ImpreMedia Papers In World Cup Promo With MoneyGram

By: E&P Staff National Spanish-language newspaper chain ImpreMedia Tuesday announced a joint World Cup promotion with MoneyGram, the big money transfer and payment service.

ImpreMedia newspapers in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco will distribute 547,000 albums soccer fans can use to fill with stickers of 2006 FIFA World Cup players. The stickers, producded by The Panini Group, will be available free to customers exclusively at MoneyGram locations. ImpreMedia papers include the dailies La Opinion in Los Angeles; El Diario La Prensa in New York City; and the weekly La Raza in Chicago.

"This promotion achieves two key objectives, which are building awareness and driving customers to our locations," Augusto Esclusa, Money Gram's senior marketing manager said in a statement.

The collection will include all the players' images of each of the 32 National teams competing in the tournament and a complete presentation of the program, stadiums, the national football federations and other official FIFA

The album and sticker collection will be promoted via TV, radio, in-paper promotions and at point-of-sale.

"The tie-in with Panini and MoneyGram, both leading companies in their respective fields worldwide, is a great example of how we intend to build integrated, cross-platform programs for our most important constituents, our readers and our advertisers," said John Paton, Chairman of ImpreMedia.

ImpreMedia papers are making a big push on the World Cup, and previously announced plans to distribute a 68-page glossy magazine devoted to the World Cup, as well as periodic special sections.

"The sticker book giveaway is another example of our efforts to provide our customers with an unmatched connection to the 2006 World Cup," Erich Linker, ImpreMedia's senior vice president of national advertising sales said in a statement.

"The tie-in with Panini and MoneyGram, both leading companies in their respective fields worldwide, is a great example of how we intend to build integrated, cross-platform programs for our most important constituents -- our readers and our advertisers," ImpreMedia Chairman John Paton said in a statement.