Barnes & Noble and HP partner for e-book store

"We expect that there is going to be a lot of digital reading that is consumed on devices that aren't specifically targeted to e-reading, such as laptops and netbooks."
-Kevin Frain, B&N EVP of e-commerce

Barnes & Noble and Hewlett-Packard launched a co-branded eBookstore. And from our assessment it looks like a nice partnership to help both defend against changes in the digital marketplace.
HP is providing:
-link to the store on new HP computers
-some preloaded Barnes & Noble reading applications on some devices

Barnes & Noble is providing:
-its e-commerce platform
-flexibility to HP to tailor the site's content how they choose
-providing HP users that download the e-reader application, the LendMe technology that allows HP users to share e-books with friends for free for up to 14 days.

Barnes & Noble is obviously looking to reposition themselves as a provider of digital content to replace the lagging brick and mortar sales; and HP is looking to catch up to Apple's iPad as a provider of digital content as well.

HP doesn't have the sophisticated e-commerce infrastructure that a retailer like B&N has or even its rival Apple who benefits from iTunes store, so needs B&N for this technology. And B&N needs new channels that reach the digital reader to gain awareness about its eBookstore.

Partnering with Cinemas

In any down economy, movie attendance has always kept up, and in many ways has increased as a relatively cheap form of entertainment. That was no different this past year, where worldwide ticket sales increased by 7.6% to $29.9 Billion (Reuters 2010).

The US/Canada market saw a 10% growth in admissions to $10.6 Billion from 2008 to 2009.

-MPAA 2009

This growth makes movie theaters an increasingly attractive place for marketers to connect with their consumers. Not only are people in an enjoyable environment, but with the increasingly creative ways marketers are engaging with their consumers via mobile coupons, interactive booths, and interactive ads, you can make a memorable impression.

PRE-COMMERCIAL ADS

THINK OUTSIDE THE TV BOX

Take it from the studios--before a trailer runs nationally on TV, it usually will run teaser campaigns on the big screen. Now of course the studios are reaching people who like to go to the movies; however, keep this in mind 75% of cinema patrons eat out either before or after a movie, and most people in the U.S. go to the theater at least once each year.

When Taco Bell launched their Roosevelt campaign they first debuted it on the silverscreen before rolling it out on TV a week later.

MOBILE PROMOTIONS

WITH COUPON REDEMPTION UP 27% FROM LAST YEAR, SAVING MONEY IS A HUGE PRIORITY FOR CONSUMERS NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE

Last fall, to reward its customers, Sprint set up 500 in-theater bCode mobile coupon kiosks.

During the pre-roll ads, Sprint customers could text in various discount offers that appeared on the screen. Once they received the confirmation they went to the kiosks and printed their coupons out for 50% off popcorn, or $2 off their soda. What a nice treat!

SHOWROOMS

MOBILE TOURS AND SHOWROOMS ARE POPULAR PROMOTIONAL TOOLS AND NOW THEY ARE AVAILABLE IN THEATERS

When Hewlett Packard launched its "Touch the Web, Print the Web" multi-media campaign in late 2009, the team quickly determined consumers needed to physically touch its products to truly experience it.

To achieve this, HP rolled out a cinema campaign with in-lobby demos. These lobby dominations were in 15 theaters and included holographic kiosks, banner signage, and booths for live demonstrations.

To demonstrate the printer and make the connection movie tickets were printed.

Co-Creation of Products- Motorola and Burton

Influential Events vs. Advertising

People are influenced more by promotion/sponsorship than from traditional forms of advertising!

To that I'm bringing back the 90's and saying duh! Of course people are going to be influenced more by something that engages you and provides you some value.

If you are a kid and you are told what to do are you going to do it? Maybe, but if you are given an incentive like ice-cream, an allowance, or some play time, the kid is much more likely to do it.

It is the same with marketing, if you provide an incentive to people, something of value, they A) are going to remember you more than the brand that didn't and B) may even incentivize you to make an additional purchase of that product

So that wasn't a shocker to me when I read this article about events being influential: http://promomagazine.com/eventmarketing/0401-events-engaging-consumers/.

However, there are some great stats in here for any marketer needing to "sell in" an experiential marketing idea to their bosses.

For instance promotions/sponsorship was most highly valued by consumers for:
59.7% fast food
56.2% snack food
55.2% household cleaning products

Using Celeb Quality Attributes to Rub off on your Brand

Anderson Consulting... do you even remember them anymore... well that is thanks to a whole re-brand and a little help from a celebrity that fit them to a "tee." Now the words high-performance, trust, and quality come to mind with the newly well-known Accenture. Celebrities are used freely sometimes and without great fit but this branded partnership is a match made to make some green!

Close-up with Teresa Poggenpohl, executive director-global image, Accenture

Teresa Poggenpohl was one of the architects of Accenture's affiliation with golfer Tiger Woods, which began in 2003. The partnership is widely viewed as one of the best uses of a celebrity pitchman in b-to-b marketing. Woods' commitment to excellence has become a metaphor for what Accenture claims to do: deliver “high-performance” results for its customers. The campaign has also gone a long way toward embedding the Accenture name in the minds of customers and prospects while erasing any ties to the old Andersen Consulting brand. In the Q&A below, Poggenpohl discusses how Accenture has integrated Woods into almost every aspect of its marketing and how the company has altered the campaign to reflect a different mindset of the market during the recession.

Check out more of this article by going to: http://ebm.cheetahmail.com/c/tag/hBKw7xFAHAUBKB7unW8-e5HdAvy/doc.html?RAF_TRACK=&email=cuse-fans@msn.com&fname=myra&remove=rm-0bukbm0va23554paxbvuw885ad4q98z@e.ccialerts.com

PRE FASHION WEEK

One of the events, we recently produced was the PRE FASHION EVENT, which was a retail showcase, fashion show and after party featuring up and coming designers.

Some of the designers included: Cloak & Dagger, Caycee Black, and loyale for the show and Mixology NYC, Magnes Sisters, Diana Warner, Cri de Coeur and Hello Robertson at the showcase.

The sponsors were great and truly helped us offsett he cost of the event. Some of them included:
Models: Models International
Hair & Make-up: Aveda
Alcohol: Bulldog Gin, Spaten Lager and Vogelzang Wine
Nails: Priti
Venues: Openhouse Gallery & Delicatessen
Others: Popchips, Think Cofee & Izze Sparkling Juice

Check out some of the press and pictures from the event.
http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=saluk+creative&init=quick#/pages/New-York-NY/Saluk-Creative/99521819177?ref=search&sid=503221394.2736088083..1

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TSooB_0t4g

FASHION WEEK PARTNERSHIPS

If any of you are actively or even peripherally in the fashion world, you are understand when we say this past week has been HECTIC. With 5-10 events every night, how in the world do any of these shows get the proper press coverage they deserve. Yet nonetheless, it is THE time for brands to get noticed and for fashion editors to whole heartedly pay attention to the industry and its trends.

While the designers, producers and editors organize and attend the events, sponsors become key to help them offset the costs and add a little something to the night.

And the sponsors can't complain, they are perfectly poised to get a key influencer demographic trying or experiencing their product during Fashion Week.

One sponsor who has truly blanketed fashion week is POP CHIPS. You are probably puzzled...chips in Fashion Week? But it makes perfect sense for this "pop"solutely stylish brand. They started on the West Coast (home of some of the most fanatical nutritionists) and have developed a STRONG following now on the EAST because it is low calorie and quite yummy.

This week we've seen them at almost every event, and every time people make a comment about how much they LOVE them. And even though everyone needs sponsors for an event, you want to have ones that "fit" with the event and that people will actually enjoy experiencing.