COORS LIGHT CONTEST

In recent years, Coors Light has promoted a contest offering free football playoff and superbowl tickets to the public. They did this to moderate success, but it cost about $70,000 to run the contest, and it did not generate the enthusiasm or response they wanted. Simply put, their decision to use radio and other broadcast media exclusively was expensive and ineffective. They wanted more bang and less buck for their marketing. They turned to Your Target Marketing.

YTM considered the problem and took action. Instead of focusing on radio broadcasting for the 18 week program, we decided to dial that back. Yes, we still used some radio, but only at a fraction of the earlier cost and earlier amount of air time. Instead, we targeted our prospects and turned largely to New Media. We focused on hosting preliminary events at bars and taverns in New Jersey, we selected three or four sites each week. We reached out to prospects with text messages, coupons, contest information, and special deals. Each weekly event built upon the next, and over time, the energy and enthusiasm for the campaign dwarfed Coors Light’s earlier campaigns.

As time went by, we arranged to have photographers and videographers on site, had preliminary drawings for playoff games leading up to the superbowl, gave out Coors Light T-Shirts, and increased business not only for Coors Light, but also for area businesses. By the time the final drawing arrived, people who had attended earlier events flocked that Sunday to witness its conclusion. Attendance for the final drawing was triple that of any event from earlier years; Coors Light got media hits and press coverage; and we contacted and built a relationship for Coors Light with thousands of people. Not only was the outreach far more expansive than ever before, we did this at less than one third the cost of earlier campaigns.

How could this happen? It could happen because Coors Light was willing to consider new approached to an old problem. They were willing to change course and get off of a traditional and expensive marketing model that reached a disinterested population and try something new that targeted prospects interested in what they were offering. Most importantly, they were willing to work with a professional team at Your Target Marketing and let us help them bring the results they wanted but had failed to achieve in years past. And while there are a hundred more details to this story, the bottom line is that Your Target Marketing listened to our client; we looked at past results and knew we could better at a lower cost; and we implemented a creative plan. A plan that not only generated interest for a single event, but a plan that helped develop a database for Coors Light so they can continue building a relationship with their new clients for years into the future.

D'JAIS BAR AND GRILL

D’Jais Bar and Grill is a landmark on the Jersey shore. Located in Belmar, NJ, D’Jais is a favorite stop for locals from Monmouth County, and it attracts visitors from up and down the east coast and beyond. It has been in business for over 50 years, and it is a ‘must see’ when visiting the shore.

D’Jais is a seasonal business, and it operates roughly from Memorial Day to Labor to provide a comfortable, relaxing environment for beachgoers. It works hard all year long, however, to keep its brand fresh even during the down season. To that end, D’Jais recently contacted Your Target Marketing to develop a theme to look forward to the coming season. The solution: Partner with Harrah’s in Atlantic City and sponsor a “Half Way to Summer” event. Do this at “The Pool,” a nightclub at Harrah’s that typically draws about 1500 visitors on a Saturday evening, and develop a beach theme.

YTM went to work. We developed a low cost means to contact existing clients and reach out to prospects that wanted to hear about the event. We know they wanted to hear from us because they could easily opt out if they didn’t. This meant we were reaching a base of people that were already interested, and we were doing it in a fun, creative, and cost-effective way. We used tweets, phone applications, emails, and web content to invite and inform our audience. We engaged them directly, and highlighted a beach theme for the middle of winter.

The event was a remarkable success. On most winter Saturdays, Harrah’s attracts 1500 visitors to “the Pool.” On this Saturday, they had over 4000. Every room in the casino was filled, and the event captured the attention of local media and inspired lasting feelings of goodwill. Harrah’s is now a strong promoter for D’Jais; the visitors enjoyed a memorable event; and D’Jais brand is that much stronger along the Jersey shore and beyond. All this from looking at an old problem with a new set of eyes.