Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Richard Tedesco

Amusement parks typically bring to mind images of endlessly long ride lines with kids on the verge of meltdown on the hottest day of the year.

At Six Flags parks next summer a 45-foot plasma screen featuring clips from feature films and video games will help pass the time.

The 21-park chain is talking to movie studios and video game publishers about offering that kind of content with Bluetooth capabilities to enable downloads. And the content rotation on those screens will also carry ads.

It's all part of a new media strategy to keep the patrons entertained and informed as they wait in line, while giving sponsors other avenues to deliver impressions. That's the overall objective of the newly created Six Flags Media Networks unit.

“Streamline it, keep it endemic to the theming in the park, give better information to the guests and create more advertising opportunities for our partners,” says David McKillips, Six Flags vice president of corporate alliances.

Geico and Heinz — using the “Worth the Wait” tagline — are new advertisers signed up for the waiting-line exposure.

Six Flags started testing the concept in some parks last summer.

“It's a benefit to our guests during their dwell time of waiting on the line,” McKillips says.

Marquee advertising in all areas of the parks will plug consumer offers, special events and also offer advertising opportunities. Six Flags' Chicago location will be the first to feature the marquees, with expansion of the feature to follow in other parks.

The marquees will also offer alerts about text messaging chances to win season passes, free rides, front-of-the-line access and other prizes.

And the screen displays will enable Six Flags sponsors to parse their messages demographically.

“The new media offerings will help advertisers pinpoint their advertising to their particular target,” McKillips says.

Six Flags has existing relationships with several sponsors, including Coca-Cola, Papa John's Pizza, Schwarzkopf & Henkel's hair gels and Starburst. It also has a licensing deal with Warner Bros., with Batman, Superman and Justice League characters playing roles in themed rides at the parks.

Sponsors of park attractions will also be sponsoring virtual video renderings of the rides on the Six Flags Web site (www.sixflags.com).

Starburst is title sponsor of a concert series in seven markets. Customers who buy two bags of Starburst gain access to a VIP section for the concerts, and Starburst runs sweepstakes at the venues to sweeten the experience.

L.A. Looks, another Schwarzkopf & Henkel brand, is presenting sponsor of a Six Flags Latino Festival at several parks. Another brand, Smooth & Shine, sponsors the World Street Ball Championships tournament at Six Flags America in Washington, D.C.

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