A Promotion of Operatic Proportions

An article in today's NY Times spoke of a promotion run by their opera company that sells 200 prime seats to every weeknight performance for just $20 each. The idea to appeal to those who might be interested in attending the opera by lowering the cost to attend, thereby lessening the risk of trying something new.

From the article...
Last week, the opera house announced that it would sell 200 seats for every weeknight performance for just $20 each. Tickets for these seats, which would normally sell for $100, go on sale two hours before curtain time. On Tuesday, the day of the announcement, 160 tickets were sold in 20 minutes. The remaining 40 were sold out by 7:10 p.m.

Next door at Lincoln Center, the New York City Opera is in its second season of “Opera-for-All,” selling every seat in the house for $25 on eight evenings over the course of the season. Then there is City Center, where the third season of the Fall for Dance festival, with all tickets priced at $10, concluded Sunday. And the Off Broadway Signature Theater Company, which specializes in American playwrights, is selling every seat at $15 during the eight-week scheduled run of each show through the spring.

This could be a very effective promotion for any of our local theater companies -- Broadway Series, BalletMet, Catco, etc.

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VBRs & HALF-BAKED:

• Catco has an $11.50 @ 11 program theatre-goers who want to see a play mid-week (Wednesday) and mid-day (11 am) at a great price ($11.50).
  
• Use our Keyword (MixWord/FanWord) programs to tag the end of commercial spots and link site visitors to a promotional where they can buy the event tickets for $9.71 or $14.60 (depending on the station). This offers not just a great deal to the listener, but an excellent way to track performance of the on-air offer.
  
• Why not sell 50 tickets at half price, rather than giving away 10 for free?
  
• Tie event advertisers into the Mix Marketplace -- instead of giving away tickets on the air, sell them for a fraction of their face value thru the 50% off site. The promotional mentions connected to the Mix Marketplace package most likely totals much more than they would have received via live contest mentions.
  
• I know, I know -- you're saying "but the client WANTS on-air contesting!" My response is to say the want RESULTS, they just think the on-air contest is the way to get them.
  
• Too often, things are valued by want you pay for them. Giving away free tickets via contesting costs people nothing to receive the prize. Do you really think the station's "prize pigs" -- those 5 or 6 people who seem to win EVERYTHING (and frequently have NO idea what they won when they call in) -- are going to use the tickets? A lot of people simply don't bother to enter contests because they have the attitude of "oh, I never win those things." BUT, offering an excellent value to those listeners who truly want to take advantage of the ofer will go much further in delivering those the results our clients are seeking.

Whirlpool Spins Love & Laundry Social Events

See the linked article for details, but here's the gist of it...

Whirlpool is taking its laundry appliances to the social scene by hosting Spin Cycle events that will give singles a chance to meet, mingle and have some good clean fun while playing laundry-themed games that can earn them Whirlpool prizes.

The first of four Whirlpool Spin Cycle event loads up in Atlanta on Sept. 7 at the brand's Insperience Studio, a showroom featuring Whirlpool appliances. Others will hit restaurants, lounges and unique locations in Minneapolis and Charlotte, NC, before the cycle ends on Oct. 9 in Dallas.

Whirlpool hopes to connect singles to its brand through social events. Relationship expert Dr. Pepper Schwartz who penned the relationship guide Finding Your Perfect Match will host each singles mixers event. Playing off of the age-old, romanticized notion of people finding their match at the Laundromat, each Spin Cycle will feature laundry-related games. For instance, Find Your Sole Mate matches couples based on socks, and a Laundry Olympics tests who can perform timed chores the fastest, such as folding bed sheets blindfolded. Winners receive Whirlpool Fabric Fresheners and copies of Finding Your Perfect Match.

Throughout the evening, consumers will get to tinker with the brand's new suite of appliances aimed to fit their lifestyles; whether a bachelor doing mini-loads in a city apartment (Duet Sport system) or a family doing several loads of laundry each day (Cabrio system).

Each event is geared toward reaching second-time singles (divorcees) and singles over 30 because of their level of disposable income, Whirlpool said.

Whirlpool paired with relationship Web site Perfectmatch.com to draw Perfectmatch.com's relationship-minded members to the event in each region. E-mail blasts were sent to the Web site's members, and some event-goers will receive a free Perfectmatch.com membership.

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VBRs & HALF-BAKED:

• A chance to create "It's Just Laundry"?
• Involve 'big box' retailers?
• What about the local 'suds & duds' type places?
• I've seen a internet cafe / laundromat combination...
• Whirlpool's focus on 'second-time singles' and 30+ singles match well with Mix audience

Jeep to Muddy Up Consumers at State Fair

Consumers desperately searching through a three-foot-deep pool of slushy, slippery mud to find sticks may drive home a new Jeep. It's the brand's latest stunt to engage consumers and get them digging for a chance to win the grand prize.

On Sept. 29, the start of the State Fair of Texas, up to 120 randomly selected consumers who register at JeepStickInTheMudChallenge.com will participate in the Jeep Stick in the Mud Challenge to win the brand's first four-door Jeep Wrangler.
As reported in PromoXtra By Andrew Scott

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VBRs & HALF-BAKED:

• Columbus has very active/passionate Classic Car content
• Concept for presence at Ohio State Fair? Tailgate?
• Doesn't have to be 'muddy' -- what about Hummers? Lambos? VW?
• Keep economy cars running around a track to see who gets the best gas mileage?
• Could you do it with motorcycles? Bicycles? Running shoes?

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