Hanes Wants Us All to Be "Passionately Pink"

For anyone who has ever wanted to create their own beautiful T-shirt design, Hanes provided their big chance. Through October 26, the top-selling, Michael Jordan-fronted T-shirt brand invited consumers to become "passionately pink" in the fight against breast cancer.

Original T-shirt designs that offered messages of hope, love and support were entered to win a weekly $100 Hanes gift card in mid-August. Twelve finalists' designs will be featured at www.hanespink.com between November 11 and November 25. The grand prize winner will be announced on December 7; the grand prize is a $250 gift card and a T-shirt with a screen print of the winning design.

Entrants were invited to use the Web site's graphics tools to create their own design. Each week the first 30 people who participated received a free shirt from actress Sarah Chalke, best known from the TV series Scrubs. (She got into the act by creating her own design, which was also for sale.)

The competition was created to launch Hanes' Pink Collection, as well as to raise awareness and support for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The Pink Collection line of bras, panties, socks and shirts was available at select stores and at www.hanespink.com.

Hanes announced earlier this year that it had donated a quarter of a million dollars to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. It became the official apparel sponsor of Passionately Pink for the Cure. Hanes will make a $5,000 donation in the shirt design winner's name to a local affiliate or the Susan G. Komen global headquarters.

Chalke said in a statement that she was excited to be "a part of an amazingly dedicated network. Awareness is the best prevention, and this program encourages people across the country to join the fight against breast cancer in a truly meaningful way."

Calling All Connors

If your name is Sarah Connor or John Connor, you were in luck on May 21. To celebrate the premiere of the movie Terminator Salvation, Pizza Hut offered a free salvation pizza, with one topping, to those with the same name as the movie's character. You just needed ID to prove it.

This was just one part of the pizza chain's massive tie-in with the highly-anticipated summer sequel. On April 6, it launched a sweepstakes at www.pizzahut.com, where one grand prize winner was given the chance to attend the official premiere after-party and take a behind-the-scenes tour of Warner Bros. Studios. And, through May 30, there were a variety of instant-win prizes given out.

The awards included branded T-shirts, logoed Xbox 360 consoles, the Terminator Salvation video game and other merchandise. One first-prize winner even received a replica of the T-600 Terminator.

"Fans strengthen their connection to their favorite movies by acquiring collectables, and as a part of our promotion with Terminator Salvation, we're giving fans the opportunity to win a once-in-a-lifetime collectible – a life-size replica of the Terminator robot from the film," says Bob Kraut, vice president of marketing communications for Pizza Hut. "Anything we can offer our customers that brings the experience of their favorite movies to life will always be a sought after prize."

The Web site also offered a sneak peek of exclusive footage from the film, the movie's trailer and downloadable wallpapers – available whether your name was Connor or not.

This One is a Real Cutie

Cuties, a cross between a sweet orange and a Chinese mandarin, knows that things can go ugly without the right marketing support. That's why when Cuties hit stores in November, it did so with a $7 million integrated marketing plan that included ads, promotions and events that positioned its product as a healthy snack option, especially for children, in a fun, playful way.

Print ads read "Root for the fruit" and show a healthy Cuties mandarin orange chasing away a slice of pizza. T-shirts bearing the ad were also created, as were branded adhesive bandages, custom ice packs that say "Cuties. They're so cool," temporary tattoos and iPod covers that say "Root for the li'l guy."

These items were distributed at American Youth Soccer Organization games, Radio Disney events and other kid-friendly happenings. Members of the press also received these items, as well as Cuties branded lip balm, shoelaces and a USB port shaped like a business card. And, more than 3.5 million first through fifth grade students were exposed to the brand through custom-designed lesson plans, book covers and reward stickers.

As the rollout of the product continues through May (when mandarin orange season ends), other promotions including a Valentine's Day effort will hit markets.

"Cuties are a fast-growing citrus brand," says Dominic Engels, vice president of marketing for Cuties, in a statement. "Increasing our marketing support throughout the season will continue to grow the category, especially in today's market where we know consumers are looking for quality, health benefits and convenience."

Dickies Honors the American Worker

America hasn't exactly had a strong run of late when it comes to its workers. Many are struggling to make ends meet; others are fighting for their jobs. Dickies, the brand that outfits many of our hardest workers (as well as some hipsters), decided to honor the hard working men and women who give it their all each and every day.

Through the summer months, beginning June 1, consumers were invited to name themselves the hardest worker in the country. Entrants were given the chance to win a grand prize of $1 million and VIP trip tickets to the Dickies 500 race at the Texas Motor Speedway.

The "Dickies American Worker of the Year" sweepstakes honored farmers, builders, teachers, electrical lineman and other strong-willed workers. Six regional finalists were selected. Each received a prize package including a trip for two to the American Bull Riders World Finals in Las Vegas.

Dickies, the "voice of the American worker," also awarded each with a new Yamaha Grizzly 450 4x4, a Dickies gift certificate and logoed bags and clothing.

Hal Hughes was named the winner. For his honest day's work, he received a new 2009 Ford F-150 with a B&W hitch, a Yamaha Rhino 700 FI 4x4 as well as the chance to win $1 million by picking the number of the Sprint Cup car that would win the Dickies 500.

Dickies rep Misty Otto says, "The American Worker of the Year contest really embodies what our company stands for - hard work and determination."

OrangeSoda Uses Promo Products to Make Things Pop

Small- and medium-size businesses have a lot of online marketing agencies from which to choose. Still, agency OrangeSoda feels it has the best search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click offerings. The problem is how to stand out from the pack. A strong brand name like OrangeSoda helps, but to really drive the point home they decided to give away, well, logoed orange soda cans and bottles to prospective clients, partners and investors.

They also distributed standard promotional giveaways like pens and note pads. But the actual soda works best because it ties directly back to the company’s overall branding and positioning., says Jay Bean, CEO and co-founder of OrangeSoda.

Bean says he didn’t lose a great deal of sleep over deciding which item would be best to use for his marketing efforts. “The choice to give away orange soda as a promotional item was actually pretty simple since it’s in our name. But, more than that, we wanted to give something away that’s nontraditional and would help us stand out like our product and services do.”

Well aware of the pun involved, he says, “It’s also a part of our culture and brand since we try to put some fizz into the online marketing we provide for thousands of clients.”

While many online agencies lean on the Web for their marketing efforts, OrangeSoda has proven its faith in offline tactics. It also runs local billboard ads in Utah that prod drivers to first ask, “What the heck is SEO?” and “What does OrangeSoda have to do with it?” When it comes to promotional products, apparently a lot.

Boru Takes Battle of the Bands Online

Anyone who has ever attended college has likely experienced at least one battle of the bands competition. The scene generally involves a few wannabe rock stars with semi-tuned instruments and loud amps. Boru Vodka, for the second year, decided to pay homage to these rockers via its online “Defend the Bar Band” competition.

Consumers were invited to visit www.borubarband.com and vote for their favorite bar band. A panel of judges spared viewers’ eyes and ears by selecting 14 semifinalists from among 800 applicants representing 47 states.

To generate interest, Boru brand ambassadors hit the bars hosting “Defend the Bar Band” nights. Patrons were spurred into competing in impromptu Guitar Hero competitions. For their hard work and hard rocking, they received promo kits containing posters, T-shirts, hats, tattoos, coasters, napkins and other items.

A band called The Loveblisters emerged victorious after voting had ended. The band received a professionally produced music video of their song Devotion as well as $10,000 in new equipment. The Castle Brands-owned Irish vodka also delivered the track to 650 radio stations using Yangaroo’s eNotes technology.

“This year’s Boru ‘Defend the Bar Band’ competition was extremely successful, with more than eight times the number of bands participating over last year’s number,” says D’Arcy King from C2 Creative, Castle Brands’ agency of record. “Fan involvement through online voting helped The Loveblisters, capture the top spot in the competition and claim the title of the most passionate and authentic bar band.”

Thanks to the success of the campaign, Boru is looking to vastly expand the competition in 2009 in hopes of finding the next The Loveblisters.

A Month’s Worth Of Creative Dates For Innovative Marketing February 2009

February 20th is MardiGras

• Send your salesforce out with logoed boxes of doughnuts to leave with clients on this day that's also known as Fat Tuesday or Doughnut Day
• Create a promotion that delivers all the beads and trappings of MardiGras and ties in the carnival atmosphere. Make a connection to how the carnival atmosphere seems great on MardiGras, but when they wake up to the sobering reality of the next day your business, product or service is what will carry them over long haul.

Some other designations for February that you might be interested in are:

• American Heart Month
• National Pet Dental Health Month
• National African American History Month
• National Cherry Month
• February 1st: Women's Heart Health Day
• February 1st: Super Bowl
• February 2nd: Ground Hog Day
• February 4th - 10th: National Consumer Protection Week
• February 5th: Mexico: Constitution Day
• February 5th: Mardi Gras
• February 6th: Ash Wednesday
• February 7th: Wave All Your Fingers At Your Neighbors Day
• February 8th - 19: Florida State Fair
• February 8th: Boy Scout Day
• February 9th: Corvette Day
• February 10th: Pro Sports Wives Day
• February 11th: White Shirt Day
• February 11th - 17th: Jell-O(R) Week
• February 12th: Darwin Day
• February 13th: Get A New Name day
• February 14th: Valentine's day
• February 15th: Flag Day (Canada)
• February 15th: Susan B Anthony Day
• February 16th: Family Day (Canada)
• February 16th: Crown Royal International Race Of Champions
• February 16th: Louis Riel Day (Canada)
• February 17th: Daytona 500
• February 17th: My Way Day
• February 18th: Chinese New Year
• February 18th: President's Day
• February 19th: Chocolate Mint Day
• February 21st: International Mother Language Day
• February 23rd: Anniversary: Iwo Jima Day
• February 24th: Mardi Gras
• February 25th: Ash Wednesday
• February 26th: For Pete's Sake Day
• February 27th: Spay Day USA
• February 28th: National Chili Day

Video Store Promo Puts Excitement in the Air

Making a storefront stand out from all the others in the same strip mall isn't easy to do – or is it? John Pflughoft, owner of Jodati Inc., dba Blockbuster, distinguishes his video stores with SkyDancers – "dancing" inflatables featuring a fan inside that continually pumps air through their bodies, making them sway, bend and "dance."

SkyDancers are typically 20-plus feet in height, come in the shape of either characters or straight tubes and can be imprinted with custom logos or messages. "We custom-ordered ours in colors to match our corporate logo," Pflughoft says, "so in addition to driving customers through our doors, these inflatables also support brand awareness."

Pflughoft is using the SkyDancers at two stores and is convinced they're driving traffic to both locations. "We noticed a near instant response to our use of dancing inflatables, as they really help a business to stand out amongst the many," he says.

In fact, he was so happy with the results that he has recommended SkyDancers on a Web site for Blockbuster franchise owners, plus two other stores had put up inflatables on his recommendation.

A Sharp Approach to Baseball

There's a pretty good chance that if you went to a Major League Baseball game this year after the All-Star break, you were exposed to a Sharp Aquos high-definition television. Sharp Electronics, which spent its second year as the official HDTV of MLB, ran a complete lineup of fan activities and promotions throughout the second half-season. Much like the Philadelphia Phillies, Sharp ended the season with a serious playoff push. "The Sharp Aquos Instant Replay Roadshow" appeared at every postseason game. The effort, which debuted during the All-Star Game, allows consumers to be the umpire by watching replays on Aquos displays to make the call on controversial plays. "The Sharp Aquos Experience Mobile Tour," meanwhile, used a 53-foot double-expanded trailer to create the ultimate showcase for its products at postseason games. "At all of our activation points, Sharp gives away promotional items emblazoned with a specially designed logo that features both of our brands and the MLB silhouetted batter," says Judah Zeigler, associate vice president for the retail and marketing group at Sharp.

At the in-stadium kiosks during the post-season, Sharp gave away branded cinch sacks, soft baseballs and playing cards. "Because we give away items that can be used over and over, like the cinch sack and playing cards, we're able to keep Sharp's association with MLB in the mind of the consumer, not just at the point at which they're interacting with our brand at a special event, but for days, weeks or even months afterwards," says Zeigler. More than 5,500 retailers participated in MLB-themed Sharp promotions.

The Athlete's Foot Gives Its Brand a Kick

Hoping to add a little spring to its step, The Athlete's Foot began a rebranding effort earlier this year. The venerable athletic shoe and sportswear retailer has opted to move away from its name (which is also an itchy fungus) and toward the acronym, "TAF." To help consumers become familiar with its altered name and new logo, the company offered a free drawstring backpack as a gift-with-purchase during the back-to-school shopping season. Consumers who spent more than $75 received one of 11,000 free backpacks. "If the branded item makes sense to the overall strategy, then it can help build a brand," says Darius Billings, director of retail brand marketing and merchandising for NexCen Franchise Management, parent company to The Athlete's Foot. "For TAF, we have committed to a strategy of serving the everyday athletes of the world – the student athletes, the before-breakfast athletes, the after-work athletes and the weekend athletes. To do this, we need the TAF brand to speak their language and live in their world. A TAF coffee mug isn't necessarily going to do this, but the drawstring bag can, because it is an important element of the everyday athlete." It was a perfect fit because it jives with TAF customers' athletic routines, says Billings. "For the student athlete, it's their second bag, the first being their book bag," he says. "The drawstring bag is something that travels with them to practice, to competitions and to games. For after-work athletes, it replaces the briefcases at 5 p.m. And so the brand, which aims to serve the everyday athlete, is also a part of the everyday athlete's life." The bag helps the brand raise awareness in an organic way. A simple gift-with-purchase "may not seem like much, but next time you're near a weekend soccer tournament, a 10K run, or a pickup basketball game, look around." Billings says. "The drawstring bag is everywhere. It only makes sense that TAF should be a part of that space."

Chiquita's Fresh Idea

We all know it's good to eat our fruits and vegetables. Now, Chiquita Brands is trying to make it even better. Consumers who purchase Chiquita and Fresh Express fruits and vegetables can earn "Fresh Funds." This "Healthy Rewards for Healthy Living" consumer loyalty program, launched in September, presents consumers with points redeemable for a host of prizes.

Fresh Funds participants can redeem their points for a branded tote bag or free Chiquita or Fresh Express products. They can also use their points to participate in auctions, for items like a Cannondale bicycle, as well as make donations to charities.

Chiquita hopes the program, will help its products stand out in the produce aisle. It also expects Fresh Funds to increase frequency of purchases as well as promote awareness. "This program fits the direction we're headed as a consumer-focused company," says Bryan Brown, corporate communications director for Chiquita Fresh Express. "It connects with our Chiquita and Fresh Express brands, and just as important, it attracts consumers to the produce aisle and encourages a healthy lifestyle habit of eating fresh fruits and vegetables."

Chiquita Brands, a $4 billion company, is using direct mailers and in-store displays as well as an online push to get the word out. Leading up to the launch of Freshfunds.com, the company launched an online teaser campaign. Six viral videos drew 400,000 views of the site. It also leveraged Facebook and MySpace to get social with consumers.

Grey Goose Invites Music Fans into the Den

Grey Goose vodka has taken the spirits category by storm with its award-winning taste and eye popping price tag. On January 13, it began reaching out to new fans with its Live from the Artist's Den series of one-hour concert specials. The underground concert series, which will show emerging artists in extraordinary settings, airs on Ovation TV.

While the brand will offer logoed handouts and items with gift bags at the events, one thing it will not offer is CDs. The tracks will instead be available for purchase at iTunes. Grey Goose is very picky about where its logo is placed and would not reveal what items would appear at the events – you just have to be lucky enough to be in attendance.

Especially considering the line up which includes: Ben Harper on a 700-acre farm in Tennessee; Fountains of Wayne on a 100-year-old ship at New York's South Street seaport; and The Swell Season at the Good Shepherd Center Chapel in Seattle.

"Presenting ‘The Artist's Den' is a unique and innovative way for Grey Goose Entertainment to establish a relationship with a new audience that it does not otherwise reach through original paid advertising," says a spokesperson for Grey Goose Entertainment, New York. "It also supports the fact that Grey Goose is dedicated to producing original and unique content for television, music and film."

Grey Goose also produces the series Iconoclasts for the Sundance channel where it brings together to two leading innovators from different fields to discuss their creative process.

Getting to Know the Gecko

To paraphrase the ever-charming Gecko in the Geico radio ads: "who doesn't like a friend that gives you things?" Kids visiting the San Diego Zoo recently got the message. A costumed Gecko was on hand handing out finger puppets and figurines as part of the leading insurance provider's partnership with The Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The Geico Gecko Exhibit features the real Madagascar day geckos and the not-so real mascot. The tour and exhibit will continue nationwide for three years at AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums. At each stop, Geico will make a contribution to wildlife conservation. It will also be the lead sponsor for AZA's Earth Day "Party for the Planet" on April 22nd.

"We wanted to use the power of the Geico Gecko to support a worthy cause," says Rynthia Rost, vice president of public affairs for Geico, Washington, D.C. "Zoos and aquariums are important cultural and educational resources in the communities Geico serves. Now, our Gecko can help people save money on car insurance and help zoos and aquariums save wildlife."

The tour is expected to reach 157 million consumers. It's being supported by a series of animated commercials starring the mascot interacting with other zoo animals. One shows him attempting to speak to a jellyfish. He says, "I'll be honest here, it's very hard to talk with you, I mean where exactly is your face?" Another features the gecko talking to an otter. Unfortunately, for the mascot known for giving, the otter refuses to share his clams. No word on whether the Geico cavemen will begin popping up at natural history museums.

NYSC Gives Grand Central a Spin

Seeing 1,800 people in New York's Grand Central Station at any given time is no big deal. Seeing them all sweating it out on stationary bicycles, however, is quite unusual. But that's what happened between January 18 and 19 during a 24-hour spin-a-thon called "Saints and Spinners." The event was co-sponsored by New York Sports Club (NYSC) and Snapple.

Participants pedaled their stationary bikes to raise money – $250,000 – for Health Corps, an organization dedicated to fighting teen obesity. It also promoted the fact that the health club chain offers a variety of exercise options, including 1,000 spin classes a week.

"What made ‘Saints and Spinners' successful is showcasing the fun and energy of our fitness program in an iconic and high-trafficked area like Grand Central when resolutions are on everyone's mind," says Merrill Richmond, vice president of marketing for NYSC. "It was a sure-fire formula for success."

Each participant received a logoed T-shirt commemorating the event, which helped set not one, but two, Guinness Book of World Record marks. Cadence Cycling team set the record for most miles traveled on a single stationary bike in 24 hours – 829.84 miles. And, the new world distance record of 40.6 miles was set by Holden Comeau, one of its members.

The event was such a success that "Saints and Spinners" will repeat next year in Grand Central Station's Vanderbilt Hall. "There are still some logistical things to be worked out," says a NYSC rep. "If enthusiasm and interest were the only deciders, it would be a done deal."

Pepsi Unleashes Monster of a Promotion

If you were in Times Square in January or at the Super Bowl in February, you very well may have seen a 60-foot monster. The Pepsi Stuff Gift Monster to be exact. The 60-foot inflatable monster helped kick off Pepsi's year-long PepsiStuff.com attack campaign.

This year, the number-two cola giant decided to take its loyalty program out of cold storage and march it out with renewed force. Consumers purchasing specially marked Pepsi products can bank their points at PepsiStuff.com and redeem them for prizes ranging from logoed apparel to electronics to Amazon MP3 downloads.

"The Pepsi Stuff Gift Monster really ties into the overall theme of our promotion," says Bill Wyman, senior marketing manager of brand activation for Pepsi-Cola North America. "As we were thinking about how to show people the scale and size of the program, we kept coming back to ‘this program is really a monster.'"

The Gift Monster announced this new PepsiStuff.com promotion in a big way at the Super Bowl. Accompanying him were Pepsi Stuff crew members who distributed thousands of points to passersby.

Following the Super Bowl, Pepsi ran a television commercial featuring a computer-animated version of the monster made of branded hats, shirts and other items. After making his way through a forest, he stands before a group of teens drinking Pepsi and gracefully places a Pepsi-logoed trucker hat on one guy. "Goodbye Mr. made-up-of-different-stuff-guy," says a young man as he departs. A voiceover says: "Every sip gets you close to clothing, vacations, MP3 downloads from Amazon and more."

Participants at PepsiStuff.com can also enter a daily sweepstakes to win a variety of prizes, including a trip to next year's Super Bowl, Major League Baseball games and the Daytona 500.

A Paul Bunyan-esque Promo

No, 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's web site 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 the national program director for the company that 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.