According to Brandweek, during the National Confectioners Association All Candy Expo held in Chicago this past week, developments have been made for candy tie-ins to cross-promote upcoming big budget films:

Even Mars is getting into the act with its Snickers Adventure bar containing a hint of chai and coconut. The limited edition offering ties in with Lucasfilm's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The Indy tie-in also extends to M&M's, which will offer limited-edition Mint Crisp flavor. Perfetti Van Melle's Airheads, meanwhile, has signed on as a candy partner for The Spiderwick Chronicles to be released by Nickelodeon Movies in February and Universal's next "Incredible Hulk" installment coming to theaters in June starring Ed Norton.

The silver screen continues to figure big in the marketing of sweets, and among the flavor fits unveiled during last week's All Candy Expo was Hershey's hook up with Warner Bros.' next installment of the Batman series The Dark Knight coming to theaters next July. The Reese's line will include bat-shaped chocolate and peanut butter pieces, and Kit Kat wafers bars will be stamped with the bat signal.

Wrappers and displays for both brands will flag an instant win sweepstakes for Bat Cave prizes like Batman-themed Ducati motorcycle, media center wall, replica movie props and downloadable posters.

The Snickers Adventure Bar accompanying the spring release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will merely say on the wrapper "New flavor kick" instead of mentioning the exotic addition chai and coconut. M&M's also connects with Indy through a six-week run of Crispy Mint, a flavor that previously was available during the year-end holidays. Advertising support likely will include the M&M's spokescharacters donning adventure garb on store displays with "Get M before they're lost."

Perfetti Van Melle USA ties its Airheads brand with The Spiderwick Chronicles to be released during February by Paramount and Nickelodeon Movies. Other partners include McDonald's and Kraft.

The story turns on the Grace family who move from their New York home to a secluded house owned by their great, great uncle. There they find an alternate world of fairies and other creatures. In the plot, some characters turn into goblins upon eating cinnamon, but they can change back when they ingest honey. Hence the new Airheads flavors for Spiderwick will be "Cinnamon Hopping Mad" and "Sweet as Honey" or honey apple. Airheads also is signed on for Universal's The Incredible Hulk to be released during June. Plans for that affiliation are being developed.

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