Hi - I'm a fan of capitalizing on, leveraging current events in my promotions (like the current Indiana Jones blockbuster movie release). Does anyone else do that - any tips? I just launched a big promo for that to my traders, which should pull a healthy six figures in sales during the next few weeks that it's running (w/no affs).

Any tips/insights?

thx,

Ken

The smartest thing to do when leveraging hot trends like
movies and such is to get a 6 month head start and start
trying to dominate SEO terms.

That way when the movie comes out, you already have tons
of existing back links built in and are way ahead of the game.

Same thing goes for product launches.

Let's say you now that "Guru Johnny" is releasing a product
sometime in November called "Super Duper Selling Secrets".
It would make sense to start submitting articles and building
links around that phrase the second you hear about it.

While you can still capitalize on the Indiana Jones hype, I think
you should of started it quite a few months ago to truly
maximize.

I always like to keep my eyes peeled for what is coming out
in 6 months, not what came out yesterday.

For the record, I thought the movie sucked. Way too corny.

Hey Jason, good point.. thanks... I'll have to keep an eye peeled for other holiday blockbuster releases later this year. That's a very smart organic seo/article marketing tactic, I'll use it...

Nebulous, re the movie, thx for the review... I wouldn't know about whether the movie's any good, haven't seen it, all I'm concerned with is in making my six figures from the product launch tie-in... I doubt if I'll even see the movie... doesn't have anything to do w/the marketing strategy, but thx for the tip, I'll wait for dvd now...

"Dammit Jim, I'm a copywriter not a movie critic..."
(to paraphrase a trek line)

orders are rolling in already, so that's cool..."yeah baby!" in my Austin Powers voice. "One Billion Dollars"...

I *never* get tired of putting together a killer offer, sending out emails and getting thousands of dollars in my paypal account within minutes.. it's just way too much fun. The challenge is in discipline to keep going through those motions, even when I've got years of income in the bank and don't -have- to work for it.. that's the biggest challenge, is working to produce even when I don't have to.. (insights?).

Like I said in another post, having a high maintenance wife helps on the motivation front.. (in fact yesterday the trouble and strife told me she wants yet another rock, "it's not That much, Ken-san, and it lasts forever)... so it encourages me to keep banging the drums...(as one of my Hawaii clients, a Sheraton manager, used to say I did w/my promos back in the day)... (and I'll refrain from including the off color joke I could add lol). She's worth every penny. And then some.

to astonishing blockbuster profits,

-k

I see where Tony Blake did a tie-in on his forum .

You all know this - but you can also "piggyback" on seasonal events.

Summer/ Autumn/Winter/Spring. With all the "special days" etc etc.

And current news and political events.

And "predicting" possible future events - where you can "hedge" your bets.

So you don't have to become a mind - reader.

If I was in the USA I would be planning two different promo's for "suitable" clients.

One - if the Democrats win. The other if the Republicans win.

And being in the UK - it's worth thinking about an "appropriate" promo -

if the current Prime Minister is "ousted". Or if he stays.

Isn't copywriting such fun? - because the headlines, themes and reaching your audiences emotions are virtually unlimited.

Steve

[quote=Ken_Calhoun;75348
Any tips/insights?

thx,

Ken[/quote]

Ken,

I might have a couple of insights for you. When I was a gad about for Suarez Corporation Industries (SCI), I worked in a one and a half man (I was the half) division known as Special Projects. We were involved in all things TITANIC at that time. The only "artifact" allowed to be sold (because all TITANIC artifacts were considered museum only pieces and held sacred status because of the loss of life)...the only thing deemed "acceptable" to be sold to the public was COAL from the ship. NOT everyone agreed that even this should be sold...anyhow, personal opinion aside...coal from the TITANIC was sold...milllions of dollars worth.

We were allowed to REcreate artifacts and facsimilies of artifacts and sold millions of dollars of these thing...and this was at the time the movie TITANIC was filiming in Mexico.

I suggested we do a jewelry tie in, since the script was about a piece of jewelry...but I left the company before that came into being...and that piece of jewelry was a replica of the item in the movie and it too sold millions of dollars of product, created a stir, and also, if memory serves, even a law suit or two (which comes with the territory when you do HUGE business, and here is one of the HINTS Ken {stay on solid legal ground regarding copyrights, trademarks and IMAGES that could be protected} )

Today you will see a gazillion Indiana Jones tie ins and promotions, some of which will have some legal action taken against it...for infringement on some IP rights of some kind...but there will be a lot of money made by people selling things such as Crystal Skulls...the object of Indy's quest.

The HISTORY channel just did an Indiana Jones tie-in, you'll see the fast food places offer the typical stuff...

It helps if you have a chance to read the script while the film is being shot, perhaps our resident Hollywood connection could help us with that...or if it is based on a book or play, to know the elements of that play or book.

So, if the movie has a piece of jewelry, or a treasure chest, or coin or other such thing, you can cash in on the movie...however, keep this in mind...there could be a warehouse full of Camels on a rope...awaiting the blockbuster release of ISHTAR!!!!

The "insight" that would be most helpful, is if your market are the kind of people that might go see the movie, read the book or "get it" if you do try to attempt a tie-in with your product...most of my customers wouldn't get BORAT, although, since Adam Sandler is the greatest actor of our generation...anything Happy Gilmore should bode you well...

HA!

gjabiz

it would help if the movie didn't suck SO bad.

it was absolutely crap.

Hi Dave, thanks for that thoughtful reply lol... however 31,198 other people seem to really like it, giving it an average 7.5/10 rating, which is a "thumbs up":

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (200
(I haven't seen it myself though)

Plus, it's taken in over $311,000,000 this past weekend:
'Indiana Jones' earns $311 million worldwide - Yahoo! News

-good insights too gjabiz re the Titanic tie-in, thanks!
-and right Steve re tie ins on seasonals, those work well; I used to help business clients do that (hotels, retailers), nice idea to bring it online too..

and my sales are wonderful for the promo I'm doing, so it looks like houston we have a winner...

-k

ken, it was bad.

Really bad.

indy jones. aliens.... ufo's.

absolutely horrible.

I figure it took in so much money because of the brand
equity they had built up over the years.

That brand had a very high value as a result and human
nature 'forces' us to find out "what happens next", however
with this new one I'm certain the brand is a tad bit tarnished.

Everyone I talked with said the same.

But for your use I don't think it has any bearing as you're
leveraging the "newsworthyness" or "buzz" of the movie.

Smart move.