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THE SMELL OF CORNDOGS,
the
sound of calliope music and the
sight of colorful booths conjure
up happy childhood memories.
Free-spirited music lovers and
thoughtful film buffs make the
most of festival season. Fairs and
festivals are a rite of passage, and
a tradition, for so many, that pro-
moting these events to those
who populate them shouldn’t be
too difficult, right?
Of course not, especially if
you follow a few simple guide-
lines. Whether you’re working on
behalf of the event organizer or
to help on-site sellers get the
word out about their wares, pro-
motional marketing strategies
should focus on attendees and, of
course, the vendors themselves.
Music and film festivals are
among the most popular events
in the U.S.—roughly 32 million
Americans, mostly Millennials,
attend music festivals each year,
according to
Billboard
magazine.
Food vendors are among the
biggest draws at fairs and festi-
vals, as well as artisans selling
handcrafted items and businesses
looking to build a client base.
Crystal Wiebe is the founder
of Kansas City, Missouri-based
Beer Paws, a company whose
target audience is beer drinkers
who also love dogs. Beer Paws
sells treats, candles, apparel and
even “doggy beer” among other
unique items. The company has
connected with audiences at
events such as the Westport
Roots Festival in Kansas City,
and Benson Beer Fest in Omaha,
Nebraska. The Beer Paws team
provides giveaways and opportu-
nities to purchase its items at
booths on-site.
“Whether offered as give-
aways or items for purchase, cus-
tomized products are the best
way to draw attention to your
brand,” says Wiebe. “Providing
your customer with something
they can take home makes their
experience engaging with your
brand more memorable and
meaningful.”
Wiebe says products need to
be relevant to a vendor’s offerings
and brand culture. “For example,
Beer Paws gives away logoed
coasters, and we sell branded
Koozies, bottle openers and other
merchandise that our customers—
dog lovers and beer connois-
seurs—can appreciate and use.
“One of the biggest compli-
ments we can receive from our
customers is for them to show up
at our next event wearing some-
thing they purchased or received
from us in the past. We make all
of our products available at every
event. When we set up at beer
festivals, we also make sure to
have some co-branded dog treats
available that were made in part-
nership with breweries pouring
at the event.”
So what can you do to help
clients make the most of their
festival or fair presence? Help
them choose promotional
items that will make a
lasting impact long
after the event is
over. “Understand
your client's brand
and make sure
you’re pitching
ideas that are
relevant to
what that
brand stands
for,” says
Wiebe.
STEP RIGHT UP TO
PROMOTIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES
30 •
PPB
• JULY 2016
GROW
MARKET
TO MARKET
PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS MAKE FAIRS AND FESTIVALS MORE MEMORABLE FOR EVERYONE.
By Jen Alexander