YOU COULDN’T escape “The Phantom Menace” this spring, even in the world of direct marketing. Here’s two examples of how DMers tried to keep shoppers out of the mall by capitalizing on Darth Maul.
* Hoping to ride the marketing blitz surrounding the release of “Star Wars: Episode 1,” online mall BuyItOnline.com began running a commercial for its service in movie theaters.
Ri Regina, vice president of electronic commerce services for the Allston, MA-based firm, says the spot aired before movies shown in Loews theaters in the Boston-Allston area the week of the film’s release. Pending the results, the program may be rolled out annually.
The idea was a natural for the company, she said, because of the correlation between online shoppers and moviegoers. A recent study by accounting firm Ernst & Young showed there is a 34% crossover between the two interests. If the campaign expands, BuyItOnline will be able to target ads to run before particular movies, says Regina.
* QVC sold more than 360,000 “Episode 1” products in the weeks following the film’s May 19 premiere, including some 5,000 sets of vinyl Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul figures, 7,000-plus signed comic book sets and over 5,000 talking character banks. The shopping network also moved about 72,000 theatrical poster and pin sets.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: May the sales force be with you.-BN
Network
