Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Swag give-aways

This is topic Swag give-aways in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 03-20-2012, 02:50 PM:

How do you folks handle give-aways? I just got a box of Hunger Games swag that I'll be giving away on Friday and every time I get this stuff I always wonder if there's a better way to hand it out.

I've tried calling out random ticket numbers, but by the time I do that it seems that most of the crowd has already thrown away or otherwise disposed of their ticket so that doesn't work.

Which leaves me with just going into the auditorium and walking up and down the aisle handing stuff out one side and the other until it's gone. It's never seemed particularly random or fair to do it that way, though.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 03-20-2012, 03:14 PM:

Make them fill out a form with all contact number to enter in the raffle. That way they don't have to hold on to anything and you have names for your email lists or mailing lists. If, that is, you have an email or mailing list. If not, you may want to start one.

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 03-20-2012, 03:16 PM:

We've taped prize tags on the bottom of random seats and gone in before the show starts and have patrons check the bottom of there seat to see if they are a winner.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 03-20-2012, 03:27 PM:

I use our Facebook page for most giveaways any more. Sometimes I do trivia, sometimes I do a drawing based on people who replay to a particular thread or photo.

For the Hunger Games I got some paperback which I gave away through a drawing. I also got a bunch of Mockingjay pins and Hunger Games trading cards. I am going to give those away on Friday night - I'll post on Facebook that anyone coming to the box office and saying "Mockingjay" when they buy their ticket for the 6:40 show that night will receive a pin or box of card while they last.

Finally, I got a pack of mini one-sheets which I will just put out on a table for people to help themselves.

The other thing that I've done in the past is hand out drawing tickets to each person going to an event showing - such as the midnight show. Then I draw numbers prior to the start of the show. In this case I just hand out the tickets as people walk in the door, and tell them they need to drop half in the "fish bowl" to be entered.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-20-2012, 03:55 PM:

That stuff is actually meant as a gift for the manager. Really. I've never known anyone to up and give it away. You guys are very generous.

Posted by Edward Havens (Member # 4715) on 03-20-2012, 06:02 PM:

We use studio swag as prizes for our concession staff for a good job done, unless specifically requested to hand it out to customers. Then I do a trivia game.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 03-21-2012, 12:03 AM:

I really like the idea of taping claim tickets under random seats. The only way that I can see it not working well would be if there is a very small crowd in the auditorium, but I don't think that's going to be a problem with the Hunger Games. [Smile]

Posted by Melanie Loggins (Member # 6454) on 03-21-2012, 03:01 PM:

You do realize that little theatres like mine are jealous of swag, right? We never get anything!

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 03-21-2012, 03:16 PM:

Melanie - contact your studio reps and ask. We very rarely get anything automatically. But I can usually get things when I ask my studio reps.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 03-21-2012, 04:51 PM:

I worked someplace years ago where we'd have a yearly "Will Rogers Institute" collection and since people in corporate wanted us to meet certain minimum goals that were unattainable otherwise, we would raffle pieces of swag in some of the busy movies.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-21-2012, 05:16 PM:

Has it ever been proven that swag actually increases the boxoffice performance of a movie? I have a hard time believing somebody says "Oh crap, look at that Harry Potter coffee mug! I wasn't planning on going to it, but after seeing the coffee mug, I gotta see that movie."

I guess it's all "name recognition" but it sure seems like they spend a lot of the promo budget on stuff that does very little to promote the movie.

Posted by Joe Elliott (Member # 4006) on 03-21-2012, 11:08 PM:

Studio Reps will also be more forthcoming with swag if they know you are going to use it. Back when I managed a drive-in in the 90's, we built a 28ft long submarine for Crimson Tide, from a kit the studio sent us. Theaters were to construct out of poster board. We were told we were one of only a few theaters across the country that actually built the thing, and we ensured one of the local movie reviewers/PR guys mentioned it on his radio show (thanks Jack Possinger). After that, we received in swag on a regular basis, without asking for it.

Posted by Edward Havens (Member # 4715) on 03-22-2012, 04:35 AM:

Mike, it's more for a reward for those who show up. "Hey, you're coming to see Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol? If you see it in IMAX at the 12:01am premiere show, you'll get this exclusive mini-poster designed by some awesome underground graphic artist at a trendy gallery next to Green Apple Comics who's going to be the next Shepard Fairey" or "Hey, remember when we went to see Super 8 in IMAX at that theatre and the goofy theatre manager gave away some Super 8 t-shirts for answering some really easy trivia questions? Maybe they'll do that again for The Hunger Games! Did you see how all the employees had mockingbird pins on? Maybe they'll give some away!"

Posted by Michael Riley (Member # 5693) on 03-26-2012, 07:00 PM:

You guys still get swag? Over the last few years it's been like pulling teeth to get anything but mini one sheets. Every studio seems to want a complete outline of all promotional efforts including how you're going to use the items, most requre media, and want everything detailed and documented with media value sheets, pictures, and ad copies. It's just way too much effort. What happened to the days when the studios would just send you a big box of stuff? I guess too much promotional stuff made it's way to eBay rather than actually being used for promotions, so they clamped down and put tight reigns on it. I remember in the past getting good stuff like video games, CD's, toys, so obviously the temptation is great for management to just pocket this stuff rather than give it away.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 03-26-2012, 07:34 PM:

Micheal: I can almost always get things from Sony when they have them. Fox and Universal are almost as easy. Summit gave me stuff for the Twilight movies, but I never asked for their other films. Lionsgate gave me stuff for The Hunger Games, but I never asked for any of their other movies.

Disney and Warner Brothers will occasionally give me thing, but not reliably.

Paramount seems to be the only studio that won't give me anything unless it's tied to a media giveaway. However, they seem to be willing to send items for giveaways on Facebook.

When we play films from Focus, they will often send non-traditional advertising material, but usually not t-shirts and such. Then again, the audience for most Focus films is not interested in that kind of stuff. Although they did send t-shirts and soundtracks for Milk.