Decent Marketing

Bring a Snack For New Year's Eve

The following announcement appeared in my community paper today in the "Things To Do" section (I swear on my life this is true):

December 31 -- Come to a New Year's Eve blast with Single Baby Boomers from 9pm to 1am at 402 --------- Rd., Peachtree City.  Bring a snack.  Entrance fee is $5.

Bring a snack?  Single adults looking for love on New Year's Eve are supposed to bring a SNACK??!!!  My husband and I have been discussing what might be an appropriate snack to show up with at an event such as this.  If you show up with a package of cheese crackers, for instance, or a single-serve pudding cup, I'm guessing you're not going to be going home with anybody.

Gifting Experiences

This past weekend for my birthday my husband took me to Manhattan.  What a great gift --especially when you shouldn't really give clothes to a women who is six months pregnant.  We took in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall (I've wanted to see the Rockettes ever since I was little, and they didn't disappoint), as well as Spamalot on Broadway (the absolutely hilarious highlight of the trip).  We did lots of Christmas shopping, ate some really good food and, for a twist, took a rickshaw ride through snowy Central Park from this Turkish dude who was way more entertaining than carriage horses.  The whole experience was much more memorable than a sweater.

Not that gifting experiences is new, but I thought you might want to see about the various companies springing up all over offering gift cards for experiences.  Here's a roundup from U.S. News & World Report's December 19 issue:

"More classy than cash and less hassle than scouring the mall, gift cards can be a perfect fit.  And now these pint-size presents can snag experiences as well as merchandise ... From wine tasting in Philly ($40) to securing a musician to help you write your very own song in California or New York ($1500), Xperience Days has something for nearly every price point -- up to a zero-gravity flight in Florida for 27 people ($110,000).

Try belly dancing in San Diego ($20) or a one-hour closet makeover ($105) in Washington, D.C. via Signature Days.  Go off with three pals for a five-day golfing trip at St. Andrews ($22,500).  Or get down to Oaxaca, Mexico, for the 'Yoga & Chocolate Retreat' ($5,500).

The three-day 'Covert Ops & Special Forces training' in Florida ($2,950), from Great American Days, includes lessons for shooting Uzis and rescuing hostages.  Or you can make a fool out of yourself (and a large mammal) at the Clown-Bullfighting School ($250) in Tennessee."

Most of these offer the standard heart-pounding experiences like skydiving and white water rafting and hot air balloon rides and car racing, etc.  I'd like to see them begin offering more experiences where people can live a different life for a day or a week -- the kind of life they thought they might have when they were young and starry-eyed, before reality got in the way. 

For all of those people who thought they wanted to be a dancer when they grew up, the Rockettes offer "The Rockette Experience", a 3-hour workshop taught by a Rockette in the Rockette rehearsal hall.  Participants learn choreography from the Rockette repertoire, including the legendary kick line.  I think my leg just might fly right off if I tried to kick as high as my shoulder, so this would decidedly not be the experience I'm looking for.  Truth be told, when I was little I was convinced I'd either be Miss America or the first female pro football player in the NFL.  No lie. 

Tag: experientialmarketing

Frosty the Barman

We all know how a lot of corporate-themed events and experiences turn out fairly cheesy and silly.  So I was a little skeptical when I read about the Absolut Ice Bar in London in the November 28 issue of Fortune magazine. 

"Since it opened Oct. 1, London's Absolut Ice Bar has been drawing locals and tourists alike to the 23 degree lair [-5 C for you international readers], where the walls are lined with ice blocks from Sweden's Torne river and drinks are served in ice glasses.  But don't worry about bundling up -- patrons are given silver coats and black gloves a the door.  The effect of everyone clad in the same cloak is oddly democratic, and inside the frosty bar the mood was warmer than most hip London night spots."

Some reviewers have found it a little frustrating -- apparently there have been long waits.  But others have praised the concept and the experience.  As blogger Cherryl Aldave wrote, "there's nothing worse than being drunk and hot ... puke fest waiting to happen."  I guess she has a point. 

I haven't been there, but I do like the various ideas that have been woven in, like offering everyone special coats and gloves.  And from what I can tell from the pics I've seen, it's not plastered with Absolut logos other than one over the bar.  That's the best idea of all.

Tag: experientialmarketing

Mo' Money, Mo' Problems: Bryant Park

Isn't it funny how we always think getting more money will make our lives better?  Sometimes it does, of course, but there are always strings attached. 

Today's New York Times article by Timothy Williams -- "In Manhattan Park's Rebirth, Unease at Corporate Presence" -- describes how people living near Bryant Park are getting a little annoyed with the corporate-sponsored events going on in the park seemingly all of the time.  When the park went from being publicly-funded to being managed by the private Bryant Park Restoration Corporation, the park improved immensely.  It was truly revitalized and is now a very popular spot.  But that revitalization has come about partially because of the user fees collected by corporations now holding commercial events in the park.  And quite a bunch of events it is:

"In the past few months, Bryant Park, behind the New York Public Library, has played host to Fashion Week, sponsored by Olympus; summer movies underwritten by HBO; a concert series put on by ABC; and a book fair supported by The New York Times.  Much of the eight-acre park is currently occupied by a privately operated holiday market and by an ice-skating rink sponsored by Citi." 

Last week, Community Board 5, which represents the Byrant Park area, sent a letter to the NYC Parks Department criticizing the number of events being held as well as the lack of inclusion of neighborhood members in the decision-making process.   It seems that " ... a major concern has come with the [park's] transformation:  that the park is operated in such a businesslike fashion that it barely seems like a public space anymore."

Interesting.  I'm sure area residents have been mighty grateful for the revitalization, as are all New Yorkers.  I wonder, though, what consideration these corporations give to the surrounding area in terms of trying to work closely with groups like Community Board 5.  Having worked on sponsored events many times, I can attest that you spend so much time making sure you get tons of mileage from what you've paid for through signage, PR, attendance and more that you sometimes forget about anyone else's concerns.  Should there be a limit to the number of events held throughout the year, or a limit to the numer of days an event is held, or a limit to the amount of space taken up by an event?  Or is this the price of having a nice park? 

Tag: marketing

Engagement Marketing

I didn't name my company Engage Consulting for nothing. Check out this link. The presentation reinforces what Decent Marketers already know: Marketing Communications Future: The Twilight Of Interruption, The Dawn Of Engagement Marketing - Robin Good's Latest News.

Thanks to Johnnie Moore for the heads up.

Tag: marketing