Sterling Promotions
Famous Names Boosting Wine & Spirits Sales, Nielsen Study Shows
Celebrity-driven alcohol beverage products- those branded with the name of, or directly associated with a famous individual- are gaining popularity in the U.S., according to The Nielsen Co.
Gaining marketing leverage from celebrities as diverse as film director Francis Ford Coppola, former NFL coach Mike Ditka, professional golfer Greg Norman and recent releases from Martha Stewart and Paul Newman, celebrity wines are on the rise. Celebrity wines are up 19% in grocery store sales since last year and represent 0.9% ($41.8 million) of total wine sales. Celebrity spirits sales show the same growth rate (19%) in grocery stores and represent 0.3% ($7.5 million) of the spirits category. In liquor stores, celebrity spirits are growing at an even faster rate.
Richard Hurst,Sr. V.P., Beverage Alcohol, The Nielsen Co. said, “While some celebrities have had a long-standing personal affinity for these product categories, others view these products as extensions of their ‘lifestyle brands’ and have connected with willing supplier partners to produce and market them. Some suppliers do not have the resources to launch big promotional campaigns and a celebrity can lend a brand instant recognition.”
Bank Of America Runs ‘America's Cheer’ Tour
Bank of America, the official bank sponsor of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, has launched America’s Cheer™, a new grassroots campaign that provides an opportunity for all Americans to cheer on the nation's athletes as they prepare to compete at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Anne Finucane, Chief Marketing Officer, Bank of America. said, “America’s Cheer creates opportunities for our customers to participate in the excitement of the Games and be a voice of support for America’s athletes.”
In addition to having an opportunity to meet a U.S. Olympian, visitors to the America’s Cheer™ mobile experience can participate in Olympic-themed activities, including: Cheer Capture Room, where visitors can record a cheer that will be shared with America’s Olympic athletes; Athlete Connection Kiosk, profiling U.S. Olympic Athletes, and The Wall of Cheer where visitors can write words of encouragement for U.S. Olympic athletes.
Pyramid Breweries Partners With Mariners For ‘08 Season
Pyramid Breweries has formed a new multi-year sponsorship deal with the Seattle Mariners to promote craft beer and baseball.
“Fans in the Northwest are passionate about two things: baseball and beer,” said Scott Barnum, CEO, Pyramid Breweries. “We’re looking forward to events throughout the baseball season that will give fans more opportunities to enjoy Pyramid beers as they root for our Mariners.”
Minute Maid Debuts Squeeze Play Area At Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola, recently introduced a new “Squeeze Play” area at Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX.
Among the experiences are two interactive baseball games provided by the virtual reality entertainment experts at Amusitronix: “Full Count,” a virtual pitching game, and "Swing Away," a home run derby competition.
The “Squeeze Play” area is open to all Houston Astros fans attending games during the baseball season.
Amusitronix (www.theVRguys.com), (Tel) 800-643-0589 is a special events and entertainment rental company specializing in virtual reality and interactive games.
Schwinn/Mongoose Bike Cone Display
The primary objective of this display was to create a brand statement for Schwinn and Mongoose and separate them from the other bikes at retail, specifically the bike department at Wal-Mart. They wanted an endcap display for different bikes for the whole family. Schwinn has brand equity associated with nostalgia and quality for families getting together and biking while Mongoose is a younger more aggressive brand, but still part of a family. The most important design feature is the presenting of the bicycles in a new way. This display presents bicycles on an angle and in the round. The bikes are easily taken off and returned. The large graphic header/banner forms the backdrop to the bike presentation. The Schwinn/Mongoose Bike Cone Display won a Gold OMA in the Sports Equipment Category and was created by Darko, Inc., 2026 Summit Commerce Park, Twinsburg, OH 44087.
Pepsi Stanley Cup Program
This program for Pepsi was entitled "Bring Home The Stanley Cup". It was a full scale launch of various pop materials including repositional cling vinyl, wobblers, shelf talkers, large full sized tent cards and headers. Each of the materials was litho printed on our 6 color Heidelberg press and then die cut finished. The pieces were kitted for nationwide distribution and then sent out all across the country. The printed pieces were placed throughout the on-premise areas wherever Pepsi products are found, including cooler doors (clings) and free standing product on skids (headers and tent cards) and on-shelf (shelf talkers). The Pepsi Stanley Cup Program was created by Proprint Services Inc., 562l Finch Avenue East, Unit 5, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M1B 2T9.
Canadian Tire/NASCAR Travel Exhibit
The Canadian Tire Corporation wanted to create awareness of and generate excitement for NASCAR Canadian Tire races with this exhibit. It features interactive displays and brand-relevant prizes/experiences and it was used to launch the inaugural year of NASCAR racing in Canada. Visitors get to hear NASCAR radio, play Sony Playstation games, have their picture taken and learn all about Canadian Tire's racing history. The exhibit spurred race ticket sales and increased traffic at participating stores. Two Fast-Tract Tour trailers will travel to all thirteen 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races. This exhibit was produced by Mobilexhibit Corporation, 160 Lesmill Road, Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5 Canada.
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