Christmas Pickle Shopping Campaign

International Downtown Association Award Submission 2016

Marketing and Communications Category

INTRODUCTION

• The Red Deer Downtown Business Association (DBA) is a small organization of 3.5 permanent staff. We support just over 500 businesses and property owners in Downtown Red Deer, Alberta.

The Downtown Business Association’s office in Downtown Red Deer, Alberta

INNOVATION

• In 2013 we decided to change our annual Christmas Shopping event from one day to an entire month.

• Our goal was to move away from the passport style of promotion where businesses were finding that participants would run into the business get their stamp and leave we introduced the Pickle Promotion. However, we wanted to ensure guests had a fun reason to still visit businesses in the Downtown.

• The Legend of the Christmas PickleA pickle used as a decoration on a Christmas tree may seem odd at first, but it is an old German tradition. The Pickle is hung last and hidden among the branches. The first person on Christmas morning to find the Pickle would receive a special blessing for the year and an extra gift.

Execution

• To gain the maximum number of participants the Association visits businesses to recruit participation. Each year we provide participating businesses with a Pickle Ornament that they can hide in their business. Businesses are encouraged to be creative and create their own promotion within the the campaign. These include:

• Prizes for each time the pickle is found• A draw entry for a grand prize when the pickle is found• In store discounts

• The Association then advertises the pickle and participating businesses on social media, bus benches, annual shopping guide and radio advertising.

The Christmas Pickle graphic used in all online and print advertising of the campaign

REPRESENTATION

• The association could not do this without our members support. They love the Pickle and create many exciting promotions around it.

• The visitors love the Pickle as well and look forward to its launch and have fun with it on social media

SUSTAINABILITY

• The project is proving to be very popular with more businesses coming on board each year and awareness with the public expanding as well.

• The businesses enjoy the fun campaign and appreciate that visitors are more engaged in their business.

• We have more than doubled the business participation in comparison to the old program

Replication

• This program can be adopted in its current format or modified to suit the district that is implementing it. One Downtown is looking at adapting it for a heavy construction season using mini bulldozers.