Pearl & Dean, the UK’s best-known cinema advertising contractor today announces that it has brokered a film partnership between Boots’ suncare brand Soltan and Illumination’s exciting new chapter of Minions mayhem, “Despicable Me 4,” to encourage families to take care during their summer holidays with sun protection. Illumination’s Despicable Me 4 arrives in UK cinemas 12 July.

The partnership features an extensive campaign harnessing the power of Illumination’s iconic Minions and the biggest animated film franchise in history. The campaign includes new characters from the film, including the super-powered Mega Minions, and will be featured across a Soltan in-store campaign with co-branded Free Standing Display Units (FSDU), floor stickers and Minions bunting.

Boots will also be offering shoppers an exclusive deal to buy any two Soltan products and receive a free Despicable Me 4 branded water bottle, to help keep shoppers hydrated during the warm summer sunshine.

This is the third time Boots has brokered a film partnership with Pearl & Dean in the last 12 months, with recent successes including Soltan’s partnership with the Barbie film from Warner Bros. last summer. As well as a “Mean Girls” partnership with make-up brand 17.

The “Despicable Me 4” campaign is currently running in Boots stores nationwide across window displays, digital signage, cinema advertising and social media, ahead of the film’s UK release date in cinemas on 12 July. The campaign will also be rolled out across European, Asian and Middle Eastern markets, further demonstrating the success of film partnerships for Boots.

John Ridley, Film Partnership Consultant at Pearl & Dean said: “At Pearl & Dean we thrive on thinking about creative ways to pair films with our brand clients. The iconic Minions from Illumination’s blockbuster Despicable Me films are the ideal characters to align with Soltan and its iconic bright yellow branding. This partnership allows Boots to further connect with its shoppers in a fun and playful way, while also harnessing these beloved characters to remind people of the importance of sun protection.”

About Pearl & Dean
Pearl & Dean is the UK’s best-known cinema advertising contractor. Representing a wide range of cinemas, with multiplex chains offering landmark locations throughout the UK & Ireland including Showcase, Movie House, and Omniplex sites. Its iconic theme tune, Asteroid, evokes an instant aroma of popcorn and fun.

Pearl & Dean also represents the majority of the independent exhibition sector, with a portfolio of quality circuits such as Everyman, Curzon, Scott Cinemas, Northern Morris and WTW Cinemas as well as independently operated cinemas, drive-in cinemas and outdoor experience cinemas like The Luna Cinema, each offering individuality and often a specialist audience.

Pearl & Dean’s cinemas offer a varied schedule of programming – from the latest blockbusters through to classic and art-house movies to alternative content such as live opera or concerts. All of this enables Pearl & Dean to offer advertisers precise targeting of either specific demographics or the population as a whole, in an environment where advertisers can showcase brands to a relaxed and captive audience.

About CREATE at Pearl & Dean
The CREATE team at Pearl & Dean is a collective of specialists set up to deliver end-to-end solutions for advertisers wanting to align with quality film and cinema experiences. Utilising effective content, strategic partnerships and immersive experiences, CREATE aim to amplify and elevate traditional advertising campaigns to maximise their return on investment.

About Illumination’s Despicable Me 4
In the first Despicable Me movie in seven years, Gru, the world’s favorite supervillain-turned-Anti-Villain League-agent, returns for an exciting, bold new era of Minions mayhem in Illumination’s Despicable Me 4.

Following the 2022 summer blockbuster phenomenon of Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, which earned almost $1 billion worldwide, the biggest global animated franchise in history now begins a new chapter as Gru (Oscar® nominee Steve Carrell) and Lucy (Oscar® nominee Kristen Wiig) and their girls—Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Madison Polan)—welcome a new member to the Gru family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad.

Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal (Emmy winner Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Emmy nominee Sofia Vergara), and the family is forced to go on the run.

The film features fresh new characters voiced by Joey King (Bullet Train), Emmy winner Stephen Colbert (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and Chloe Fineman (Saturday Night Live). Pierre Coffin returns as the iconic voice of the Minions and Oscar® nominee Steve Coogan returns as Silas Ramsbottom.

Packed with non-stop action and filled with Illumination’s signature subversive humor, Despicable Me 4 is directed by a co-creator of the Minions, Oscar nominee Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets), and is produced by Illumination’s visionary founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and by Brett Hoffman (executive producer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Minions: The Rise of Gru). The film is co-directed by Patrick Delage (animation director Sing 2 and The Secret Life of Pets 2), and the screenplay is by the Emmy winning creator of White Lotus, Mike White, and the veteran writer of every Despicable Me film, Ken Daurio.

About Illumination
Illumination, founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007, is one of the entertainment industry’s leading producers of event-animated films, including Despicable Me—the most successful animated franchise in cinematic history—as well as the record breaking The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch and The Secret Life of Pets and Sing films. Illumination’s library includes three of the top 10 animated films of all time. Illumination’s iconic, beloved franchises—infused with memorable and distinct characters, global appeal and cultural relevance—have grossed more than $9 billion worldwide. Illumination has an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal Pictures.

About Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.