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Market Briefs
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Business New Haven
9/6/1999
By: BNH
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Back with BIC
BIC Corp. is targeting the back-to-school market with a back-to-school Web site and sweepstakes. The site, www.bicbacktoschool.com, features a survey of such important issues as favorite school lunch (pizza) and favorite ink color (blue). Visitors can see the results and complete their own survey. BIC has also teamed up with Staples Inc. on a back-to-school sweepstakes offering consumers a chance to win a Hewlett-Packard computer, a Staples gift certificate or an EastPak backpack. Entry forms are available in the stationery product sections of Staples stores. A total of 38 winners will be selected in a random drawing in November.
Try Before You Buy
Sprint has adapted the test-drive concept so essential in buying a car to wireless phone service. Connecticut consumers age 21 or older can try before they buy with the Sprint Test Drive Program. Customers who decide to try out a wireless phone with Sprint PCS may borrow a Sony CM D600S and make unlimited calls within New England during the trial period, which lasts up to three days. A call to one of the state's Sprint PCS retail centers will determine loaner-phone availability.
Subway International
The Milford-based Subway has embarked on a new global expansion plan. There are currently more than 780 Subway franchises abroad, and Subway hopes to expand that to 2,000 sandwich shops in countries outside the U.S. and Canada by the year 2005. "Our long-term plan is to introduce the Subway brand into as many countries as possible, with of course the ultimate goal being to become the No. 1 restaurant chain in customer satisfaction and unit-count in every country," says Don Fertman, Subway's director of franchise sales. International areas with the most Subway locations include Australia (201), Japan (127), Puerto Rico (55) and the UK. Subway debuted during recent months in Germany, Qatar, Lithuania and Sweden. Openings are expected soon in India, Bangladesh, Romania, Scotland, Tanzania and other countries. Development agents are actively being sought for many areas around the world.
Area Agencies Awarded
O'Neal & Prelle has been cited for excellence in the field of television advertising. The firm received three Telly awards for creative work produced on behalf of clients St. Francis Hospital & Medical Center and Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Connecticut. A television spot produced as part of a campaign promoting St. Francis Care Centers of Excellence was awarded a bronze Telly in the category of "hospitals with over 200 beds." Two other awards in the category of "health care/non-care" recognized innovative spots created for Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield. Mascola Advertising was also recently honored for a campaign for Nutmeg Big Brothers & Big Sisters. Nutmeg was cited for best multimedia campaign at the International Big Brothers & Big Sisters marketing awards competition in Chicago. The "Be Big" campaign strategy was driven by a Yale research study that pinpointed the key mental obstacles that prevent potential volunteers from becoming mentors. The creative work used children to speak directly to potential volunteers with phrases like "I don't want your money," "I don't care what color your skin is," and "I know your life is busy." The campaign, executed in television, radio, outdoor and transit media, was supported by partner organizations including Moving Pictures of Glastonbury and Tape Works of Hartford.
Scholarships for Broadcasters
Two Connecticut students have won scholarships for academic study from the Connecticut Broadcasters Association (CBA), the organization of Connecticut radio and television stations and broadcasting companies. Each of the scholarships, presented annually, is worth $5,000, according to Paul K. Taff, CBA president. Winners are Alycia Gilde of Andover and Brendan Williams of Gales Ferry. Gilde is a senior at the University of Connecticut majoring in environmental communications. In her presentation she said, "My ultimate goal is to use television as a medium to inform the world on the importance of the earth's precious treasures." In his presentation, Brendan Williams, a junior at Syracuse majoring in broadcast journalism, said, "I hope to end up working as a political correspondent for a television news outlet."
Dealer Wheelers
Structural Graphics has created two promotional pieces for Kawasaki Motors Corp. designed to generate excitement for the manufacturer's 1999 dealer meeting in Kansas City, Mo. A "poppagram" self-mailer with a sound module and patented suitcase folder with a sound module were part of a two-wave mailing. The back-to-back mailings each utilized the same sound module which played the song, "(Going to) Kansas City." A total of 3,000 suitcases and 2,000 poppagrams were created by Structural Graphics, which also provided fulfillment for the promotion. Said Kim Nelson, meetings operations coordinator for Kawasaki: "There has been tremendous response to this campaign. People tell us that it's one of the best promotions we've ever done, they can't stop humming the tune, etc. This is exactly the objective of the campaign - to make a lasting impression. After the first week alone we heard from over ten percent of the recipients."
New Accounts
Crystal Rock Water Co. of Watertown has assigned its $1 million account to Marquardt & Roche/Meditz & Hackett as agency of record for advertising, media placement, direct mail and corporate graphics/package design. KGA Advertising in Middletown has retained the services of Andrea Obsten Marketing Communications to create and execute a public-relations program.
Wish Fulfillment
A new, multi-media branding campaign for Hartford Hospital has taken on a global feel. Cronin & Co. shot one of the campaign's lead television spots on location in Italy to bring to life a real-life patient's lifelong dream. The cardiology television spot is set in the Italian countryside of Italy. It was inspired by and features Cronin vice chairman and real-life Hartford Hospital cardiology patient John Riccio, who underwent quadruple-bypass surgery a year ago. An avid biker, Riccio's dream was to bike in Italy. "I'm grateful to be biking again," said Riccio. "And, by portraying a real patient engaged in rigorous activity only a year after surgery, the spot demonstrates the excellent medical care offered at Hartford Hospital." A second spot was shot locally in Connecticut and portrays the hospital's "airborne emergency room" Life Star helicopter, flying through the skies of Connecticut set to the Jimi Hendrix song "Angel."
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