Promo - January 2008 - (Page 58)

“PROMO “PROMOLAND” Something To Chew On The history of American celebrity candy bars is short—and not too sweet. The ’70s was the boom—and bust—era for celebrity sugar, including the (Lee Majors) Bionic Bar, the Reggie (Jackson) bar, Mr. T Bubblegum and the Muhammed Ali Crisp Crunch. Reese’s limited edition Elvis Presley peanut butter/banana crème—king-sized—issued last year on the 30th anniversary of his death, added a macabre footnote to the category. But NASCAR fans are sure to be all shook up when the Big Mo’ bar bearing Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s mug rolls out this month. It’s the product of Easter bunny confectioner RL Palmer, which previously produced novelty chocolate molds of Earnhardt’s car. Company owner Richard Palmer figures legendarily brand-loyal NASCAR fans will bite on Big Mo’—unlike baseball fans who eschewed the Reggie bar. “NASCAR finds itself in the unusual and enviable position that its celebrities are national,” Palmer says. Earnhardt, who taste-tested both caramel and peanut butter flavors of the new bar, will plug Big Mo’ in his press conferences. And Palmer plans modest promotions—like flyovers with banners at NASCAR races. So Big Mo’ could be the sweetest celeb sensation since the Baby Ruth, which wasn’t really named for Babe Ruth. (One theory suggests the bar was named after Grover Cleveland’s baby daughter, Ruth. Another proposes the candy was named for the granddaughter of the president of the Williamson Candy Co., where the recipe originated). But when young fans started sending Babe Ruth the candy wrappers to autograph, the Sultan of Swat sued for royalties anyway—and struck out in court. —Richard Tedesco File Under Humor Perhaps the best published satire these days is found in the free tabloid newspaper The Onion, which weekly looks at life’s absurdities firmly tongue in cheek. Lately the publication has been poking fun at the marketing business. A recent headline stated, “Perfectly Marketed TV Show Somehow Fails.” A fictional series, “City Buds,” was canceled by NBC, whose marketing executives are perplexed because they devised and executed what they considered to be a flawless $250 million marketing strategy. Beyond the typical Internet, billboard, magazine, newspaper, television, and radio ads, the network also employed “cutting-edge” guerrilla marketing techniques, such as 14,000 urinal communicators installed in public restrooms across the U.S. that, when activated by a stream of urine, informed patrons of the date and time City Buds was scheduled to air in their market.” Other tactics tapped for the faux campaign included canvassers, taxi signs, stickers, and 1.25 million promotional coffee-cup sleeves. “How could they not identify with these kinds of promotional devices?” questioned senior brand manager Earl Kinney. We’ve all been there, haven’t we?—Larry Jaffee America’s Sweepstakes King Steve ledoux, a 47-year-old realtor from California, has won more than 500 sweepstakes and contests since the 1990s. He has walked away with a dozen trips, a year’s worth of ice cream, cash and TVs totaling tens of thousands of dollars. Here’s a few tips about how he operates: • Scour grocery stores, TV commercials and the coupon section of the Sunday paper for promotions. • Read the fine print. About 50% of sweepstakes entries are disqualified because people don’t read the rules. • Enter skill contests. They offer better odds of winning since fewer people enter them because they include a component like writing a poem or creating a video. • Trust the brand. Never enter a sweepstakes or contest from an unknown company. • Fold up in-store promo entries like an accordion so it takes up more room in the box and is easier to grab as a winner. • Enter for a friend or relative if rules call for one entry per person. • Stagger your entries, if rules allow, and enter often. “I liken it to poker,” says Ledoux, who is also the author of How to Win Lotteries, Sweepstakes, and Contests In the 21st Century. “You’re not supposed to count your chips until you are done. I am still in the game.”—Amy Johannes 58 January 2008 / WWW.PROMOMAGAZINE.COM / Promo http://www.promomagazine.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Promo - January 2008

Promo - January 2008 Contents Editor's Note Viral But Virtuous Slap Shot Power Chords Tuning In Auto Play Trekkies Unite Commentary Retail Report: Get In Here! Generating Store Traffic Yankee Candle Shopper Marketing What Seniors Want Cyber Stumping Party Hearty Q & A: Paper Trail Ambush Marketing The Agency Center Resource Center Back-End Foundation Index of Advertisers

Promo - January 2008

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