MILLER MOTORCYCLE MILESTONE
uine Draft and Harley-Davidson here are reassuring consumers that bigger actually is better in a promotional campaign that celebrates the motorcycle maker's 95th anniversary with the theme, "Big Bikes. Big Beer. Big Party."
The promotion includes major prize giveaways, such as more than 50 Harleys and 250 trips to Milwaukee for the Harley-Davidson reunion event next month, which is expected to attract more than 100,000 people. Trip winners will also have an opportunity to win one of four commemorative 95th anniversary Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Overall, there are more than 200,000 prizes to be given away in more than 20 countries. Some of the other prizes include leather jackets, hats and key chains.
In the time leading up to the reunion festivities, Miller Genuine Draft will produce commemorative packages with specially designed logos. The campaign will include national television advertising, as well as radio and print advertising. As part of its sponsorship of the event, Miller will also host a major concert for those attending the reunion.
POP! WENT THE BASKETBALL
CHICAGO -- A total of 45 boys and girls here won the opportunity to play basketball with National Basketball Association star and Chicago Bulls center Bill Wennington as part of a promotion for Act II Popcorn, "the Official Popcorn of the Chicago Bulls."
The sweepstakes for the promotion was held in Jewel Food Stores throughout Chicago. The campaign was aimed at reaching out to the community and at building recognition of the popcorn.
Kids who participated in the basketball clinic also received prizes such as T-shirts, pennants, caps and boxes of Act II popcorn.
Golden Valley Microwave Foods, maker of Act II popcorn, plans to expand this NBA promotion into other NBA markets. Programs have already been launched with the Denver Nuggets, the Seattle Sonics and the Detroit Pistons.
CLAMATO IN ORBIT
STAMFORD, Conn. -- Humor is definitely the key to the new Mott's Inc. promotional campaign for Clamato, the company's tomato cocktail beverage. With the tagline "Great taste. 99.9% Clam Free," and French Stewart, the actor who plays "Harry Solomon" on NBC's "3rd Rock From the Sun," as its spokesman, the company, here, is hoping to reposition the drink as "audacious and irreverent" in order to increase its share in the blended vegetable-juice category.
Over the next year, the company is committing $14 million to the brand's first ever national advertising campaign, which will include two 30-second television ads featuring Stewart with his trademark humor and facial expressions.
Other elements of the campaign include a Web site and the "Just for Laffs" promotion, which invites consumers to send in their favorite jokes to a contest. Stewart will select the five winners, who will each receive $10,000, in addition to having their jokes published in People. A total of 100 honorable mentions will each receive $100, and 2,500 entrants will get T-shirts and coupons. This contest will be supported with advertisements in People and with radio promotions.
CELEBRITIES' CARDS UNFOLD
CLEVELAND -- "I'm behind you all the way+unless I see a shoe sale, then you're on your own," reads a card that Joan Rivers gave to her daughter. Dr. Ruth Westheimer sent her friend and colleague one that reads "You're someone I can confide in+I stole this card." Now, consumers all over the country are finding out what kind of cards celebrities send to their friends and loved ones without even having to break any laws.
American Greetings here unveiled its new campaign called "American Greetings+says it best." As part of the promotion, the company is putting celebrities' cards in magazines such as People, Newsweek and Redbook. A total of 175 million cards have been printed to be inserted into the magazines, and the company expects to generate nearly 2 billion consumer impressions this year.
The promotional campaign is designed to stimulate sales and familiarize consumers with the "All New American Way" everyday cards. This program was launched in 1997 with more than 100 million greeting cards in more than 30,000 retail stores across the country.
ROYAL CROWN STARTS DRIVE
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- In an effort to increase visibility for its product, Royal Crown Cola has signed on as the primary sponsor of National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing driver Stacy Compton and his car, the Impact Motorsports Ford F-150, for the 1998 Craftsman Truck Series.
The promotional campaign surrounding this sponsorship is designed to focus on the traditional values of middle-American families. Radio, print and television advertisements, therefore, will all feature a "freedom" theme.
The company has also redesigned the RC Cola packaging, as reflected in the look of its NASCAR truck here. Other promotional elements include consumer promotions and appearances by Compton and his RC Cola truck at selected events.
