The drive, through Geoff Howe Marketing Communications, involves on-pack promotion on Vimto cans, a roadshow at retail giants Tesco, Asda and Toys R Us, and the creation of a website at to support the joint marketing programme.
The on-pack promotion on Vimto's carbonated drinks involves an instant win competition for a trip to New York. Winning cans will contain an inflatable Pokemon Ruby or Pokemon Sapphire, which will be unleashed when the ring pull is opened.
'Pokemon Ruby' and 'Pokemon Sapphire' launch across Europe on July 25 2003, on the Gameboy Advance. More than 4.4m have been shipped in Japan and 2.2m have been shipped to the US.
Nintendo UK marketing controller Dawn Paine said: "Having sold more than 5m Pokemon games in the UK to date, Pokemon is an unrivalled phenomenon and there is huge anticipation surrounding the forthcoming launch of Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire, particularly among our six- to 12-year-old target audience.
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