Hershey Sponsors Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Hershey’s Instant Win Promotion Offers Once-in-a-Lifetime Chance to Live the Movie with a Night at the Smithsonian

HERSHEY, PA –  The Hershey Company rolls out the red carpet as an official sponsor of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian by inviting movie fans to experience what really happens when the Smithsonian’s lights go out. Now at retail, Hershey’s “Win a Night in the Museum” on-pack, instant win promotion celebrates the May 22 debut of the Night at the Museum sequel by giving five lucky winners a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend a night at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.  The extraordinary grand prize will bring the museum to life with a VIP after-hours tour and an exclusive museum gallery sleepover.

“Hershey’s is very excited to partner with the much anticipated sequel, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian,” said Michele Buck, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer, The Hershey Company. “Our wonderful brands including Hershey^®’s Kisses^®, Reese’s^® and Kit Kat^®  are delivering added excitement by giving our loyal consumers a chance at a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the film’s on-screen adventures with their very own night in the museum. Hersheys.com also is hosting a very interactive and fun online promotion where visitors can win cash prizes.”

The “Win a Night in the Museum” promotion invites Hershey’s fans to look inside specially marked packages of participating Hershey’s brands to find a message printed on the inside of the bag or carton. Five lucky players will win the grand prize: a trip for four to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., including two nights’ accommodations, $500 spending money, a VIP “Fact or Fiction” tour of the National Air and Space Museum after dark and the option to sleep in a gallery associated with Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. Hershey’s products participating in the promotion include Hershey’s Kisses Brand Chocolates, Reese’s^® Pieces Candy, Whoppers^® Malted Milk Balls, Good & Plenty^® Candy, Milk Duds^® Candy, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures, Hershey^‘s^® Miniatures and 8-packs of Reese’s^® Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kat Wafer Bars and Almond Joy^® Candy Bars.

The excitement continues online with even more chances to win via the “Unleash the Loot” sweepstakes – visitors to www.hersheys.com/nightatthemuseum can enter once daily through October 31, 2009 to win the Grand Prize of $50,000 or one of ten first prizes, a $1,000 Visa® Gift Card.

In addition, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian will take a starring role in a national television commercial for Hershey’s Kisses chocolates. The commercial places the beloved Hershey’s Kiss chocolate in a museum setting where movie characters Rexi the Dinosaur and Dum Dum the Easter Island Head indulge in the iconic candy’s creamy milk chocolate. The new commercial will run nationwide beginning April 27, 2009 through May 24, 2009.

Specially marked packages are available now through August, while supplies last, at mass, grocery, drug and convenience stores. For more information on Hershey’s “Win a Night in the Museum” and “Unleash the Loot” promotions or to view the new Hershey’s Kisses chocolates commercial visit www.hersheys.com/nightatthemuseum.

Submitted on behalf of the Hershey Company
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery. Headquartered in Hershey, Pa., The Hershey Company has operations throughout the world and more than 12,000 employees. With revenues of more than $5 billion, Hershey offers such iconic brands as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses, Kit Kat, Twizzlers and Ice Breakers as well as the smooth, creamy indulgence of Hershey’s Bliss. Hershey is a leader in the fast-growing dark and premium chocolate segment, with such brands as Hershey’s Special Dark and Hershey’s Extra Dark. In addition, Artisan Confections Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hershey Company, markets such premium chocolate offerings as Scharffen Berger, Dagoba and Starbucks Chocolate. For more than 100 years, The Hershey Company has been a leader in making a positive difference in the communities where we live, work and do business. The Milton Hershey School, established by the company’s founder in 1909, provides a nurturing environment, quality education, housing, and medical care at no cost to children in social and financial need. The School is administered by the Hershey Trust Company, Hershey’s largest shareholder, making the students of Milton Hershey School direct beneficiaries of Hershey’s success. Please visit us at www.hersheys.com.

About Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
It’s a new “Night” and “Museum” for Ben Stiller, who is joined by several other stars from the original film, as well as new characters from history — including Amy Adams as famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart, Hank Azaria as villainous Egyptian pharaoh Kahmunrah, Christopher Guest as Russian tyrant Ivan the Terrible and Alain Chabat as Napoleon.  Owen Wilson is back as cowboy Jedediah, and Robin Williams again rides into history as Teddy Roosevelt.  The centerpiece of the film will be bringing to life the Smithsonian Institution, which houses the world’s largest museum complex with more than 136 million items in its collections, ranging from the plane Amelia Earhart flew on her nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic and Al Capone’s rap sheet and mug shot to Dorothy’s ruby red slippers and Archie Bunker’s lounge chair. No major film has ever shot inside the Smithsonian in Washington…until Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.  The “Battle” begins in theaters and IMAX everywhere May 22.

Technorati Tags: Alain Chabat, Amy Adams, Ben Stiller, Christopher Guest, Hank Azaria, Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, The Hershey Company