National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) and Sony Pictures Animation’s Surf’s Up Promote Refrigerated Foods

Harrisburg, PA – The “cool” pairing between Sony Pictures Animation’s Surf’s Up and NFRA will help retailers and consumers, creating fun and exciting promotions that highlight the benefits and convenience of refrigerated dairy foods during NFRA’s 2007 June Dairy Month. “The Surf’s Up characters lend a sense of fun and excitement to the refrigerated foods message,” said Nevin Montgomery, President and CEO of NFRA. “We offer insights into the advantages of refrigerated foods, and cool characters like the penguins from Surf’s Up allow us to share this information in a compelling way.”

“We are pleased to be working with an organization such as the NFRA,” said Mary Goss Robino, SVP, Global Marketing Partnerships, Columbia Tristar Marketing Group.  “Our characters are a unique way to promote the refrigerated dairy story, and we are happy to play a part in this message.”

The June 8 in theater date for Surf’s Up will help NFRA make a splash with their totally chillin’ new promotion…”Catch the Cool Wave”. There is no better way to get stoked about refrigerated dairy foods than with these cool characters during the celebration of June Dairy Month.

Surf’s Up is an animated comedy that delves behind the scenes of the high-octane world of competitive surfing. The film profiles teenage Rockhopper penguin Cody Maverick (Shia LaBeouf), an up-and-coming surfer, as he enters his first pro competition. Followed by a camera crew to document his experiences, Cody leaves his family and home in Shiverpool, Antarctica to travel to Pen Gu Island for the Big Z Memorial Surf Off.  Along the way, Cody meets surf nut Chicken Joe (Jon Heder), famous surf promoter Reggie Belafonte (James Woods), surf talent scout Mikey Abromowitz (Mario Cantone), and spirited lifeguard Lani Aliikai (Zooey Deschanel), all of whom recognize Cody’s passion for surfing, even if it sometimes goes too far.  Cody believes that winning will bring him the admiration and respect he desires, but when he unexpectedly comes face-to-face with a washed-up old surfer named Geek (Jeff Bridges), Cody begins to find his own way, and discovers that a true winner isn’t always the one who comes in first.

The fun filled movie, is directed by Ash Brannon (Toy Story 2) and Chris Buck (Tarzan) and produced by Chris Jenkins.

NFRA will offer an Idea Book to its members to help manufacturers, retailers and local refrigerated food associations promote June Dairy Month and leverage the Surf’s Up tie in. NFRA will drop a national FSI, offer an online consumer sweepstakes and make a consumer media push to support the promotion. Surf’s Up themed point of sale will also be available to bring the “Catch the Cool Wave” message in-store.

Customized marketing programs featuring far out characters from Surf’s Up, are being developed by Mars Advertising. Programs comprised of various types of point of sale messaging, in-store media, and on-line activations will be offered to retailers nationwide.  For more information, contact Michele Roney at: (248) 936-2229.

NFRA is a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry. Headquartered in Harrisburg, PA, NFRA is the sponsor of June Dairy Month.

About Columbia Pictures

NFRA is a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry. Headquartered in Harrisburg, PA, NFRA is the sponsor of March National Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion, End-of-Summer Back to Cool refrigerated promotion and October Frozen Foods Festival.  For more information, visit www.nfraweb.org.

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