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Advertising/PR   URGENT - Need Help Fast!  
 
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Wow Factor Giveaways
Posted By: plain ole me* on 3/21/2007 1:16 PM (CST) 400 Points
My client - a large life insurance provider is about to launch a new advertising campaign. They would like to start the campaign with a highly impactful PR slant. The advertising campaign focal points revolves around "YOU" i.e. the client so I'm looking for ideas to tie into this concept.

I remember reading about a company in London which gave away umbrellas with the newspaper - it was a particularly rainy day and for miles you would see these branded umbrellas crowding the streets of London. I'd really like to do something as impactful with an appropriate giveaway.

Any ideas guys.....you're my last hope. I know the creative brilliance in this forum won't let me down :-)
Write me back if you have any questions. Thanks in advance for the assistance!!!

Posted by: PetePallett Accepted Answer
3/21/2007 1:31 PM (CST)
Hi, attala.

Great idea, those umbrellas. While the overall promotional cost may be prohibitive for your client, you could use their strategy of using the weather to drive acceptance of the giveaway item. Prepare baseball caps imprinted with the headline "I'm covered" and your client's logo. Target your giveaway day during a stretch of rainy weather, then station your promotional team at a major mass transit junction point to give away the hats, which could have a mini-brochure tucked into the inner brim. Or run a promotion with a ball team (with an outdoor stadium of course) and have a hat day.

Good luck!
Pete
 
Posted by: outoftowner* Accepted Answer
3/21/2007 1:44 PM (CST)
I work in the insurance and financial services industry, too. I'm the marketing director for a financial planner.

One word of caution. Depending on the state in which you're doing business, there may be limitations on what you can give away. Make sure that whatever you decide to give is within the compliance guidelines of the company and the state insurance regulators.

If you are not in compliance with the local laws you could set your client up for some major fines, license suspensions, etc. Probably not on the first occurance, but subsequent occurances can have heavy fines and worse.

I say this not to discourage you, but to make sure that you cross all the "t's". Believe me, I know how major a headache compliance is from personal experience, but making sure that you are within the confines of local regulators is well worth the trouble.

I'm in Michigan and the limit is $5 for promotional items. I am not exaggerating. It is a pain in the rear. Check with his home office for their regs and compliance info. While he may it's not a biggie (which my boss says regularly), don't trust to his interpretation of compliance. Get it straight from the powers that be in the company he represents.

If he is an independent agent, go to the state insurance regulators and ask for their guidelines. Part of doing his PR is to help him generate good PR not bad by getting into trouble. In MI consumers can look up the agents and agencies to see if he/she/they have had any complaints by clients or discipline by the state.

If you're dealing with the home office of an insurance provider, ignore me. They know what they're doing. And I will shut up.
 
Posted by: plain ole me* Author Response
3/21/2007 1:57 PM (CST)
Thanks marketingdiva for the advice. I will keep in mind for future reference.

However for this promotion I am dealing with head office. Also this promotion is based in the caribbean so we have a bit more flexibility. :-)
 
Posted by: outoftowner* Member Response
3/21/2007 2:01 PM (CST)
Lucky You!! I wish I had that much flexibility!
 
Posted by: KathySmithFilms* Member Response
3/21/2007 2:14 PM (CST)
Hi attala,

The above is great advise. Along with the hats which positions well with coverage, book bags with your logo and a catchy YOU tag in your logo colors can be a hit for the Caribbean as travellers need something to carry their souveniers in. Plus your brochures and sign up forms come inside (include a pen and a way to reach you) making you PR convenient and stylish.
Kathy
 
Posted by: Krism* Member Response
3/21/2007 2:14 PM (CST)
Here's a great one….
Hire a large crew.... Say 250 high school or college students in exchange for a donation made to their local school... Perhaps a school marching band or two.
You provide them with nothing but black shirts with your URL or product name on the BACK of the shirt with a message like “LISTEN” on the FRONT of the shirts, and black sunglasses.
You ask them also dress in black pants and white or black shoes or sneakers. The goal here is to call focus to the words on the shirt.
You ask them to walk a busy city street or two in formation (something a band knows how to do VERY well) in the city in which you plan to launch (for more impact and more PR apply this same plan at the exact same time simultaneously in other major launch cities like: Chicago, NY, LA, San Francisco and Atlanta.
When students are walking ask them to whisper messages as they walk past people… the whisper should be something like… your company URL, product name, product/service benefit, one or two words are best like… “Save Money”, or event the word “You”.
to make this even more powerful rent all black buses with the URL or product name on the outside of the bus. Have the students transported to and from the event location on these buses. Make sure that the students don’t chitchat – you want them only whispering your message. Make the walk only 30 – 45 minutes long.
Put squad leaders in charge to make sure that everyone is doing their job.
You’ll get amazing PR and be recognized for your donation to local schools…. It will be picked up on all the local and national news feeds and local television.

One word of advice. Make sure you get the appropriate city permits for this – You may not even need them, but cover yourself by checking into it.

Cheers! Kris - Event Avenue, Taking Business to New Levels!
 
Posted by: Krism* Member Response
3/21/2007 2:23 PM (CST)
By the way - you should have them walk on the sidewalk - not on the street, but you might know this :-) I forgot to include that in my posting. Cheers!
 
Posted by: outoftowner* Member Response
3/21/2007 2:26 PM (CST)
Ok, I've blown all my credibility answering a big city PR person from the point of view of a small town marketing person. :) Indulge me and I'll give you an idea minus the unnecessary pointers. Here's a thought.

If you're doing this in the Caribbean, I assume that a beach related promo isn't out of the realm of possibility. How about a few(or many) attendants at a busy beach handing out beach towels and sunscreen or, going with the "umbrella" theme, a beach cabana/umbrella with the logo? Perhaps you could even get the sunscreen packaged to include the logo. A "compliments of..." type deal. Everyone forgets the sunscreen at least once.

I know that may be too tourist oriented and I don't know who the target market is. But if they want to avoid the tourists, usually there are places that the locals go to hang out that the tourists miss.

But if they don't mind hitting the tourists, the towel, sunscreen and/or the umbrella could potentially end up traveling all over the world. Ups the number of views just like the London campaign.

Like I said, it's just a thought and I wanted to make up for giving you stupid advice the first time. :) Although whether this is any better is debatable.
 
Posted by: plain ole me* Author Response
3/21/2007 2:36 PM (CST)
marketingdiva......no advice is EVER stupid :-)

thank you all for the suggestions so far...they are great...keep them coming ....
 
Posted by: PetePallett Accepted Answer
3/21/2007 2:37 PM (CST)
marketingdiva, you're onto something here. Say the theme is "You're covered." or "I'm covered." Now, think teams of young people roaming the beach with complimentary spray-on sunscreen. Beach umbrellas are great, too, as you say....any beach or holiday implement that implies "protection or coverage".

Good thinking, marketingdiva!

Pete
 
Posted by: Krism* Member Response
3/21/2007 2:40 PM (CST)
Missed that this was in the Caribbean... let me ask a coiuple of questions... Is this a product something that is used throughout the US or is this something unique only to those in the Caribbean OR is this a lanuch that they want to share amongst a sales team retreat and then at the same time the company thought it would be a great idea to launch the advertising campaign while they are there?

If this is being launched to those who could benefit from it in the Caribbean only then you need to make certain that you are reaching the "right" market there.

If it's to launch it during a sales meeting in the location in which the meeting is taking place to get the sales staff or company excited about the launch I think I would try to convince the power that be that they should extend their launch on locations that would get them move visibility.

Cheers! Kris
 
Posted by: outoftowner* Member Response
3/21/2007 3:12 PM (CST)
Hey Pete,

Love the teams of kids doing that! Then hand them a towel!

Ooh wait, how about a big, over sized, cover-up instead of a towel? Spray them with the sunscreen, hand them a cover-up and say the "now you're covered" line. The cover-up could have the teaser "I'm covered" and a logo somewhere, doesn't even have to be a big logo. The teaser will generate the buzz hopefully.

And Kris has some good points. Are we talking the market you're looking for?

And a sales meeting tie-in is would be awesome. Believe me, insurance people love all the branded promo stuff. With some of the companies it's like a huge frat/sorority/cult. We're all one big happy family, we are the best, blah blah blah (gets a little like an amway convention).

Ok, I'll shut up now. Just got geeked because someone could actually do something exciting in insurance without the compliance crap.

Ciao!
 
Posted by: Phoenix ONE Member Response
3/21/2007 5:29 PM (CST)
Let me provide a little different perspective:

I assume you are looking for a campaign in the Caribbean geared to people living there NOT the tourists. Not many locals simply hang out at the beach! In fact, few go to the beach and lay around, they may also view the tourist walking around with all this cute tanning spray, beach towels, etc as a little insulting and you may get a little cross fire advertising- this is never good.

The company in London was probably London based selling to people in the UK - not giving the umbrellas to Foreigners walking around Buckingham!

The promotion if I understand correctly is an insurance promo for people leaving there - not the visitors.

Therefore you need a cultural promotion to people living in the Caribbean - go to the local banks, shopping malls and provide promotional items there. Use some of the typical banner signs around town http://www.visibilitysolutions.com/ - this will give the locals their own feeling of your brand
Next work a few promos at the local gas stations during the busy times with items that they will use in their daily routine - they do not need to be expensive---key chains, pens etc----have the people handing them out have tee shirts and hats with your brand and a good tag line ----geared to the target audience and product.

Get a white van and put some magnetic signs and drive it all over town in visible stops----moving billboard.

Go down to the local marinas-----they are some of the hottest spots for locals and pass out promos to the boat owners

Sponsor a night time event at a local disco where the locals go ---call it show us your best {{{whatever}}night and win prizes---get the local radios to cover it.

Also if costs and codes allow - put a banner on a plane and fly it all over town.

Do this ALL at the same time (as costs permit) for a few days and you will be the buzz.....do as much as you can but launch it to the local population over a few days of blasts and you will be the first name they think when they think insurance -----in fact there is your tag line!

Good Luck & Happy Marketiing ~ Bill
 
Posted by: Steve Hoffacker Accepted Answer
3/21/2007 6:11 PM (CST)
Hi attala,

Is your advertising/promotion geared toward branding your company or a particular product that you're rolling out? It may not matter if the product is synonymous with your company, but if the product is the important part, your promotion needs to be sensitive to how people will remember your product and eventually desire to invest in it.

As a promotion - regardless of whether it's product or company driven - a sand sculpting or sand castle competition could be held - possibly with several divisions from invited professionals to local artists to anyone who wants to try their hand at it. Offer some serious prize money to gain the press coverage. A tie-in would be that everyone is important: while each person (client) is as varied as the individual grains of sand, each is important in the overall picture and makes an important contribution.

Steve
 
Posted by: Jeff K. Accepted Answer
3/22/2007 11:06 AM (CST)
I remember about 10 years ago, in So. California, a company had a sand mold with their logo on it. In the morning, after the beach patrol ran their tractors over the beach combing the trash, the company had people with the molds "press the sand". On a single beach, there were thousands of their logos all around. It received tv and newspaper coverage. Thought it was an interesting concept...
 
Posted by: plain ole me* Author Response
3/22/2007 11:31 AM (CST)
Hey everybody:

Thanks so much for all the info and suggestions, its really good stuff!!! To clarify for a few - the promotion is based in the Caribbean for an indigenous Caribbean Insurance provider, mostly geared towards locals but also towards foreigners. The Company not only handles life insurance but a variety of financial service products such as investment etc so this is where marketing or at least creating a presence amongst foreigners would come in.
Ideally I'd like to try and promote both the campaign element (YOU) as well as the corporate entity without compromising either.
 
Posted by: Steve Hoffacker Accepted Answer
3/22/2007 8:34 PM (CST)
attala,

I still like the sand sculpting or sand castle competition ideas that I already gave you, but here's another. Have an (Easter) egg hunt on the beach. Of course it would be after Easter but do it along the same lines. The tie-in: your client's nest egg. Hide eggs - multi-colored, logo emblazoned, silver ones, gold ones, or whatever. Have some be worth an immediate cash value, have some redeemable for merchandise, have the collection of the most in a certain time period win other prizes. Have categories by age or occupation. This could be a real PR event and real fun!

Steve
 


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