HERSHEY, Pa. -- Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death next summer, Hershey will debut a limited-edition peanut-butter-and-banana-creme variety of Reese's inspired by the rock n' roll legend, reported AdAge.com. The rollout will be accompanied by a significant promotional outlay, it added.
While many retailers questioned the appeal of the new flavor itself, the power of the pompadoured pop star is expected to bring attention to the item in stores, said the report.
Even retailers who don't do much with limited [image-nocss] editions will with this one, an executive close to Hershey told Ad Age. In part, that's because Hershey plans to promote it with far more pomp and circumstance than is typically put against its limited editions, the report said. Peanut-butter-and-banana-creme, which features Elvis on package graphics, will include an under-the-label instant-win game offering a trip for two to Graceland. Other prizes include Elvis memorabilia and a limited-edition Elvis NASCAR car.
Hershey will also place Elvis on the side of its Reese's NASCAR car and will tout the Elvis tie-in heavily with advertising, in-store efforts and a major public-relations outreach during August and September, especially during Elvis Week 2007, August 11-19. Because 2007 represents the 30th anniversary of Elvis' death, the event, according to the report, citing the website of promoter Elvis Presley Enterprises, is expected to be the biggest, most exciting Elvis Week ever.
Elvis has done well hawking products posthumously, the report said, ranking first in Forbes' 2005 list of top-earning deceased celebrities with $45 million in sales last year.
Elvis is such a tried-and-true icon, using him is going to work [for Hershey]. The question is how big it will be, Landor managing director Allen Adamson told Ad Age. There is potential upside and very little downside, he added.
Steven Addis, president of Addis Creson, told Ad Age that he agrees that using the borrowed interest of Elvis couldn't hurt and is actually a great way to test a product. Given the promotional efforts around the variety, he suggested Hershey is thinking of rolling out a banana-creme Reese's variety longer term, and using Elvis is a good way to get trial early on.
Retailers agree, even those who aren't crazy about the flavor combination. I didn't like the way it tastes, but anything with Elvis has a possibility, one Midwest grocery executive told Ad Age. The girls in my office are thrilled.
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