Warner Bros. UK has teamed with a host of brands, including Virgin Active, Toys ‘R’ Us and Direct Line to promote family comedy Cats& Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, which opens across the UK on Aug 4.  

The original Cats & Dogs film grossed $35.7m (£22.9m) in three months at the UK box office in 2001, and has taken over $200m worldwide. Eager for a repeat box office performance from their second film in the franchise, Warner Bros are working hand in hand with brand partners to develop integrated, mainly incentive based campaigns to attract potential viewers.

The schemes have been devised to complement a comprehensive conventional marketing and advertising campaign.

Insurer Direct Line is planning a TV campaign that will encourage consumers to visit its site and seek a quote for pet insurance, after which they will automatically be entered into a competition to win a family holiday to LA.

Virgin Active will be targeting families through bespoke activity in clubs with kids’ facilities, the Nectar rewards scheme will be hosting a dedicated Cats & Dogs-themed page online, where Nectar collectors can enter a draw to win a private screening of the film and toy retailer Toys ‘R’ Us are offering an annual family cinema pass via an in store competition. The UK vet charity PDSA has launched a campaign to encourage shoppers to spend at least £5 in any of its high street stores for the chance to win a Big Cat feeding experience.

Danni Murray, Director of Media & Marketing Partnerships, Warner Bros. UK, said, “Our new approach to brand partnerships has enabled us to pull together an impressive array of partners and create smart, integrated initiatives that dovetail perfectly with the rest of the Cats & Dogs 2 marketing activity.”

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore is directed by Brad Peyton and features the voices of Bette Midler, Christina Applegate, Nick Nolte and James Marsden. The film blends live action with state-of the-art puppetry and computer animation.