Universal bundles Blu-ray catalog titles

Studio attracts new buyers with budget sets

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 2/6/2009

FEB. 6 | Universal Studios Home Entertainment is trying new configurations in an effort to boost sales of catalog titles on Blu-ray Disc.

In the case of Feb. 10 releases Doom and Rundown, the studio will street the titles separately, priced at $29.98 each, and bundle them with earlier Blu-ray release The Scorpion King in a value-priced box set. Named after the films’ leading man, The Rock Action 3-Pack carries a $69.98 list price, which is about $20 cheaper than the titles’ combined individual SRP pricing.

Similarly on March 31, Universal will let consumers choose between buying The Chronicles of Riddick and The Chronicles of Riddick: Pitch Black for $29.98 each or as a Chronicles of Riddick 2-Pack for $59.98.

“It’s important to give consumers a variety of ways to enter the Blu-ray market,” said Hilary Hoffman, Universal senior VP of brand and digital marketing. “And I think retailers want a variety of SKUs and a variety of options. We are working very collaboratively with their schedules.”

However, Universal will sometimes street like-minded Blu-ray product as a box set only, as it did with Jan. 27 $119.98-priced The Bourne Trilogy (The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum). Universal plans to solely offer its Fast and the Furious titles as a Blu-ray box set near the theatrical release of the fourth installment on April 3.

“We’re picking titles that really demonstrate the value of watching Blu-ray,” Hoffman said. “These are movies with great action and great special effects.”

Although there will be cherry picking, Universal promises a large overall slate of 2009 library releases.

“We came out with our first Blu-ray title last July,” she said. “So this is a big growth year for us. This is a big opportunity for us to give consumers access to the movies.”