REVLON – Artisan Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights   BRANDWEEK, September 1, 2003 By Becky Ebenkamp Artisan: ‘Havana’ Fiesta   Artisan Pictures has penciled in a full dance card of promotional partners for the February 2004 theatrical release of Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.   Revlon, Virgin Mobile, Blimpie Subs & Salads, FTD.com, Knorr, Kay Jewelers, Univision, Southwest Airlines Spirit magazine and others will join the studio in a U.S. marketing campaign that will be more than $60 million- Aritsan’s biggest tie-in package…continued   Next Page “Inspired by” the original ‘Dancing’ and set in pre-revolution Cuba, the Diego Luna (Y Tu Mama Tambien) starrer spurred the studio to seek brands that would fit thematically with the romantic, glamorous setting. Havana Nights was co-produced by Disney unit Miramax, whose Buena Vista handles international distribution.   Global partner Revlon, which has done high-profile programs around Die Another Day and How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days in the past year, will launch a limited-edition Havana Nights color collection supported by displays in mass and drug stores, print advertising and dedicated TV spots featuring the film’s actresses. Additionally since it was one of the few partners in existence in 1958, Revlon gets product placement via vintage billboards and store window treatments. Kobin Enterprises, New York, handles.   Virgin Mobile is working out details of a broadbased Valentine’s promotion that will include TV, print and in-store from Best Buy to Circle K, where its top-up cards are sold. The coming of age, free spirit [qualities] strike at the heart of what Virgin Mobile represents,” said Howard Handler, chief marketing officer.  “We’re going after a group of people who are getting their first mobile phone or coming to realize they want to own one with no strings or contracts.”   Since so many movie theaters are in malls, Artisan was especially interested in partners that share real estate with multiplexes. In its biggest entertainment-related tie yet, Blimpie will time a Cuban sandwich and black bean soup combo to the theatrical release. From January to March, 1,600 restaurants nationwide will promote Havana Nights through store signage and newspaper FSIs. Kay Jewelers will tie a Valentine’s sweepstakes to the film. From Jan.19 through Feb. 14, more than 700 of the jeweler’s mall locations will erect signage for the promotion, which dangles a diamond ring and other prizes. Consumers can also enter at Kay.com.   FTD.com will tie in marketing efforts to the movie during the busy period. Efforts include a link from the Web site, promotion on e-mailed order confirmations and initiatives with fulfillment retailers across the country. Spirit, which runs special bilingual sections twice a year, is giving Havana Nights ad space in the magazine, while readers get a chance to vie for trips to exotic locales.   Amorette Jones, Artisan’s evp-world-wide theatrical marketing, views Havana Nights first as an event film- it’ll target a broad 13-49-year-old audience and open wide on 2,500 screens. Still, additional opportunities exist within the Latin audience; a “group” that research has shown to be very complex.   “It was a learning curve,” Jones said. “What was difficult to me was determining the differences and similarities between the various Latin cultures in order to craft a campaign that speaks to Cubans and Mexicans and [other Hispanic subsets].”   Language preference is also key in the family oriented culture: Because of acculturation levels, parents in a household may speak Spanish and watch Univision, while their English-speaking kids are watching Friends.    “It’s important that everybody’s talking about it, and that we develop media buys that really address the Spanish- and English- speaking Spanish communities,” Jones said.   Revlon overindexes with Hispanic women and does target them specifically, but customers fit more of a psychographic profile, said Debra Leipman-Yale, chief marketing officer, who used Julianne Moore, Halle Berry and Latina actress Eva Mendes in ads. “Our target is ‘the beauty passionista’: a woman who has 10 lipsticks in her bag, but will buy another one tomorrow,” she said.   Artisan- which spent $22 million launching hit film The Blair Witch Project- sells 150,000 units of the original Dirty Dancing each month, and it’s biggest title in its video/DVD catalog.