Gel Bait
RANCHO DOMINGUEZ, CA These days, you don’t necessarily need to fork over a lot of cash to tie into a hit TV series.
Looking to increase exposure on the Internet and elevate its image at retail, Dep Corp. signed on as presenting sponsor for Dawson’s Desktop, a Web site for the Columbia TriStar show Dawson’s Creek.
Columbia TriStar Interactive launched the site primarily as a promotional vehicle for the show, but “the more revenue we can generate from the interactive side, the better our department does,” says Audrey Marco, CTI’s director of marketing alliances.
The deal gave Dep hair products extensive exposure on the site, which recreates the show’s fictitious location of Capeside. Visitors get information about Dep products and tips on hairstyling at the Capeside Salon.
Links to the Dep site produced 21 million impressions in six weeks, although just one million had been expected, says Dep brand manager Lisa Cogan.
Phase two of the alliance broke last month and continues through May, with Dep adding a retail component with a sweepstakes and a self-liquidating offer on 1.5 million bottle neckhangers. Rite Aid, Kmart, and Longs took end-aisle displays.
