Universal Studios Home Entertainment Launches 'Minion Madness' to Roll Out Blu-ray™ and DVD Release of Despicable Me

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of the highly anticipated home entertainment release of the animated comedy blockbuster Despicable Me, Universal Studios Home Entertainment is launching "Minion Madness," a groundbreaking points-based reward and social marketing program spotlighting the film's endearingly mischievous characters, from now through January 2011. The program enables fans to earn points and participate in up to 25 sweepstakes entries each day through a variety of online and offline activities. Despicable Me has earned over $500 million worldwide and will be released on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, Blu-ray™ 3-D Combo Pack, DVD Double Pack, DVD and digital download on December 14, 2010.

"Despicable Me is the event release of this holiday season, which also makes it the perfect movie to engage fans on social platforms like Facebook and mobile apps," said Hilary Hoffman, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Universal Studios Home Entertainment.  "Minion Madness is designed to deliver a unique experience that is both interactive and entertaining, ensuring that audiences of all ages have the opportunity to enjoy Despicable Me in a fun and memorable way throughout the holidays."

From gift cards to all-expense paid family vacations, "Minion Madness" will award more than 15,000 prizes. Each week, gift cards in $10, $20, $35 and $50 increments will be awarded to winning players. In addition, three once-in-a-lifetime sweepstakes Grand Prizes will be awarded:

• Lifetime, all-access passes to Universal Studios theme parks.
• Family trip to New York City for the 2011 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
• Luxurious family vacation to Los Angeles complete with hotel stays and spa visits.

Once officially registered online as "Masterminds" on www.minionmadness.com, players earn chances to win prizes by participating in an array of entertaining and creative challenges, ranging from online games and videos to mobile activities to create, share and rate personalized Despicable Me content. For each activity completed, players are rewarded with their very own, ever-expanding personal army of online Minions. As the total number of Minions grows, so does the player's chances of winning weekly and monthly prizes. The prizes also increase in value with each new Minion population benchmark level reached, escalating to as many as a whopping 100 $50 gift cards every week.

In addition, iPhone-equipped players can participate in a special "Minion Photo Madness" event, a series of nationwide photographic missions, using a new Augmented Reality iPhone app available in mid-November.  Players gain points and grow their Minion armies by photographing a series of designated landmarks around the country and personalizing their photos with characters and props inspired by Despicable Me using the iPhone app.  The application also offers access to video clips, partners and pre-order links.

Holiday shoppers and kids can submit photos taken at Minion photo displays located in the Santa Photo areas at over 170 Simon Shopping Malls nationwide starting in November thru December 24.  Other Minion photo opportunities include the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC in which the Minions and teen sensation Miranda Cosgrove, star of Nickelodeon's hugely popular television series "iCarly" and the voice of Margo in Despicable Me, will be featured on a float in the parade.  Thousands of colorful Minion beanie caps will be distributed in New York City the week of the parade to celebrate "Minion Madness" and provide additional photo opportunities.

For details on the promotion and prizes, please visit  www.minionmadness.com.

SYNOPSIS

Vying for the title of "World's Greatest Villain", Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) – along with his hilarious crew of mischievous minions – plots to pull off the craziest crime of the century: steal the moon!  But when Gru enlists the help of three little girls, they see something in him nobody else has ever seen: the perfect dad.  From executive producer Chris Meledandri (Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!, Ice Age, Ice Age: The Meltdown), and featuring the voices of an all-star comedic cast, including Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Miranda Cosgrove and Julie Andrews, Despicable Me is "rousingly funny, heartfelt and imaginative" (Pete Hammond, Boxoffice Magazine).

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% owned by Vivendi.

SOURCE Universal Studios Home Entertainment