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mascot promotions knowledge Tips
Virgin Holidays/NCL’s event took centre stage in Romford
to Florida and secondary UK breaks. “We used the character to create hype that there was a family event going on,” says deputy store manager Paul Brandwood. “We were suggesting Pontin’s and Butlins as extras to a main holiday.”
Pontin’s has also driven traffic to local agencies when running its own roadshows in shopping malls. There may be similar opportunities in future as new owner Britannia Hotel Group plans to “add a touch of Disney” to the brand.
Virgin Holidays’ retail arm was delighted with its return on invest- ment from
Larger-than-life characters attract a lot of attention
using SpongeBob SquarePants in a promotion with Norwegian Cruise Line at several shopping centres. In Romford, where a central space was used, the Nickelodeon character helped net over £30,000 worth of bookings for the local Virgin store in one day.
Creating a buzz
The promotions were part of Virgin’s strategy to develop cruise business through its retail network. “We needed something to raise awareness that Virgin Holidays actually books cruises and to drive footfall into the shops,” says retail business development manager Brad Smith. “We knew in certain key locations it would create a buzz, not only about NCL’s family offering, which includes Nickelodeon At Sea, but about the Virgin Holidays brand and that it is now face-to- face as well. “SpongeBob’s
character is cheeky and animated. He was bumping into people,
posing for photos and dancing. The whole event had a real
party feel to it.”
SpongeBob SquarePants proved a winner for Virgin Holidays
Smith says it is important to allow time to chat with potential clients. “When the character was out with us, it was the focus of attention but when the character was resting, there were people who stayed behind and en- gaged with us and talked about booking family holidays.” Smith believes having an NCL representative along on the day gave the Virgin stores extra endorse- ment, producing higher sales.
SpongeBob’s appearances ran along with other Virgin Holidays store promotions between September and December last year. “That stood us in great ground for January,” says Smith. “People were coming and book- ing with us then, already knowing that we book that style of product.”
The mascot’s appearances were sponsored by NCL, but Smith warns agents to consider the cost involved with a licensed TV charac- ter like SpongeBob. “I believe it’s usually in excess of £1,000. They aren’t just a person in fancy dress, they are the official characters with professionals inside.”
Surprisingly, Smith found that a large SpongeBob toy Virgin used elsewhere created a similar buzz. “It stood 5ft high and in some locations it drew just as much attention from families with kids wanting their photos taken with it.”
Billy Bear says...
“Often, meeting characters like me or Angelina Ballerina or Bob the Builder is the high point of a holiday for kids. “Getting passers-by to come into your agency on a competitive high street is one of the hardest things in travel, but any parents with kids won’t be able to resist a friendly face like mine. It can also
help you and your team better understand a product and its brand values too.”
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Choose Saturdays or school holidays when more children are around. Consider location – a busy shopping centre is ideal. Have a hand-out with relevant offers. Promote the visit with posters or press releases. A lead-in time of four to six weeks is suggested. Make sure staff understand the product you are promoting and available to chat to potential clients when the character is not around. Track bookings after the event but also consider the return in terms of raised awareness and new clients. Appearances by TV and film characters can be pricey, so negotiate with suppliers about sharing the costs. Try to get a representative from the relevant supplier to attend – it helps to endorse your business. Think about creating your own mascot – The Co-operative Travel has a cat for store openings.
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