centers. Papa John's uses only fresh-packed tomato sauce made from vine-ripened tomatoes, which go from the vine to the can in an average of six hours; cheese made from 100% mozzarella; 100% real beef and pork that contain no fillers; tender all-white meat chicken; and other high-quality toppings. In the five most recent surveys (1999-2003, as published in The Wall Street Journal), Papa John's received the highest ratings among all national fast food restaurants in The American Customer Satisfaction Index survey conducted by The National Quality Research Center at the University of Michigan Business School. Papa John's was rated above the national average for all industries and ranked the highest in the retail sector. The company ranked first overall among the national delivery and take-out pizza chains in the 2004 Restaurants & Institutions Consumers' Choice in Chains survey. Papa John's has recently been recognized for local market Best Pizza wins in various cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Indianapolis, Orlando and Phoenix. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA) is the third-largest pizza company in America. As of October 24, 2004, Papa John's had 2,808 restaurants (567 company-owned and 2,241 franchised) operating in 49 states and 18 international markets. The company is also the franchisor of 121 Perfect Pizza restaurants in the United Kingdom. For more information about the company or to order pizza online, please visit http://www.papajohns.com/. "Papa's Fortunate Deal" and other partnership promotions are available to Papa John's customers ordering Papa John's pizza online at http://www.papajohns.com/. About Sunny D The Sunny Delight Beverages Co. is a leading producer of juice-based drink brands. The company has annual sales in excess of $550 million, does business in eight countries across North America and Europe, and markets two leading brands of juice drinks: Sunny D and Punica. The company was purchased from P&G by J.W. Childs Associates, a Boston-based private equity firm, and the company's management. Its worldwide headquarters are in Cincinnati. About Kraft Kraft Foods Global Inc. (NYSE:KFT) is a global leader in branded foods and beverages. Kraft Foods is the largest branded food and beverage company headquartered in the United States and the second largest worldwide. Kraft Foods markets many of the world's leading food brands, including Kraft cheese, Jacobs and Maxwell House coffees, Nabisco cookies and crackers, Philadelphia cream cheese, Oscar Mayer meats, Post cereals and Milka chocolates, in more than 150 countries. About Limited TOO/Too Inc. Too, Inc. is a leading specialty retailer for young girls. At Limited Too, the company sells apparel, swimwear, sleepwear, underwear, footwear, lifestyle and personal care products for active, fashion-aware 'tween (ages 7 to 14) girls. Limited Too currently operates 564 stores in 46 states and Puerto Rico, and publishes a catalog coinciding with key 'tween shopping times throughout the year. Limited Too also conducts e-commerce on its Web site, http://www.limitedtoo.com/. In January 2004, the company launched Justice, a new specialty retail concept for 'tween girls, offering sportswear, related accessories and lifestyle items to value-conscious customers, predominantly in off-the-mall store locations. Justice currently operates 33 stores in 13 states. Company Home Page: http://tooinc.com/ About Ralph's Grocery Ralph's Grocery Company was founded in 1873 and currently operates more than 460 conventional and warehouse-style supermarkets in California and southern Nevada, from its headquarters in Los Angeles. The company is a division of The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR), one of the nation's largest food retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information about Ralphs, please visit our web site at http://www.ralphs.com/. About Paramount Paramount Pictures is part of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc., one of the world's largest entertainment and media companies and a leader in the production, promotion and distribution of entertainment, news, sports and music. It is not associated with any secret organization of noble volunteers, and it does not employ anyone whose name is Lemony Snicket, except in certain instances. For further information, please contact: Gregg Brilliant, Vice President, National Publicity of Paramount Pictures, +1-323-956-5872 http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991206/PARLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Paramount Pictures CONTACT: Gregg Brilliant, Vice President, National Publicity of Paramount Pictures, +1-323-956-5872 Web site: http://www.aflac.com/ http://www.papajohns.com/ http://www.limitedtoo.com/ http://www.ralphs.com/ http://tooinc.com/

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