Media Promotions and Publishing

Media Promotions and Publishing Ltd (formerly known as Expansive Media Ltd from 2004 to 2010) is a UK digital media company incorporating media promotions, consumer publisher and online retail sales. They produce interactive media promotions for film studios as well as developing for TV, Video Games and Music companies. In 2010, British Library records indicate that they developed more than fifty media promotions for UK Newspapers such as The Daily Mail, The Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Daily Star and The Daily Express.
Media Promotions and Publishing Ltd is best known for promotions that pre-promote new film releases. Working for studios and distributors including Paramount Pictures, Warner Brothers, Universal Studios, Sony Releasing and Walt Disney Pictures, they provide newspapers and magazines with promotional products based on major films. During 2009 and 2010 they developed and published promotions for the top ten highest grossing films of the year including Alice in Wonderland, Avatar, Disneyland Paris, Star Trek, Iron Man 2, Shrek Forever After, Toy Story 3, Sex and the City 2 and Despicable Me.
In 2007, the company launched Entertain, a UK periodical claimed to be the world's first consumer entertainment magazine on DVD format. The title ran for over three years before closing in 2010.
In May 2010, Media Promotions launched a publishing product called Amazing Destinations, a DVD based travel guide dubbed 'A globe trotting, video passport to the world's greatest destinations'. It was available through an exclusive promotion to readers of the Scottish Daily Mail Newspaper.
In January 2011, Media Promotions issued a press release announcing the development of more than 40 film promotions working in association with major UK film distributors. Their 2011 line up is said to include Rango, Kung Fu Panda 2, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Cowboys & Aliens and The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn.
In the past, Media Promotions (then Expansive Media) have previously voiced criticism against UK magazines and newspapers for being afraid to innovate with cover mounted promotions. In an article with Media Week Magazine, Managing Director Martin Mason claimed that publishers relied too much on back catalogue DVD 'freebies' without considering how they tied in with editorial content. They also challenged the outcome of a 2008 Advertising Standards Authority complaint which questioned if promotional gifts could be described as free if the reader had to pay for postage and packaging.
List of Media Promotions published in 2011 by Media Promotions and Publishing
* The Green Hornet
* Merlin
* Tangled
* Justin Bieber: Never say Never
* Yogi Bear
List of Promotions published in 2010 by Media Promotions and Publishing
* Tron Legacy
* Sherlock Holmes
* Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse
* The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
* Transformers Revenge of the Fallen
* Up
* Star Trek
* Terminator Salvation
* 24
* Doctor Who
* Hannah Montana
* Astro Boy
* Public Enemies
* Coraline
* The Clone Wars
* Cirque Du Freak
* Land of the Lost
* Fast and Furious
* Watchmen
* Toy Story 3
* Shrek Forever After
* The Last Airbender
* Salt
* LEGO
* Avatar
* Glee
The Dandy: Collectors CD-ROM Bee Movie
The Dandy: Collectors CD-ROM Bee Movie, is a PC CD-ROM game developed in 2007 by Media Promotions and Publishing Ltd for a giveaway in an issue of the UK comic The Dandy. It was designed to promote Bee Movie and included a playable demo of the Bee Movie Game, among other things.
Harry Potter Promotions
In 2009 Media Promotions gained prominence by developing two major media promotions for the Harry Potter franchise. Considered to be amongst the biggest UK newspaper promotions of their type, the week long programs in The Daily Mail (for The Half Blood Prince) and Daily Telegraph (for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter) reached millions of consumers through daily newspaper coverage and prime time, above the line, TV and radio spots.
ASA Challenge
In response to a 2008 ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) query, Expansive Media challenged the findings of adjudication. The complainant had challenged whether a free gift could be described as free if the reader had to pay just £1.45 for 'postage and packaging'. Expansive Media and Mirror Group Newspapers said, although it had been omitted on one occasion, a promotional layout should have included a free route, by which readers could opt to send an appropriate self-addressed envelope with stamps to the value of the cost of postage only. All Expansive/Media Promotion newspaper offers have since included the 'postage only' mechanic.
Media Week Article
In a notable 2005 interview with Media Week Magazine, Media Promotions Managing Director Martin Mason criticised some UK magazines and newspapers for relying on freebies without considering how they tie in with editorial content. Mason said "Newspapers and magazines have been spending thousands on poor DVD films and ropey rerecorded music compilations in a chase to halt the current sales decline. Universally it's considered ineffective and Publishers should not be afraid to innovate with cover mounts. There's a lot of laziness."

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