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A Paul Bunyan-esque PromoNo, they weren’t cooking up brontosaurus burgers at Chicago’s John Hancock Center on March 7. Rather, it was a giant bratwurst. Johnsonville Sausages set up a 30-foot grill, above which a 250-pound replica bratwurst hung. The publicity stunt was created by Johnsonville Sausages to celebrate Daylight Saving Time (which means an extra hour of sunlight for grilling). Countdown clocks ran off the minutes until the gargantuan fake meat was lowered onto the faux grill, which was suitable for Paul Bunyan. At noon, the 15-foot brat was lowered. Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo from the Food Network’s 2 Dudes Catering show, along with passersby, chanted “Drop the brat. Drop the brat.” Once the brat hit, a loud sizzling sound could be heard throughout the surrounding blocks of metropolitan Chicago. A tuft of smoke was also released into the air. Apparently, the publicity stunt worked. About 1,100 brats were handed out, along with 25,000 Johnsonville coupons and a slew of T-shirts and other giveaways from radio partners WZZN-FM and ESPN Radio. A “Daylight Savings Sweepstakes” at Johnsonville.com supported the effort. Lucky winners, through March 30, received one of 10 Weber grills, logoed barbeque tongs and a host of other prizes. Apparently the installation looked a little too real to some. “I had to explain so many times during the permitting process that there was no actual grilling to be done on the grill. It’s a prop, people,” says Beth Gottlieb, national program director for Massivemedia, which helped create the event. “Chicago is a big grilling town … it’s great for sausage and steak.” And, it’s especially great for giant faux brats.
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Humane Society is Barking up Right TreeUpfront gifts from non-profits to prospective donors are nothing new, but they’re usually low-cost items like address labels, greeting cards and notepads. Not so with a recent mailing from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The organization sent prospective members a beautiful vinyl tote, complete with Velcro closure, zippered front pocket and beautiful puppy-themed artwork. “In its direct marketing program, the HSUS often mails premiums to prospective and current donors,” says Nancy Campbell, DM director for the group. “Upfront totebags were tested previously, and we did rollout with a mailing to prospective donors in early January 2008.” Campbell didn’t want to give away trade secrets by commenting further on how the product was chosen, but it’s clear that her team made sure that both the bag and the artwork were high quality. The targeted audience, gleaned from lists rented from or exchanged with other entities, must have been considered good prospects. She did reveal that by early March the promo had come close to meeting its goal for recruiting new members and supporters. HSUS also got great feedback about the totes from recipients. “Members have said people comment on how nice they are and want to know how to get one,” says Charlotte Mead of the membership department. She added that some recipients called and wanted extras to use as gifts or because they’d lost theirs. “The one I recall that was extreme is a lady who had her car stolen, and the bag was in it,” Mead says. “She desperately wanted another bag.” Better still, the requests for extra bags have been accompanied by additional donations. Just one more example of how the right promotional product can generate a real return on investment.
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Eco Campaign is Natural Choice for
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Kids Eat up Movie Premiums Along with MealsHow does a smaller restaurant chain compete locally with the huge international franchises? One way is to take an established idea – kids’ premiums – and give it a local twist. That’s what Bembo’s, a Peruvian burger chain, is doing by including figurines with their kids’ meals that tie in with the Latin American animation film, Valentino y el Clan del Can. “Local licenses are very attractive to Latin American chains,” says Angel Morales, managing director at Creative Consumer Concepts International (C3i), the agency that created the figurines, “as it helps them compete at a different level with the large foreign (to their market) chains, such as McDonald’s, Burger King, etc.” The concept for the toys came from Alpamayo Entertainment, the South American CGI company behind the film. The five figurines in the collection are based on main characters of the movie, which tells the story of a lost dog who joins a circus. In addition to Bembo’s in Peru, the toys will be distributed in different chains in other Latin American countries. “We have manufactured over 100,000 pieces on the first production run,” Morales says. “We plan to make an additional run once we get additional orders from other markets.” The promotion was just launching as we went to press, but Morales expected good results. “Figurines do pretty well in foreign markets as a means to drive sales and traffic,” he says. “Especially in South America, restaurants may partner-up with the film distributors to co-promote each other’s product.”
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Unexpected Product Works for Fitness CenterWhen marketing a fitness center, the first promo items that come to mind are probably exercise-related: sports bottles, gym bags, bottled water, etc. But June Hines, of June Hines Pilates, figures that her students already have the fitness accessories they want. “With water bottles, a lot of people do carry them, but a lot of people don’t,” she says. “Then with the workout bag, it’s the same thing: A lot of people bring their own bag.” Instead, Hines likes to give her clients a practical gift that everyone can use. For her holiday presentation this past year, she decided to go with an umbrella. “It seemed like a good, practical gift,” she says. “It’s a marketing promotion, too, obviously, because my logo’s out there, so it brings attention.” Hines says that the umbrella got the reaction that she’d wanted from her students: “They’re saying, ‘What a nice, practical gift,’” she says, “because everybody can use an umbrella – and you always lose one.” If you'd like your business remembered in a different way, give us a call at APTCO.
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A Loyalty Program That WorksIt is frightening when cracks suddenly appear in the cement in and around your home. The first thought is “Uh-oh, this is going to cost me a small fortune to fix.” There’s not a whole lot to feel good about, unless of course you’re dealing with “The Crack Team.” Established in 1985 (although franchising didn’t begin until 2004), The Crack Team aims to put a happy face on minor leak and crack work. To do so, they enlisted Mr. Happy Crack. The tongue-in-cheek mascot appears on everything from shirts to magnets to keychains to a sticker placed where the successful project was completed. Leveraging logoed merchandise has not only helped build the brand; it has helped create loyal customers – customers who will not only call The Crack Team again, but who also will go out of their way to recommend the service to friends and family. “We’re really the only one in our industry using merchandise as a lead builder,” says CEO Bob Kodner. “We get so much bang for our buck.” How much? Kodner says sales are up about 60% this year. And consumers aren’t satisfied with the logoed leave-behinds that workers give them. They want more. In fact, the company sells about $500,000 a year in logoed Mr. Happy Crack items at Mrhappycrack.com. Indeed, “A dry crack is a happy crack” thongs, boxer shorts and bottled water are in demand. Often consumers will raise their hands to receive free merchandise or regular communications and offers by joining affinity clubs like Coca-Cola’s “My Coke Rewards.” In the U.S. alone, there are 1.32 billion memberships to loyalty and affinity programs. But offering logoed merchandise to build loyalty doesn’t have to be complex. Sometimes, it’s just about having a sense of humor. “We are just trying to destigmatize the perception people have about our business,” says The Crack Team’s Kodner. “Our experience is that once you see our brand, you won’t forget it.” After the team finishes their work, the company follows up with coupons and scratch-off cards for discounts at Mrhappycrack.com. This helps perpetuate the brand. “Let’s face it, I just had my gutters cleaned and I have no idea what the name of the company who did it was. You’ll see people walking around in Mr. Happy Crack T-shirts. They remember our company.”
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Sales Trainer has Calculated Plan for SuccessHow does a wildly successful sales consultant and author of a New York Times bestseller (The Ultimate Sales Machine) promote himself to his top prospects? With promotional products, of course. “I call this the 'Dream 100 Sell'” says Chet Holmes. “Basically, what we do is pick out dream clients we'd love to work with, and we send these little gifts every week for five or six weeks in a row. Then, when you call them, they come right to the phone.” For someone like Holmes, a dream list consists of 3,000 names, including the entire Fortune 1,000, the 500 fastest-growing companies in the country, 200 associations and some hand-picked smaller companies. To promote his book, he sent this list a series of mailings, starting with an orange calculator (the same orange as the book), along with a sales letter that said, “You're going to need an extra calculator to calculate your sales increases, once you apply the concepts in the new book, The Ultimate Sales Machine.” The calculator was followed by a shoe-polish brush kit, a highlighter, and a magnifying glass, each in separate mailings. Before the program was even completed, Holmes reported receiving an avalance of calls requesting consultations. “I'm expecting that we'll get more business than we can possibly handle - you know, honestly, that my time will be so sold-out, that I'll just have to keep raising my prices.”
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“Save A Squirrel” Campaign Grabs AttentionMonroe Shocks and Struts has a message for all of the animal lovers of the world: “Replacing worn ride control components could improve vehicle steering, stopping and stability – and just might save the life of an innocent squirrel darting across the street.” This was the official statement released by the company after it sent a bag of squirrel food, the Squirrel Street Journal newspaper and a personalized note from a squirrel to reporters. Next the recipients received a logoed bag of peanuts and a squirrel, or rather, mouse pad. These promotional products were used to build hype for its “Save a squirrel” campaign which launched in April. “We’ve already had tremendous interest in the ‘Squirrels’ campaign from the automotive industry as well as consumers,” says Carri Irby, brand manager of Monroe Shocks and Struts which is owned by Tenneco, Lake Forest, IL, prior to the launch of its ad campaign. “As our billboards go live in the coming weeks, we expect a tremendous spike in traffic to our Web site, as well as word-of-mouth advertising driven by local broadcast outlets and the thousands of businesses that sell and install Monroe shocks and struts.” The squirrels have gotten around as the message is broadcast on billboards throughout the country, on 2,000 radio stations, within Major League Baseball stadiums and via the Web. Monroe also made sure to add a heavy assortment of promotional products to the mix. Mouse pads, note cubes, pens, trash cans and bagged peanuts are available for use by its sales force. “Our promotional programs are tightly integrated into the campaign,” says Irby. The squirrels could not be reached for comment.
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7-Eleven Rocks Out with Branded Guitar PicksConvenience store chain 7-Eleven was looking to get consumers to “walk this way” right into its stores with its May Guitar Hero: Aerosmith promotion. To promote the debut of its Full Throttle Frozen Blast Slurpee, it partnered with Coca-Cola, Microsoft and Activision's top-selling video game Guitar Hero. Throughout May, consumers could enter codes listed on Slurpee cups into Slurpee.com for chances to win the game, an Xbox 360 and other prizes. To promote the sweepstakes and new Slurpee flavor, the popular convenience store chain created a mobile tour. Media vans with 6-foot by 12-foot video screens visited select stores where consumers could play the game live. More than 10,000 custom guitar picks printed with Full Throttle Frozen Blast on one side and Slurpee.com on the other side were handed out. “One of the top ways our core customers for Slurpee drinks, ages 13 to 24, like to spend their leisure time is playing video games,” says Stephanie Hoppe, senior director of marketing of 7-Eleven, Inc. “So it was natural for 7-Eleven to tie-in with the game.” Giant tear-off pads of posters featuring Guitar Hero and the Slurpee were posted at 484 locations near schools, train stations, beaches and other locations. Coupons were also distributed through college newspapers. The end result: more than a quarter million fans entered the sweepstakes. “We expect to do more online and guerilla marketing as we continue our ‘Summer of Slurpee,’” says Hoppe. In June, 7-Eleven offered Incredible Hulk movie Slurpee cups and miniature character straws. “Customers seem to be coming back this month," she says, “because sales are up.”
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Dippin' Dots Sweepstakes uses movie tie-inFor the up-and-coming frozen treats company Dippin' Dots, its movie tie-in with New Line Cinema's Journey to the Center of the Earth was a big deal. To get the most out of its first-ever movie partnership, the 300-store chain wanted to come up with a way to drive repeat purchases. To do so, they used a series of collector's cards, beach towels and a trip to Reykjavik, Iceland as part of a sweepstakes that ran throughout July. Dippin' Dots, which make cryogenically frozen beads of ice cream, yogurt, sherbet and flavored ice, offered four collector's cards with scenes from the movie. On the back was a maze they could navigate (once completed it made an image of a dinosaur or the outline of Iceland). The card also included a code that could be entered at Dippindots.com/journey. The code allowed consumers to enter to win a variety of awards. If they collect all four, they get an extra four entries. Beyond the trip to Iceland, prizes included lots of free products such as DVDs, movie posters and a party pack that included a logoed beach towel. “Towels tie into summer,” says Terry Reeves, communications director for Dippin' Dots. “They are great advertising if there is a retail stand around. People are always looking for a treat.” By entering the contest, consumers were also inducted into the new “40 Below Zero” loyalty program. “The bottom line is building a database of people opting into the loyalty program. Offering the collector's cards and other prizes entices them to become repeat consumers,” Reeves said. The movie opened nationally July 11. This well-crafted program paid for itself many times over. It was successful because it was designed as a customer acquisition and retention program. While it certainly increased brand awareness, more importantly, it led customers to take action that led to repeat business. The promotional products were not giveaways but tools that brought results. APTCO can do the same for you.
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Cause Breathes Fire into Dragon Boat FestivalDragon boat racing originated as an ancient Chinese ritual intended to win the good graces of river dragons. Today, it’s a widely growing sport, reminiscent of crew – and at least one group of cancer survivors has adopted it as a way to win back their well-being. This past summer, the group, called Dragon Boat Charleston, organized Charleston’s first-ever Dragon Boat Festival. Marketing efforts included a number of festival-related promotional items, including T-shirts for each team and for volunteers, performance shirts, window decals and tattoos. In addition, promotional items increased awareness of a film project, Awaken the Dragon (awakenthedragon.com), that is documenting the Dragon Boat Charleston team. “Liz Oakley is in the process of editing the film for a documentary supported and endorsed by Women Make Movies out of New York City,” Ray says. An Awaken the Dragon tent sold imprinted merchandise and “tattooed” festival attendees with the film logo.
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Office Items Get the Job Done for Staffing ServiceOn-the-job training is an essential part of business, but what about on-the-job marketing? It works for creative-staffing firm The Boss Group. The company makes sure to provide the talent it places with plenty of Boss-branded goods to use in the offices where they’re working. Jenna Stone, director of marketing and communications, says that Boss contractors frequently work alongside people who were placed by competitors. The two groups have even been known to compare promotional gifts from their respective staffing firms. “We had a case where one of our contractors actually sent us pictures of his cube with all of our items and his neighbor’s cube with a competitor’s items,” she says. “So there does seem to be, on the talent side, the need to keep up with our competitors in showing that we appreciate and value our talent partners that we place.” Boss’ current gift bag holds an oversized mug, a couple cool translucent pens and a generously sized notepad, all imprinted with the company’s logo. “We wanted something that stayed on the desk, that was functional, and that was sort of simple – something they’re actually going to use,” Stone says. Functionality is key, but combining it with branding makes it effective. She adds that Boss’ salespeople also use the gifts to facilitate sales calls. “The salespeople just like to have something in hand,” she says. “Often they use it as an occasion to get a visit with a client. They say that they’re bringing them something and want to drop it off, and that enables them to get some face time.”
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Non-profit surpasses goals with incentive programAs we've discussed, a good program begins with setting a clear objective. The non-profit organization Meeting Professionals International knew they wanted to increase their membership. They set a specific goal to successfully solicit and enroll 4,800 new members worldwide in the fiscal year. Strategy & Execution: This recruiting promotion for Meeting Professionals International was based on a series of incentive levels that awarded prizes to those who signed up specified numbers of new members. The construction theme was called a “Building Bonanza” and awarded construction-type prizes at the different levels. One or two new members earned the recruiter an eight-attachment screwdriver. Three to five new members earned the recruiter a builder’s coffee mug. The five different levels built the incentive awards up to an “Architect” level for those who recruited 16 or more new members. These recruiters received a 13-inch crystal hammer on a black marble base and an entry into a drawing for one of three international Ritz-Carlton Hotel destinations. The combination of a tangible, desirable prize with the chance of winning a great vacation made for a winning campaign. Results: This highly effective campaign yielded the most members recruited in one year in the association’s 27-year history: 6,012 new members. The program brought in nearly $1,900,000 in new member fees, exceeding the budgeted revenue by $381,780. The incentives only cost a fraction of that. |
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Video Game Kicks It Into GearEarlier this year, select reporters, bloggers and key “influencers” received a mysterious box in the mail. In it was a single metal cog engraved with a series of letters and numerals as well as the words “Property of the Coalition of Ordered Government.” A slip of paper said “If found, visit www.gearsofwar.com/lastday and enter the code CSID#.” An image of a skull within the cog also adorned the scrap of paper. Once at the site, viewers were told the story of the world’s end from the point of view of a robot. If the code was entered, more of the story was revealed. This was Microsoft Games Studios’ way of introducing its new “Gears of War 2” game title. One thousand metal cogs were sent out to promote the title, which was released on November 7, 2008. One blogger who worked for the postal service received a message to check a post office box in Seattle. Within it he found a beaten up old book with the cog hidden inside. Such creativity helped fuel buzz for the burgeoning gaming franchise. “From the initial concept we knew that seeding elements into the wild would energize hardcore gamers,” says John Jakubowksi, creative director at AKQA, San Francisco, which helped create the effort. Because of the “inherent nature of gamers, the campaign was spun off into spontaneously created blogs and communities digging deeper and deeper into the mysteries of ‘Gears of War 2.’ They found that cogs are hidden all over the world,” Jakubowski says. The cogs were in such high demand that one even sold for $265 on eBay. The original “Gears of War” sold 4.7 million units. |
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Integrated Chipware visitors see the futureHigh-tech company Integrated Chipware was looking forward to a trade show to introduce their new icWORKSHOP product. The target audience consisted of programmers and engineers. Since this was in the early stages of product development, they had a real need for qualified beta-testers to get real-world experience with the software, and give them valuable feedback to improve the final release version. To build interest prior to the show, they sent out invitations in the form of buttons portraying a futuristic man and the slogan, “I’ve Seen the Future.” This visual theme was later reinforced in the booth with custom imprinted shirts, ties and earrings, worn by the booth staff, and custom mouse pads and screen savers. To qualify the visitors, they were asked to view a demonstration. Stress- and boredom-relieving toys are longtime favorites of computer programmers and engineers, so those who viewed the demonstration were given thank you gifts of stress-relief juggling sets. They were a perfect match for the target audience. But of course, Integrated Chipware was more interested in what their prospects would be doing when they weren't taking stress breaks. Having successfully gotten their attention, the campaign resulted in 281 of the 500 booth visitors becoming qualified leads for icWORKSHOP. |
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Mott's Gets Its Pink OnWith Breast Cancer Awareness month coming up soon, Mott's got a head start this summer with a well-thought-out campaign to raise awareness. They chose a theme to prove they are “Pink to the Core.” In support of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the brand launched the limited-edition Mott's Plus Apple Sauce, available through October. In addition to pledging $300,000 to the organization, Mott's also became the national sponsor of the 2009 Race for the Cure Series, the world's largest series of 5K runs and walks that raise funds for and awareness about breast cancer and breast health. The race is run in more than 120 cities in five countries. At the events, Mott's is handing out branded black cloth tote bags, free product samples and a flyer with a coupon for $1 off a six-pack of applesauce. There is also an apple tree activity where attendees can fill out an apple cutout and hang it on the tree, thus pledging to be pink to the core. “Race participants who participate in the apple activity at the Mott's booth, and who make a promise to care for their breast health, receive a 'Pink to the Core' tote bag, according to spokesperson Christine Price. “These cloth bags are an ongoing reminder of the promise they've made to care for their breast health, and engage in healthy habits, such as buying health foods. Coupons are also given to incent purchase of Mott's applesauce.” Susan G. Komen Race for The Cure, launched in 1982, has raised more than $1.3 billion to fight breast cancer. Awareness campaigns can be a very effective way for any business to connect its name and brand with a worthy cause. It doesn't have to be a national cause. Many times a local one can be even more valuable. The co-branding effort can be a win-win for everyone. Chances are you can easily find suitable products to promote your campaign by searching on our web site, like we did here by simply typing “breast cancer” in the search box. Then your audience can get its pink on too!
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Muscle Milk Flexes During Fashion WeekDuring Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in early September, passersby in New York were asked to pose in front of a circus mirror. (You know, the kind that makes you look skinny.) Two brand ambassadors for 100-calorie Muscle Milk beverages then challenged people to make the altered image a reality by trying their product. At a nearby GNC location, by Bryant Park, live models posed as mannequins in the storefront window. As part of its “From Cute to Catwalk” live window takeover, Muscle Milk's seemingly plastic women posed while brand ambassadors handed out free samples to the public. The brand then armed 20 key influencers with a Muscle Milk Fashion Week survival pack. It consisted of a Nike sports bag with Muscle Milk Light, Muscle Milk branded lip gloss, a $100 Nike gift card and a Muscle Milk shirt. All of these efforts were aimed at keeping busy models, designers, celebrities and members of the media fueled during Fashion Week, via CytoSport Inc.'s ready-to-drink protein-enhanced beverage. Samples were handed out at five key locations, including salon venues, the IMG Fashion Lounge and the Lu Biscuit Cafe. The campaign is part of the brand's commitment to the promotion of a healthy image and active lifestyle. “Promotional items allow us to relay our messages to targeted consumer groups. For example, at New York Fashion Week our shirts read, 'Ready to Wear, Ready to Drink,' speaking about our Muscle Milk Ready-to-Drink Nutritional Shake, which is perfect for on-the-go fashionistas,” says Shane McCassy, lifestyle marketing manager for CytoSport.
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Jones-ing for Promotional ProductsThis summer, Jones Soda proudly proclaimed that it was “the official soda of the road trip.” To prove it, the premium soda brand teamed with Griffin Technology to reward people for sharing their most creative photos taken while traveling across North America. Using Twitter, travelers were asked to make a post with the hashtag #roadtripjones and include their destination or itinerary. Photos and videos could then be uploaded at www.jonessoda.com/gallery and hashtagged through Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube. Ten winners received one of 10 Griffin iTrip AutoPilots, and 10 photos from their journeys were selected to appear on Jones Soda bottles internationally. The grand prize winner also received a $500 shopping spree at www.griffintechnology.com. The promotion wrapped up on August 28. During the summer, the Jones Soda RV hit various locations during a 10,000-mile journey throughout the country, tweeting all the way (@Jones_Soda_RV). Consumers who caught up with the RV or stopped by the soda company's national headquarters received bumper stickers and coupons. Jones Soda has a long history of giving out branded items and will continue to do so, says Josh Groff, brand manager for Jones Soda. “It is a badge of identity for people who wear and use gear branded with the Jones Soda logo – it's how they distinguish themselves from the crowd,” Groff says. The brand, which has a partnership with the Seattle Seahawks, gave away T-shirts before the NFL team's home opener last year. This year it gave out schedule posters. “By making these personal connections with our fans, they each become brand ambassadors,” says Groff. “It is an efficient way for Jones Soda to expand awareness, and it is extremely effective because it is done in a viral and genuine way.” |
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Street Marketing Takes OffIf you were visiting Chicago last summer and you thought you saw a giant owl, you weren't hallucinating. You likely saw Ollie, the TripAdvisor mascot. The owl and a TripAdvisor street team targeted tourists in five major U.S. cities between July 20 and August 19 with the goal of raising awareness about its Web site. To make sure tourists didn’t forget what they saw, the brand gave out a suitcase full of promotional products, including luggage tags, T-shirts, hats and bags. “The goal was to have tourists and locals wear or use TripAdvisor-branded merchandise and be walking billboards for the brand,” says Sarah Welch, senior director, brand and customer marketing for TripAdvisor, Atlanta. It worked. In the era of media fragmentation (meaning people just don’t watch as many TV commercials as they used to), marketers are looking more and more to one-to-one marketing tactics. As a result, street teams are getting a longer look from brands large and small. Street teams are a recent marketing phenomenon: the practice of having a small army of brand ambassadors blanket a city or event. That generally means people in a consistent uniform and brand message and often involves a premium such as logoed merchandise, postcards or a free product sample. “Integrating a consumer-facing team to establish a face-to-face relationship between your brand and target consumers can be a quantifiable lead-generation tool,” says Robb Hecht, an integrated brand marketing communications strategist based in New York. “Typically, street teams employ incentives in order for passersby to interact with them. The goal is to place your brand collateral into the hands of targeted consumers directly, with the hope of developing an intimate and immediate relationship.” In terms of the TripAdvisor effort, targeted visitors and locals also received city maps customized for each market. The maps offered activities for visitors to do and places to see, as prioritized by the wealth of user-generated content on TripAdvisor.com, thus giving recipients an introduction to the brand. The sweepstakes dangled a trip a year for 10 years if consumers created a traveler network on TripAdvisor. Downtown Cincinnati Inc. is another committed user of street teams. An organization in charge of promoting the region, they coordinated an effort among local businesses to get attention to the events and attractions downtown during the recent holiday season. Workers and visitors alike were greeted by Santa-hat-wearing street teams who handed out 2,000 presents. The haul included items like tickets to museums as well as logoed insulated coffee mugs from local architecture firm FHRC and hats from the NFL’s Bengals. AutoTrader.com has a lot of things. For example, the number-one online automotive marketplace in the country has more than 13 million unique visitors monthly. It also has more than 3 million cars listed for sale. What it doesn’t have is a full-time show staff to attend the 50-plus auto shows that happen yearly. Instead, AutoTrader.com regularly hires and trains street teams to give the firm a memorable presence. Auto shows are especially important for the brand, “because we don’t have stores,” says Christina Moore, sponsorship manager for AutoTrader.com, Atlanta. “We don’t often have the opportunity to get in front of our consumer and engage them. Most of the times they’re sitting in their pajamas looking at cars online.” Its street teams “put a face to our brand,” she says. At the L.A. Auto Show in November, there were 10 staff members on hand to cover 12-hour shifts during the 10-day show. Before the event, they went through “a rigorous three-hour process to make sure they bleed AutoTrader.com-orange,” Moore says. This included understanding the brand message and what AutoTrader.com wanted to accomplish at the show. Decked out in logoed green, purple and, of course, orange uniforms, the team members handed out more than 10,000 car-shaped stress balls and 5,000 USB bracelets. They also gave out scads of game pieces that drove people to the site for a chance to win $25,000 toward the purchase of a car. The teams also invited attendees to the booth to take part in a game show. The winner of a quick round of the Scene-It DVD game received a $50 logoed debit card. |
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Adina for Life Campaign Uses Proven Branding MethodsThere's no replacement for real-world experience. 10 years ago, startup beverage brand SoBe made the right marketing choices, and the result was the acquisition by PepsiCo for about $370 million. Among many tricks, SoBe built a grassroots following with a heavy dose of branded promotional products featuring SoBe’s now iconic lizard logo. Fast forward to today, and founder John Bello is at it again with new brand Adina Holistics. In a beverage marketplace crowded with sugary drinks, vitamin waters, and organic teas, Adina had a challenge catching the consumer's attention with the 90-calorie natural drink. Step one - creation of a memorable logo, one with possibilities to expand into the realm of mascot. Aiming to convey the brand's tagline of "Drink no evil," and a product philosophy grounded in the benefits of Ayurveda -- a system of alternative medicine from India -- the team, in the end, chose a monkey. More than 100 designs were tried with focus groups. The early versions tried to convey calmness, but evolved into one with more character and energy. With the new branding image firmly in place, it was time to build up demand. To get his line of herbal elixirs noticed, he is going back to his old tricks – namely giving away plenty of branded products. This time around, he is leveraging his monkey logo and sayings like “Drink no evil!” “At SoBe we gave away 400,000 T-shirts via our in-store offers over five years,” says Bello. Why do it again? “Simple logic: This is a consumer reward and continuity device.” Adina Holistics consumers can collect three under-the-cap “herbalisms” noted on tear-off pads to get a free “Show me the monkey” or “Got herb?” T-shirt. The offer is “one point-of-sale piece that always gets put up because it is something that the store owner or manager is doing for the consumer; something for nothing compliments the store and the consumer gets a T-shirt as a bonus,” says Bello. “Most companies are too small or too big to make this happen. At Adina, it is job number one, all day, every day.” So far, more than 5,000 shirts had been requested. “They are already being offered on eBay,” says Bello. Part of the trick is having cool giveaways and a cooler logo, says Adina Chief Marketing Officer Bruce Burke. “We have an icon that appeals to young and old. It goes beyond just the beverage and lends itself to promotional products. We know we have a very nice symbol for years to come.” |
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Kids Get Schooled About Community CollegeThere can be a certain stigma attached to attending a community cOllege. That's why Onondaga Community College (OCC) decided not only to revamp the image of its educational institution, but also to cast a kinder light on community colleges as a whole. They developed an integrated campaign that challenges people to "Rethink College." It conveyed this message using everything from prime-time TV spots to hip T-shirt giveaways. The goal of each ad medium was to drive people to the microsite www.rethinkcollege.org. Here people are invited to meet actual students and professors by clicking on videos and reading blog entries. The two-year campaign kicked off with a 60-second TV ad. It aired in and around Syracuse, NY, for a month and then was followed by a 30-second ad during shows including Glee and Vampire Diaries. Billboards and social networking outreach supported the effort, as did OCC's first-ever sponsored T-shirt giveaway via a mobile text trivia contest. Part of the TV buy was a series of 15-Second ads that featured trivia questions about OCC. Consumers could text the answer. "We wanted to give them something they would use," says marketing director Aaron Hugo. "We picked long-sleeve shirts. We didn't overdo it with design. We tucked the logo on the sleeve. If it's cool they will wear it and get the message out there." A pop quiz on www.rethinkcollege.org, which also dangles a free shirt, asked which famous actor got their start at a community college: Tom Hanks, Queen Latifah or Morgan Freeman. It is actually a trick question, as all three attended community college. In the first three months, www.rethinkCollege.org pulled in 8,000 visitors and 11,000 page views. Hugo says the campaign is resonating because, "It gives a raw, unfiltered 100 at college life. It allows the students and professors to sell the college in their words. Yes, there is a cost factor (namely, OCC is much cheaper than neighboring college Syracuse University), but we wanted to lead with the fact that the academics are strong." |
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Campaign Keeps Colorado FitColorado residents rank as the nation's leanest, and they're not resting on their laurels. “The fact that nearly 19% of adults in our state are obese is cause for concern,” says Maren Stewart, president and CEO of LiveWell Colorado, a non-profit committed to reducing obesity by inspiring healthy eating and active living. The organization kicked off a campaign last fall with flash mobs in three cities doing aerobics in 1980's-inspired workout gear. Check out the video below to get the true flavor and energy of the events. Since then, billboards and TV commercials have urged residents to eat right and be more active. Naturally, the campaign also includes promotional products. LiveWell distributed stencils of its logo along with spray chalk to groups in 25 communities acrosss the state, where local organizers are using them as they draw hopscotch courts and start/finish lines for footraces. The local groups also got stickers to place on elevator buttons. The stickers read, “Take the stairs.” “The elevator buttons are just a perfect example of an easy, small, free way of incorporating a little bit of physical activity in your life by taking the stairs up a flight or two as opposed to the elevator,” Stewart says. “Hopscotch is a game everyone remembers how to play, and it's something fun and whimsical that will hopefully grab people's attention.” The idea behind the campaign is not to try to talk people into onerous workouts but to incorporate little activities that are easy to sustain. “I'm hoping that it will catch people off-guard, because they are unexpected tactics,” Stewart says. |
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PlumChoice Paints the Town PurpleWhen you're one of many technical support services looking to stand out at industry events, it helps to be colorful. PlumChoice has recognized this simple fact and chosen to firmly embrace its color of choice – purple. They have created “purple brick roads” leading from the speaker podium directly to the PlumChoice party, where they serve Plumtinis made from grape juice and vodka. PlumChoice founder Ted Werth says, “Everyone wants to know why I chose that as the name. It simply means the best. Deep plum is a regal color. Our view is that we provide the best service in the industry, bar none.” To drive home this point, PlumChoice hands out fake syringes filled with purple liquid at events, inviting prospects to give themselves a technology booster shot, along with pill bottles containing plum-colored M&Ms with labels telling people to call PlumChoice in the morning. Sticking with this theme, the company also created a cruise with Jimmy Buffet-style entertainment that attracted more than 50 retailers that had previously refused one-on-one meetings with the company. Each received a direct-mail piece that included Tylenol in a purple foil envelope and the pledge that PlumChoice can “solve your technology support headaches.” “There is so much noise in the marketplace. You need to really differentiate yourself to get anyone's attention,” says Michael Phelan, executive director of marketing at PlumChoice. “These quirky promotions have helped us generate leads, frequently with prospects who refused more conventional overtures. The promotions alone don't sell our services, but they help get our foot in the door. And, sometimes that's more than half the battle.” |
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Ferns tell the story for local bankSelect small businesses in Manhattan and Brooklyn recently received an unexpected gift — a live fern. The fern served as an introduction to The Park Avenue Bank, a local New York City bank that specializes in serving small businesses. The plant was also a metaphor: While big, corporate banks handle their customers carelessly or roughly, The Park Avenue Bank treats its customers as one might treat a delicate fern. A hundred ferns were sent out — 25 in Manhattan and 75 in Brooklyn — plus a handful to journalists. Affixed to the pot was a sticker with the bank's name and web site, plus two stakes with care instructions: an informative, pleasantly written one from the Park Avenue Bank; and a humorously dispassionate, bureaucratic one from a “big bank.” “The direct mail campaign was part of a larger rebranding effort for the bank and its web site. Our site has become much more of a resource center for small businesses, and we wanted to communicate that core message to a select group of potential new customers," says Annamarie Suriano, vice president of marketing at The Park Avenue Bank. Ferns were selected because they make a different impression than many of the traditional promotional products, and have great staying power. “No one is going to throw out a plant,” Suriano says. “It's likely the fern will stay in their office as a constant reminder of the bank.” |
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Cancer Campaign Lifts SpiritsCancer is a difficult subject to discuss, even though it touches the lives of so many. So when Philadelphia's Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) began planning for a new campaign to connect with its patients and families and attract outside supporters, the planners sought out a simple and uplifting message. After extensive discussions, the planners decided on the theme, “Love Versus Cancer,” and launched an accompanying Web site (www.loveversuscancer.org) at the beginning of February. The site invites visitors to send e-cards, share videos and learn about the FCCC. Promotional products are a key component of the campaign. The FCCC's leadership developed the theme and used a “Love Versus Cancer” logo on buttons, stationery, T-shirts and more. When visitors register on the Web site, they receive a free button, while those making donations of $100 or more get a magnet to put on their car. Logoed T-shirts are also available to purchase online, as well as in the FCCC's gift shop. “When you leave the computer, you leave the campaign,” says Lisa Bailey, director of social media and communications for FCCC. “So the promotional products let the campaign live in other places.” The effort has involved a significant expansion of the FCCC's social media presence, creating a special YouTube video of a pet therapy dog and branding its Facebook and Twitter accounts with the “Love Versus Cancer” theme. Since shifting to this theme, the FCCC has seen its social media memberships skyrocket and a boost in supporter sign-ups and donations. The success of the campaign so far has the FCCC's leadership looking for ways to expand it further. They have already gone through the initial order of 6,000 buttons and are looking at incorporating “Love Versus Cancer” wristbands, as well. “When someone is diagnosed with cancer, so many more people are touched than just that one person,” says Bailey. “This is a way to let those people share their love, share their thoughts and get involved.” |
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Publisher's Pre-release Promotion Boosts OrdersPublishers have a tough task trying to get attention for new novels in a crowded and competitive field. Booksellers have so many options to choose from, that even works from well-known authors sometimes get overlooked. Doubleday wanted to increase exposure and awareness of a new novel among consumers and retailers. To support their goal, they decided to capture the Louisiana setting of James Lee Burke’s new novel, Sunset Limited in a collection of promotional items, all tied together with elements from the book. Some of these items were sent in advance, while others were used on sales calls. An in-store display was created to “spice up” selling opportunities. T-shirts were created for Doubleday sales reps to hand out when they called on chain and independent bookstores. A display was created consisting of a tackle box with a custom imprinted label, a copy of the book, a bait box filled with gummy worms, an imprinted fishing bob, Cajun foods and a CD of Cajun music. The complimentary display was provided to accounts ordering a predetermined number of copies of Sunset Limited with the agreement that the tackle box would be displayed for a minimum of two weeks. In addition, custom imprinted fishing bobs were distributed at book signings and other personal appearances by the author. The consistent theme had the desired attention-getting result, bringing Doubleday a 50% increase above their sales goal. And the tackle box gained publicity in a Wall Street Journal article about the program. The sweetness of free publicity was a nice bonus for taking a spicy approach to marketing. |
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Direct Mail ReboundsDirect mail has been the mainstay marketing solution for many businesses for decades, but it has faced more than its share of challenges in the past few years. The expanding use of online marketing, rising postage costs and dramatic cutbacks that direct mail’s biggest industries (including finance, insurance and automotive) had to make in the wake of the recession, have led some to predict that direct mail is on its last legs. But, despite these troubles, direct mail shows signs of resilience. In its latest Quarterly Business Review the Direct Marketing Association predicted that after spending on direct mail dropped 16% in 2009, to $44.4 billion, it would steadily rise over the next few years – rising 2.5% in 2010 alone. “Direct mail is not disappearing by any stretch of the imagination,” says Yoram Wurmser, research manager at the Direct Marketing Association. He believes the category will continue to see sales growth for the foreseeable future. “In the past you had direct mail as broadcast mail. What you are going to see now is more targeted mail, more personalized and more of a conversation.” Direct mail today is more personal than ever before. Marketing directors are making use of the information they already have on their customer base, and using today's digital printing technologies to send custom printed pieces that have a higher impact because they are more relevant to the recipient. Decoding Customer Engagement Instead of attaching coupons to this area, ACCC printed coded messages; 95% of the messages offered $10 off of any item in the store, but the other 5% awarded big ticket prizes like free iPods and LCD televisions. This is where direct mail came in. ACCC sent out “decoders” (a special red cellophane lens die cut into the shape of a balloon) to nearly 300,000 individuals. Recipients could bring the decoder into a store and run it over the special coupon on the donation form. The promise of prizes and curiosity of the consumers drove heavy traffic into the stores, raising $250,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network in less than three months. “In a tire retail environment, it’s very difficult to get new foot traffic that you wouldn’t otherwise organically get – people don’t just come browse tires,” says Jeremy Lewin, director of marketing for ACCC, who developed the campaign. “Ultimately, if you take the increase of foot traffic and multiply it by the rate at which a new customer buys something, we had some significant ROI.” Here we have a perfect example of a marketing campaign with multiple motivators. Customers are drawn by the opportunity to win a prize, as well as their interest in helping out a worthwhile charity. In the end, everybody wins! It's called Cause Marketing, and it can work for you, too. We ran a feature on it last month. In case you missed it, you'll find it here. For a primer on getting started with direct mail, check out our blog post. |
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Magazine Publishing Enjoys IncreaseLet's be honest, pens are one of the most over-used promotional products. Who doesn't have a drawer full of neglected pens with somebody's name or logo on them, set aside because they were cheap, or boring, or simply had nothing to distinguish them from all the others? Can you say unimaginative? Not to say that effective marketing campaigns cannot be built around the right pen when tied to the right message. Pens proved mightier than prison bars at a recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) event held to raise awareness about Burmese political prisoners. “Free Burma's Political Prisoners,” a special one-day performance and art installation held at New York's Grand Central Station on June 22, included chanting monks, remarks from leaders of Burma's exile community and a massive installation in which visitors could “free” prisoners by picking up promotional pens to sign a petition. The installation appeared as a Burmese prison complex, with a series of cells in which prisoners were trapped behind bars. Upon closer inspection, visitors saw that the bars were actually pens that they could remove in order to sign their name to a petition; the petition called on Burma's military leaders to release more than 2,100 activists and journalists who had been imprisoned because of their negative comments about the government. “By removing the pens from the installation and writing a signature, the passersby were doing two things,” says Andy Clarke, executive creative director at ad agency JWT New York, which created the event for HRW. “They were signifying freedom by removing the pens and thus making it look like the prisoners were free to go, and at the same time they were using the pens to write their signature in a book as a petition to the Burmese government.” Each pen read, “The power to free Burma's political prisoners is in your hands,” followed by the campaign's website address. Visitors were encouraged to keep the pens, and 1,000 of them were given away before the day's end. Besides the humanitarian importance of the event, which comes as Burma prepares for its first election in a decade, the campaign also hits close to home on a professional level for those at JWT. “A lot of the political prisoners in Burma are artists and creative people who are locked away for using their talent to make a point about the way their country is run and for exercising their basic human rights,” says Clarke. “We're fortunate to live in a country where we're free to express our feelings through our creativity, so that's exactly what we did. Creative people standing up for fellow creative people.” |
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Politics and Business Mix with a Bobblehead TwistThough politics is on everyone's mind these days, most people try to avoid discussing it in a business situation. And though businesses may be making contributions to campaigns, you won't generally see them endorsing a candidate in their own product advertising. It takes a clever marketer to find a way to promote their brand in a political theme without alienating half of their target audience. Back in May of 2009, Minnesota was about 200 days into a long recount of the Senate race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken. (Franken eventually won by 312 votes out of 2.9 million - after a record 238-day recount.) The long process captured national attention as it wound its way through a series of court appeals. In addition to being the incumbent, Coleman was a former mayor of St. Paul, so that city was especially attuned to the saga. The St. Paul Saints minor league baseball team saw an opportunity to capitalize on all this attention. One of their major sponsors, TDS Metrocom, a regional telephone company and internet service provider, regularly ran promotions involving gifts for fans. They felt that a promotion related to the ongoing recount would generate buzz and make a nice collector's item for the fans. While a matching pair of bobbleheads could have gotten the message across, it seemed too cumbersome to require attendees to collect multiple items, not to mention the political dynamics that would be encountered in distribution. The preliminary idea for a pair of bobblehead dolls evolved into a spinning head doll design. With two faces looking opposite directions and a count's dramatic black cape (conveniently coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street and its beloved character, The Count), “The ReCount” doll was an instant hit when it was given out to the first 2,500 people to arrive at the Saints' stadium on May 23, before the senatorial race had been decided. People didn't wait till game time - they lined up at dawn to get their tickets. Even more important for sponsor TDS, whose brand was displayed prominently on the doll, the excitement didn't end when the game did. Coverage of the promotion by ABC News, CNN, USA Today and several other outlets soon followed. The national attention led to plenty of free placement as local news outlets inserted the story into their programs. It was even picked up in some magazine articles, always with a picture of the doll and the TDS logo. Their marketing department reported that it was one of the best investments they had ever made. Need something custom to get attention for your brand? We'd love to work with you to make it happen! |
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"Green Queen" Builds a Personal BrandReal Estate sales is all about personal branding. This is not to say that a corporate brand isn't important; it can certainly add some credibility. But it's really about the agent. Susan Singer, senior vice president of sales for The Corcoran Group, decided to build her personal brand around sustainability - a growing trend in the real estate industry. She calls herself “The Green Queen”, as she includes an eco-friendly element in all of her marketing. Working in New York City, she's found this theme resonates with her clientelle. Years ago, the traditional refrigerator magnets and mouse pads worked fine for her. But once the Green Queen identity took hold, they were no longer relevant. To help spread the word about her business, she ordered plenty of imprinted tote bags made of recycled plastic material. The bags feature a stenciled image of the historic London Terrace apartment building, for which she is a broker, as well as her contact information and branding for Corcoran Group Real Estate. She says she decided not to include the name of the London Terrace building so that the bag would have wider appeal – she wanted it to be, “just about living in New York and having an eco-friendly bag … that way people will want to use them and it's just free advertising.” Singer sent the totes to her neighbors, clients and potential clients – and gave one to every unit in London Terrace. She also distributes them at events when the opportunity arises. For example, she recently offered the bags after she spoke at an Earth Day seminar at Baruch College in Manhattan. The totes direct people to Singer's website, www.susansingerspaces.com, where they will find information about her properties ranging from Brooklyn to Uptown Manhattan, as well as Tales of the Green Queen, a regular comic strip in which a cartoon version of Singer tours the city, helping people save on energy costs. While she acknowledges that these days the economy often weighs on real estate buyers more than the environment does, she says the totes get an enthusiastic response. “I've had people call me or e-mail me saying, 'I am so grateful for this tote, it's so sweet and reminds me of the building,' and people from the building have just stopped me on the street,” she says. “It's really been very good for me.” Whether your marketing plan fits well with a sustainability theme, or some other theme, make sure that the promotional products in your branding effort are a good match. Consistency is key. |
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Strange Love Makes for a Hit PromotionAn unusual product requires an unusual promotion. Culturelle, a company that makes dietary supplements that aid in digestive health and immune-system functioning, was looking to promote its brand in a quirky way. The company’s products are “probiotics” – healthy bacteria that aid digestion – which might confuse the average consumer who associates bacteria with disease or things unhealthy. With this in mind, Culturelle devised the “I Love Bacteria” campaign. The company gave away T-shirts imprinted with the classic “I ♥ ” icon to curious customers who saw an ad for it. After an extremely successful test-run of the campaign, Culturelle widened the promotion, tying it into its print and television advertising campaigns, both of which featured someone wearing the “I ♥ Bacteria” T-shirt. The quirky promotion met every one of the company’s goals. “We grew our consumer database substantially, increased our out-of-home branding since our logo was on the back of the shirts, and even used the shirts as a giveaway that bloggers used to kick-start a program which educated consumers about Culturelle and probiotics,” says Dave O’Brien, brand manager for Culturelle. In fact, the company got much more than it bargained for. Using social media as well as more traditional outlets, Culturelle ended up with more than 100,000 requests in the first week alone. The T-shirt premium has been put on hold for awhile due to the speed with which they were snapped up. Currently the brand’s leadership is planning new ways to get the “I Love Bacteria” message out. “People like wearing shirts that cause others to take a second look, and this shirt definitely accomplishes that,” says O’Brien. “The shirt also acts as a great way to connect consumers with the brand and make it a part of their life.” |
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Unique T-Shirts Promote MovieProducers of The Mechanic, an action thriller starring Jason Statham as a hit man, needed a unique promo to stand out amid the din of movie madness bombarding the media and consumers today. They were thinking T-shirts, but some creative thinking brought a variation of that theme to mind. Pre-release marketing to the press is critical to success in the movie business. Rather than giving traditional T-shirts to members of the press covering the movie, as well as to other potential moviegoers, the movie’s marketers had the shirts shrink-wrapped and compressed into the shape of guns, playing into the movie’s theme to make a bigger impact on T-shirt recipients. To boost the film’s visibility, a quick response (QR) code was added to the compressed tees, which, when scanned by a user’s smartphone, takes the user directly to the movie’s website and trailer. The technology, in conjunction with promotional items, and particularly apparel products, is a popular trend. QR codes are an ideal marketing tool to combine with product promotions – that is, if you have the right promotional partner to ensure that the pieces really fit together. This promo has certainly helped to garner a wealth of media attention for the film’s release. Do you have a need for a T-shirt compressed into a special shape to tie in to a unique campaign? We can help you fit everything together so that your campaign brings results. |
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Mentorship Program a Promotional SuccessThe State Bar of South Dakota had a problem. The supply of lawyers in rural areas of the state had been dwindling over a period of several years. Law school graduates were more attracted to joining firms in the cities, particularly those with a dozen or more lawyers, as opposed to going out on their own and starting a practice in a remote area. Further, the Bar saw an increasing disconnect between veteran lawyers and those with less than 10 years experience. They felt that the two problems were related. They defined their objective to build goodwill and camaraderie between the organization’s young and veteran members and educate them on the value of mentorship among legal professionals. Their target audience was approximately 1,800 members of the State Bar of South Dakota, as well as dignitaries, judges, law professors and state bar association employees. They chose to reach out to this group with a mentorship program symbolized by a military-style challenge coin. Upon induction into the state bar, young lawyers receive two round, bronze coins decorated with the scales of justice, the state bar association’s seal and the words “Scientia et Amicitia” (knowledge and friendship) on one side, and the design found on the minted South Dakota quarter on the other. That was a special touch that really resonated with the recipients. The coins were packaged in black velvet presentation bags. Young lawyers were instructed to keep one coin and give the other coin to their mentor—matches were made by a committee. By accepting a coin, recipients agreed to encourage, support and foster mentorship within the legal community. The exchange between mentee and mentor was done separately from the initial presentation of the coins, either privately or at receptions hosted by participating law firms. The program, which began last year and is ongoing, is intended "to promote goodwill and dedication to core values of the law among them, getting veteran lawyers to share their good, bad and ugly with young lawyers so they didn’t feel so isolated," according to a representative. The mentoring program was a big hit among young lawyers and is credited with generating a lot of buzz among members of the association, producing true-life success stories in which young lawyers were able to start their own practices more easily with the guidance of more experienced mentors. |
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Hot Competition Features Branded Cups for CharitySports fans will do anything for their teams, right? Marketers tested this theory during last college basketball season by pitting three Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, area colleges against each other in a six-month-long coffee-drinking contest. More important than beans, roasts or flavorings, however, were the cups contestants chose for their java. Each 22-ounce, single-use paper cup of Bean Street-branded coffee at approximately 50 area Kangaroo Express convenience stores was co-imprinted with the Kangaroo Express logo and one of three school mascots. Coffee drinkers chose the cup featuring their favorite school—Duke University, in Durham; North Carolina State University, in Raleigh; or the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill—and the purchase earned one point per cup for the chosen school. The school with the most points at season’s end won the Battle for Bean Street and a $20,000 donation to the charity of its choice from Kangaroo Express and its parent company, The Pantry, Inc. The promotion was a triple win for the schools, the charities and The Pantry Inc., which sought to advertise the launch of its exclusive Bean Street Coffee brand. The three North Carolina universities in the contest are all located within a 20 mile radius, so it’s not surprising that school allegiances run deep. “We knew we could get people to sample our coffee if we used these borrowed interests of the schools and great coffee,” says Jeremy Skiver, who coordinated the campaign’s digital and traditional elements. He says the target demographic for Bean Street Coffee ranges from college students and coffee lovers to college basketball fans and commuters. “Once we got them to come in and sample, we knew we could get them to come back because the coffee is that good,” Skiver says. The challenge, Skiver says, was appealing to such a wide audience. The campaign took advantage of both traditional and digital media, deploying tv and radio spots, in-store advertising, on-campus posters and Facebook and Twitter pages. The campaign also had a website, which displayed up-to-the-minute stats on each store’s cup sales. “People would say, ‘NC State has taken over one of our UNC stores. We’ve got to get in there and take back our store!’” says Skiver. Cups sales data were collected at the point-of-sale by scanning a barcode on each cup. This information was automatically sent to the contest’s micro site on kangarooexpress.com. Skiver says ROI was easy to track because “people who were going to do the 22-ounce were doing it for the cup. So that was going to give us a really good gauge.” By comparison, a size “Venti” for hot drinks at Starbucks holds 20 ounces. During the six-month promotion, participating Kangaroo Express stores sold more than 120,000 cups decorated with logos from colleges in the Raleigh-Durham area. “People were buying the cups, using the cups and checking the micro site daily,” Skiver says. The most difficult part of the project was that only one team could win. “The charity aspect was an important part of the project,” Skiver says. Plus, the possibility of a donation in their name went a long way in getting the three schools involved. “It was close. In the end, Kangaroo Express donated to all the charities,” he says. Once April came and the contest drew to a close, the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill, had the highest cup sales. Kangaroo Express donated $20,000 to the winner’s charity—U.N.C. Build a Block, a student organization that works with Habitat for Humanity. The runner-ups each received $5,000 for their charities—the Kay Yow Cancer Fund for North Carolina State, and the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center for Duke. The promotion fit well with the area’s intense college basketball fandom and, for the first time, brought all three schools together. “These schools and their mascots have never participated in a promotion together, and they are literally on top of each other,” Skiver explains. “When we did our in-store posters, it was the first time they’d ever been photographed together for a promotion.” Those involved were so pleased that the Battle for Bean Street, part two, is in the works. “We’re looking forward to kicking off season two,” Skiver says. |
Wellness Programs That Really WorkRising health-care costs have made wellness programs a good deal for companies that invest in them, and now Uncle Sam has stepped in to make it easier to create and fund them. The new Health Care Reform Plan enables companies with fewer than 100 employees to receive federal assistance from a $200 billion grant to establish wellness programs, and in 2014, the wellness reward levels that all companies can offer to employees will increase by 50%. Wellness programs typically yield a 300% or greater return on investment, but you've got to incentivize employees to become involved. Here are three case studies of successful programs to help you get started. Case Study #1 - Meredith CorporationDes Moines, Iowa-based media and marketing company Meredith Corporation has had an award-winning wellness program since 2006. “We focus on metabolic disease; elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and triglyceride levels and waist circumference,” says Program Manager Tim O'Neil. “These inequities can have catastrophic impacts on employee well-being and health claims.” To tackle these issues, Meredith brought on board a third-party diagnostic group to screen employees. Results were given to employees, and the company received an aggregate no-names report that catalogued total company results. Once the data was collected, O’Neil says, “the challenge was how to use it to attack health concerns in each of Meredith's 22 state locations – each with its own culture.” For incentives, it was obvious a one-size-fits-all approach wouldn't work. A variety of incentive plans were tailored to the needs of each Meredith office. “We formed teams to compete against each other in weight loss and physical activity categories for prizes that included branded apparel and keep-fit items like exercise bands, stability balls, fitness DVDs, healthy cookbooks and cash prizes,” O'Neil says. Other Meredith plans offer wellness points worth up to a $500 annual discount on health plan contributions and reimbursements toward health club memberships, personal training, nutrition counseling and participation in sporting events. Points are accumulated and tracked via the company's website, Meredithwellness.com. Meredith’s results were impressive. From 2004 to 2006 the company saw annual health cost increases of 18.5%. After introducing the wellness plan in 2006, O'Neil says, “We lowered this to an average 1% annual increase from 2006 to 2011, saving us approximately $10 million vs. an investment of $2.5 million – an impressive $4:$1 ROI.” Meredith’s wellness program continues to evolve. “We couldn't keep doing the same thing year after year,” O'Neil says. “As we progressed, we went to a tobacco-free workplace, and in 2008, we added Wellness Bucks and reimbursements as incentives. We've also introduced group courses and individual instruction, and this year, we'll add spouses to our screening programs.” Case Study #2 – Anderson Performance Improvement CompanyLouise Anderson, CEO of Minnesota-based incentive and recognition system provider Anderson Performance Improvement Company, was certain that the health benefits of increased employee activity would lead to an increase in per-client tracking hours and a corresponding surge in overall productivity. “We're not self-insured and we had a pretty healthy crew to start with,” says Anderson, “so our company's main focus in setting up our Move It wellness program was productivity, not health insurance costs.” Anderson gave all employees pedometers to track their walking. This was coupled with walking meetings and encouragement to park farther out in the company lot. “Our walking efforts were accompanied by tips on how to increase physical movement and an incentive award system where our employees could gain points for increased activity that are redeemable for over 4,000 catalog items including clothing, jewelry, electronics and kitchen equipment,” Anderson says. Anderson's Sonic Boom wellness website is also a strong player in increasing employee participation in Move It. The website tracks both individual and team activity on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Individuals are given private access to their own results, and everyone can view team results. Teams compete for points against other Sonic Boom teams on a national basis. Move It concentrates on healthy eating. “We no longer allow things like leftover holiday candy in the office,” says Anderson. “If vendors want to bring in snacks, they're asked to furnish fruit or granola instead of doughnuts, and office celebrations substitute zucchini brownies and strawberry cakes for the store-bought varieties.” The results show Move It has led to a more efficient workplace. “Over a two-year period, we've seen an 11% increase in measured productivity,” Anderson says. “This means not only greater output, but that we can do more for our clients with the same workforce.” Anderson offers a tip for those starting on the wellness track: “Think about the things you spend money on versus the health effects they produce. For example, holiday bonuses can be substituted for alcohol-consuming holiday parties. Efforts like these can lead to greater productivity and lower costs, and if you're self-insured, you'll save twice as much.” Case Study #3 – Group & Pension Administrators, Inc.The goals for the BeWell wellness program aim to help employees stay healthy. “As an organization, we hope to improve productivity and control health-care costs by reducing health risks,” says Kathy Enochs, COO of Group & Pension Administrators, Inc. (GPA), a Dallas-based third-party benefit administrator. Enochs started small with BeWell, offering free fruit for employees in the break room and discounting healthy items in company vending machines. “The fruit didn't go over big at first,” she says, “but now it's gone before the next basket arrives.” Confidential employee health assessments and biometric screenings were next, along with access to GPA's one-on-one health professionals, including telephonic coaching and on-site visits. BeWell doesn't just focus on physical activity and healthy eating; it incorporates financial education, spiritual awareness, stress management, blood pressure control, cholesterol management and educating participants living with multiple chronic conditions. “In order to encourage a high percentage of our employees to participate in BeWell activities, we use wellness incentives to propel the program,” Enochs says. “Non-smokers get a 20% reduction in health-care costs, and employees who participate in wellness activities can accumulate incentive points toward gift cards and merchandise including bicycles, heart rate monitors and cookware. In addition, employees receive a paid day off for every year they participate in the program.” BeWell and its incentives have greatly benefited the company. “In 2008, 34% of our employees had five or more high-risk health issues,” says Enochs. “By 2011, we reduced that to 18%. We've also made significant reductions in stress and weight levels, and we've cut employee smoking by 50%, but it didn't happen overnight. Our results were achieved through comprehensive planning, effective communication and senior-level support.” Enochs' advice to those starting their own wellness program is to not rush it. “Make sure you think your strategy through, and survey your employees to see what incentives and activities they might be interested in,” she says. “Most importantly, make sure your program launch is well-planned because first impressions last.”
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Don’t Mess With BigfootWhen it came time to unveil a new promotion, Jack Link’s Beef Jerky turned to Sasquatch. The big furry guy is the brand’s icon. The brand recently unveiled new television commercials, refreshing an image that hadn't changed since 2008. The “Messin’ With Sasquatch” advertising campaign has been a great success: “The new spots feature more classic pranks played on an unsuspecting Sasquatch,” says Jeff LeFever, director of marketing for Jack Link’s Beef Jerky. The campaign resulted from a creative idea to bring an iconic legend (Sasquatch) to life, in order to help define the brand message: Feed Your Wild Side. The company created 30-second television spots and added alternate-ending, online-only versions. In “Camp Fire,” one of the new commercials, Sasquatch is in a peaceful setting enjoying his natural surroundings. “After munching on Jack Link’s Beef Jerky, an individual is inspired to play a well-known prank on Sasquatch. In the end, however, Sasquatch gets the last laugh,” says LeFever. These commercials are easy to find on youtube. In addition to the commercials, the company sent out about 200 media kits to targeted media and key influencers. As part of the kit, editors were sent a custom Sasquatch doll to help deliver the message that Sasquatch was back. “The creative kit has been breaking through the typical mail clutter on editors’ desks and has helped garner coverage in key print and digital media outlets about the launch of the campaign,” says LeFever. The kit also contained press releases and samples of beef jerky. “The response to the media kit was positive. During follow-up conversations, journalists shared that it was a fun and memorable correspondence; helping to break through the clutter they receive each day,” says LeFever. And ultimately, the company believes that the kit helped to garner media attention in the launch of the latest TV spots. “Jack Link’s sports an adventurous, fun and slightly irreverent brand personality. Sasquatch helps to bring that personality to life through scenarios that are funny and relevant – especially to those who love Jack Link’s Beef Jerky,” he says. |
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