B-to-C Events

Airborne an herbal supplement created to help boost the immune system last month launched the largest product sampling in airport history. The six-week program will distribute 840 000 samples of Airborne On-the-Go to travelers post-security in Chicago O’Hare Airport and Denver International Airport. A sampling marketing team of 70 people underwent rigorous security preparations including six weeks of federal background checks threat assessments and security badging by the Transportation Security Administration.

From now until Dec. 31 Los Angeles-area music fans will have a chance to peruse pop-culture music label Rhino Entertainment’s extensive online collection of music and merchandise in a live record store. The Rhino pop-up store opened Dec. 1 at an 1 100-square-foot retail storefront on West Third Street about one block from The Grove shopping complex and has featured a full calendar of events including in-store record signings live dj sets and presentations by industry icons artists and photographers.

HBO holiday helpers hit New York City’s most touristy spots to create buzz for its store on 42nd Street – and spread some holiday cheer.

The company tapped Broadway singers and actors to execute the grassroots effort. The tune?  An HBO-centric take on a Christmas classic created by changing the lyrics to include some of the channel’s standards.

A sample of the lyrics: “On the Sixth day of Christmas my Big Love gave to me Six Feet Under playing five Sopranos tees (Bada Bing) four Entourage caps three Wire books two Rome CDs and Sex and the City DVDs.”

To theme or not to theme that is the question all event marketers must ask themselves before designing an attendee experience at a property known for its passionate fan base. Car games at NASCAR. Football tosses at the Super Bowl. Golf swing clinics at the PGA Tour. Sure the tie-ins have kind of a duh-factor but they also present a challenge. If everyone’s doing it how much bang for your buck are you really getting?

As the countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games begins many brands are waiting with nervous anticipation to find out if the athletes they sponsored will make the cut. Will they get to be associated with legends in the making like Michael Phelps? Will their alternative sports star become the next Shaun White? Or will the ultimate gamble the underdogs become the next feel-good press sensation like the Jamaican bobsled team?