ABC is bringing dancing stars to the streets of New York as part of a guerilla marketing stunt to hype up the latest season of its popular show Dancing With the Stars.
In all, 110 dancers will show off their moves today while visiting 25 landmarks in three New York City boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens). Male dancers donning gold star costumes with Dancing With the Stars tune-in information on the back and female dancers in black cocktail dresses will kick off their day with a stop at Good Morning America before making other appearances at Times Square, the Staten Island Ferry, the Brooklyn Bridge and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. At each stop, ambassadors will distribute star magnet premiums with tune-in information.
About 25,000 premiums will be handed out during the stunt, said Greta Palmer, account director for LeadDog MarketingGroup, the New York City-based agency handling the promotion.
“Dancing is part of New York City’s rich history,” Palmer said. “It’s a perfect way for ABC to celebrate [the show] and to tap into all of the talent New York has to offer.”
Passersby will be further star struck by dancers traveling around the city on a doubledecker bus with a live band. The bus will make various stops while dancers strut their stuff. Dancers are also planning a makeshift parade in Midtown complete with a live band.
Dancing With the Stars unites celebrities with professional ballroom dancers who compete each week by performing dance routines in front of a panel of judges. The third season features such celebrities as actress Vivica A. Fox, football player Emmitt Smith, actor Harry Hamlin, talk show host Jerry Springer and singer Sara Evans. Dancing With the Stars premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET.
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