The Scoop: When promotions go to the bananas
For those wondering what the Southern Standard would do for an encore to our annual Pig Day, you now have your answer. Today, the Standard is celebrating the first official day of summer with what we’re calling Banana Day.
On the surface, this might not sound like non-stop excitement, much the way the Pig Day name has a barnyard, pig-slop feel to it. Chances are, we wouldn’t draw too big a crowd for Banana Day if we were just giving away fruit. But toss three scoops of ice cream around that banana, add hot fudge and whipped cream and suddenly you have the makings for a party. Giving away free banana splits will indeed draw a crowd.
Truth be told, I like the way our newspaper promotions are evolving. The idea of Pig Day, with free BBQ, has been a well-received concept. Free banana splits on Banana Day, well that comes close to handing out free money at the door. And, for the record, the Standard isn’t prepared to do that just yet.
I will say our idea of free catfish and shrimp on what we would call Under the Sea Day is gaining steam, but that’s still a long way from becoming a reality. I’ve long argued the Standard should have an annual Fast Food Day where we give away hamburgers, french fries and a free EKG to anyone who buys a subscription.
It does, however, bring up the question about what the Standard is going to do next. And that’s a good question because we’re continually tossing around promotional ideas with the community in mind.
While we do think up some clever ideas, it’s important to stress we develop and promote these ideas as a team. Not every idea will make it off the proverbial drawing board.
Take for example a proposed Tobacco Day. Now this is an idea most of you probably never heard of – mainly because it never made it out of the conference room – but there was talk about having a grand celebration for what we would call Tobacco Day. With every new subscription sold, the newspaper was going to hand out a free pack of cigarettes and a lighter.
There was also talk of coordinating some sort of Firearm Day and asking the immensely powerful National Rifle Association to be a sponsor. We figured anyone who stopped by our office would receive free shotgun shells. Anyone purchasing a subscription would receive two free rounds of ammunition.
These are both ideas we never actually implemented because, as I said before, we work on the team concept here and like for everyone to be in agreement. I must admit, the Banana Day idea caught me off guard initially and my portion of the project has been awkward to say the least.
Just when I thought I’d taken about every kind of picture possible, I was thrown a new twist – the banana picture. As I soon discovered, it’s difficult to catch people around town doing something with a banana. In fact, prior to this week, I don’t know if I had ever made anyone’s picture with a banana.
That meant I had to create my own banana pictures. You can probably imagine my embarrassment when I approached people – both hands full of bananas – and asked if I could make their picture.
“Sure you can make my picture,” they’d say.
“Well, I um need you to hold these bananas,” I’d reply. “I have to get a picture of you with a banana.”
It was about that time I got what I can only call a “you must be a weirdo” look.
“It’s for this Banana Day promotion we’re doing at the newspaper,” I’d stammer, trying to explain something that really has no good explanation.
But in the end, it all worked out. I made my pictures, we published a successful banana section and now everyone can come enjoy a free banana split compliments of the Standard. It’s great when a plan comes together.
(James Clark is editor of the Standard and can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].)