Promo's PRO Award Finalists 2008

#17. Best Dealer, Sales Force or Business-to-Business Campaign

DVD Mailer
Agency: AMC
Client: AMC

Having developed a new branding around movie “classics,” AMC saw a chance to convey that re-branding to clients (media buyers and planners) through its already-successful DVD of the Month franchise. The two-stage campaign launched in Q4 2007 with an offer to let AMC’s existing client list add to their personal collections of movie “classics.” Recipients received a pack of Twizzlers, the classic movie candy, and a note from AMC general manager Charlie Collier inviting them to log onto a Web site, www.amctv.com/yourclassics, and select three titles from a list of 150 movies. The three films they selected were mailed out as a boxed DVD set in AMC-branded packaging. Two additional mailings went out to the list in the first half of 2008. The first offered a choice of titles from a selection of Oscar-nominated or Oscar–winning films (“Awards”), while the second extended a list of movies about popular and underdog heroes (“Heroes”). Along with the latter, clients were offered the chance to have AMC make a $1,000 donation to the charity of their choice. The DVD mailer campaign has been successful in both phases, with an average response rate of 31%. Two more mailings are planned before the end of this year.

United Suite Dreams
Agency: Arc Worldwide; BDM; Starcom
Client: United

United Airlines wanted to raise awareness of its international premium travel offering—newly furnished with 180-degree flat beds, cuisine designed by a world-famous chef, fine wines and personalized onboard entertainment. Recognizing that 70% of all international premium airline bookings come through members of the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), United and its agencies worked to create an NBTA trade show event that conveyed the tranquility United was bringing to the usually frenzied overseas travel experience. Airport banners, branded hotel keycards and gift bags greeted the NBTA show attendees as they arrived in town for the conference. On the trade show floor, United offered a unique art gallery with videos, refreshments and paintings of the new amenities, and a pianist playing the United signature tune, Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” At the same time, a one-day media blitz used billboards, print ads and takeovers of homepages and relevant Web channel pages to deliver expandable rich media ads about the new, luxurious United experience. The ads and NBTA show collateral drove visitors to www.suitedreams.united.com, a microsite that told the story of the new services in rich media animation. The campaign lifted online ad awareness by 5.6% in one day, and drove more than  517,000 visitors to the site in one day, exceeding target by 185%. National TV and print media ran features, including the four broadcast networks in United’s hub and top feeder markets. First-tier papers in United’s hub markets ran the story—often quoting the CEO on the new flatbed seating.

Amex OPEN Plum Card Launch
Agency: Momentum Worldwide
Client: American Express
See Category #10

Green Is Universal Agency Initiative
Agency: The Michael Alan Group
Client: NBC Universal

NBC Universal wanted to establish its eco-friendly credentials with agency media buyers to make them aware of its internal “Green Is Universal” conservation initiative, and to establish itself as the place for top brands to align themselves with the green movement. Co-branded vinyl cling stickers were created for each targeted agency, and featured logos from both the agency and the “Green Is Universal” campaign. Designed in white and shades of green, the stickers were made to attach to appropriate surfaces in the agencies’ media buying departments and to be removed without residue at the end of the campaign. They carried messages about assorted environmentally responsible office practices, such as shutting off lights, reducing print copies and sharing elevators. NBC contacted office managers at each of the targeted agencies, asking for permission to send a representative around on the Friday before the “Green Is Universal” campaign launched to place the stickers. The reps went back to the agencies on the Monday of the campaign launch with baskets of locally produced, organic baked goods to alert workers to the messages and the programming. The campaign gained entry to 24 agencies in five markets and generated an estimated 10,000 impressions among agency executives.