Nestle Taps AOL for Game Promotion

Two major powerhouses — Nestle and America Online — are joining forces in a deal announced Tuesday, which aims to reach young people with a promotion for the food maker’s ready-to-drink flavored milk products.

The agreement ties together online and offline elements in a manner that’s becoming the standard operating procedure for big consumer packaged goods marketers — a game that brings people online to see if they’ve won.

Each 16 ounce and 32 ounce plastic bottle of Nesquik will have a unique code under the label. Consumers find out if they’ve won by entering in the code on the Web at www.grabgulpgo.com or by typing in America Online Keyword: “Nesquik.” Prizes include a new Ford Focus ZTS, DVD players, family movie packages, Nesquik and Nesquik merchandise.

The marketing agreement also has AOL providing links to the “Grab, Gulp & Go Online” contest via the AOL flagship service, MapQuest, and Digital City. Later this month, AOL will allow consumers to identify the nearest participating convenience store on MapQuest.

“Partnering with America Online, the world’s leading interactive service with over 30 million members and consumers’ favorite online brand, puts Nesquik where people on-the-go are and where many people visit for information and for fun,” said Reid Leslie, Nesquik marketing manager, Nestle USA-Beverage Division.