Lowe's Sends Gift-Card Buyers to the Movies

Signs in-store whet shoppers' appetite for movie tickets

Lowe's Cos. is giving away movie tickets to shoppers who buy gift cards.

The three-week promotion is a joint effort with Twentieth Century Fox, whose family-oriented film Night at the Museum opens nationally on Dec. 22. It's Lowe's first tie-in with the film studio, but not its first gift-with-purchase offer for gift cards.

Lowe's offers two tickets to the movie with the purchase of a gift card value at $100 or more, bought between Dec. 1 and Dec. 20. Shoppers fill out a rebate form online to get tickets via e-mail the next day, or mail in the form and receipt to get tickets by mail within four weeks. The offer runs nationally in Lowe's 1,330 stores.

Night at the Museum stars Ben Stiller as the night watchman in a natural-history museum where the exhibits come to life. A statue of Teddy Roosevelt, played by Robin Williams, comes to his rescue when mayhem breaks out.

Lowe's chose Night at the Museum because "we were impressed by the movie," said Lowe's spokesperson Jennifer Wilson.

"It's a fun family adventure that fit well with our brand and [matches] the integrity of our customers," she said.

Lowe's handles fulfillment through its standard rebate processing. The chain runs a number of vendor rebates throughout the year, with heavier activity during the holidays, Wilson said.

Mooresville, NC-based Lowe's sales grew 12.6% to $36.5 billion for the nine months ended Nov. 3, but same-store sales have risen only 1.7% for the nine months. The chain is adding 155 stores this year.

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