10 tips to promote your city event
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10 TIPS TO PROMOTE YOUR CITY EVENT
Mikkel Bechshøft, Bysted A/S
Bysted work with:
> Events & exhibitions
> Experiences
> Communication strategies, analysis and campaigns
> PR
> Websites
> Design and visual identity
> This presentation was made for a seminar about city events in Copenhagen
> Bysted is one of Denmark’s largest communication agencies
what is going to happen?
what is so special about city-events?
then why do we have to promote them?
ok, then give me some ideas…
what is so special about city events?
They are good positive experiences
Bad: Street riot in Copenhagen
Good: Gay pride in Copenhagen
They can put a town on the map
The international Vildbjerg football cup has made the town of Vildbjerg known to many (young) people in Europe
They are unique one time experiences
The Madonna concert in Horsen, Denmark was the first time Madonna visited Denmark in her career
They create a special bond between the participants
Woodstock is still talked about alot
The break everyday city life
The Fringe Festival in Edinburgh is funny and surprising
They can send a strong message
The Earth Hour event sends a strong message to politicians around the world
They involve citizens
Sidney volunteers park
They can increase tourism, revenue and jobs
On the way to Roskilde Festival – to spend a lot of money..
then why do we have to promote them?
It is all about…
SALES!
Events are economically fragile products
The Copenhagen carnival is very dependent on the weather
An audience is a prerequisite for the existence of events
No tickets sold?
…but the audience have many options
30.606 events in the Danish culture-network KultuNaut
Tourists and foreign attention is valuable…
Copenhagen was voted Best Liveable City 2008 by Monocole magazine
…and creating the right expectations through marketing can be half of the event itself
Skanderborg and Vesterbro festivals advertise more than six months prior to the events. That creates positive expectations.
Events are special because:
they are not like physical products
every event is unique and experienced in a different way by each member of the audience
if no one buys a ticket then the income is lost forever – unlike e.g. in a restaurant where the same table can be sold the next evening
Then how am I going to promote my event?
Incorporate your ”event experience” in the marketing strategy before, during and after the event
Be unique – like your event is
Try to find the good story in your event
Surprise your potential audience
Be inspired by the promotion and history of former similar events
ok, then give me some ideas…
public relations
web banners
radio
tv
web video
direct-mail
street promotion
sponsorship
sms
wikies
outdoor
stunts
mini-events
google ads
cross-promotion
sense-marketing
viral
website
All the traditional channels can be used…
…it’s all about how you use them…
WEB
3 great examples of event websites
1. London Olympics
2. Spot festival, Århus, Denmark
3. World Outgames 2009
YOU TUBE
Get on You Tube and
connect with your audience
1. London Olympics
2. Spot festival, Århus, Denmark
COMMUNITY + WIKI
Use a community or Wiki to interact with your audience and get them to return to your website – even after the event
1. World Outgames 2009
2. Wiki example
NETWORK
Use your network!
1. Sonar, Barcelona
2. City Events seminar, Copenhagen
LISTINGS
Get on eventful, regonline, etc.
PR
Find the unique story of your event and sell it to the press.
Skanderborg festival made beer cans to sleep in
– that was a unique story!
AD CAMPAGINS
Online Special-outdoor Too expensive?
Often your marketing budget is relatively limited –running ads might be too costly compared to the effect…
USE THE SENSES
How does Roskilde festival smell?
Mmm…coffee
Mmm…truck smell
WARM-UP EVENTS
Sidney celebrated the Olympics nomination with a big fireworks show – the promotion had begun
Pre-event in the Copenhagen Metro
GUERILLA Surprise your audience
WWF used a strong projector to promote Earth Hour
The tv-channel Zulu put their mascot-man where their open-air cinema would be set up during summer in Copenhagen
World Outgames in Montreal
VIRAL
Viral marketing is much more than making a funny video – i.e. use Google Calendar to get your audience to spread information about your event to their own network
SUPPORTERS
Get politicians, royals and business people to support your event
GOOD LUCK –
go for it
BYSTED A/S Copenhagen www.bysted.dk
MIKKEL BECHSHØFT