Harbourage is comin’ on strong Sept. 5, and we can’t wait to rock out with all our party-lovin’ friends and partners.
Last year, as an event-goer and general lover of times, Harbourage was a laugh.
As a marketeer and promo partner, it was a series of WTFs.
This year was easier.
Way Back Then
Lorne went from “It’d be cool to have a festival on the harbour front,” to “Ok, it’s happening,” in zero minutes, one month before the show. I don’t know what made me jump. Lorne is cool? I wanted to help rock the promo? It was a challenge, and a party, and the vision of boppin’ pops in the VIP was a power-townie’s dream come true.
Note: I’m only half kidding.
The accomplishments with marketing the show were great. Transcontinental let us rock a new technology that really spiked impressions (aka eyes-on-the-brand). The posters and the big downtown store-floor stickers were great. The Facebook page and ads and the landing site all did their thing, but sometimes a great success boils down to good timing: sweet weather + wicked line-up of talent + the all important: partnerships.
Up to date
This year we had more time to promote and I’m still laughing at the boys (Jon and Lorne, the masterminds behind the whole show) who kicked things up a notch with longer promo, more digital and tradish channels, a faster flow. And the best the summer contest: where you have to find the big-ass lighthouse they built around town and rock a selfie for the chance to win two passes to the show.
#Selfie
Have you seen that thing?
When we were talking about doing it a few months back, I thought “If the boys actually do this, they’re deadly.” Well, they did it, and it worked. And they’re deadly. All hands are pumped for the show next weekend and I see it everywhere. The hype! The fun!
How to giv’er
A word about audacious ideas: they work. I don’t know about you, but I’m so over the flat, digital, multi-iterative approach to advertising. I get digital. I love digital. But can we build more big logo-inspired lighthouses and parade that shit around the city? Or get old Dickie Dee ice cream bikes and rebrand them to sell Gelato like Newfoundland Chocolate Company did a few months back?
Our team are all over these kinds of ideas lately. They make customers FEEL more than a banner ad ever will.
Goin’ to the show?
So we’ll see you at Harbourage, a hippy-shake rockfest that everyone will be talking about all fall. The best part is all about what Rich Aucion is planning to do in his set!
AMAZING. Buy tickets now and follow the hype on Facebook.
PS: And after Harbourage, run to the official after party – a night of motown hits sung by a pile of great artists like Amelia Curran, Jody Richardson, Jenny Gear, Mark Bragg, Stephanie O’Brien, Me and a bunch of others! It’s all in support of an incredible organization I’m a part of: It’s Mental.
