This document provides 10 tips for promoting city events. It explains that city events are unique experiences that can put a town on the map, involve citizens, increase tourism and revenue. However, events also require promotion to attract an audience as they are economically fragile. The tips suggest using all traditional marketing channels as well as more innovative approaches like guerrilla marketing, viral marketing, warm-up mini-events and leveraging partnerships and supporters to spread awareness of the event. Overall the document emphasizes customizing your promotional strategy to capture the unique experience and story of your specific event.

1. 10 TIPS TO
PROMOTE YOUR CITY EVENT
Mikkel Bechshøft, Bysted A/S

2. > This presentation was made for a seminar about city events
in Copenhagen
> Bysted is one of Denmark’s largest communication agencies
Bysted work with:
> Events & exhibitions
> Experiences
> Communication strategies, analysis and campaigns
> PR
> Websites
> Design and visual identity

3. what is going to happen?
what is so special about city-events?
then why do we have to promote them?
ok, then give me some ideas…

4. what is so special about city events?

5. Bad: Street riot in Copenhagen
Good: Gay pride in Copenhagen
They are good positive experiences

6. The international Vildbjerg football cup has made the town of Vildbjerg
known to many (young) people in Europe
They can put a town on the map

7. The Madonna concert in Horsen, Denmark was the first time Madonna visited
Denmark in her career
They are unique one time experiences

8. Woodstock is still talked about alot
They create a special bond between the participants

9. The Fringe Festival in Edinburgh is funny and surprising
The break everyday city life

10. The Earth Hour event sends a strong message to politicians around the
world
They can send a strong message

11. Sidney volunteers park
They involve citizens

12. On the way to Roskilde Festival – to spend a lot of money..
They can increase tourism, revenue and jobs

13. then why do we have to promote them?

14. It is all
about…

15. SALES!

16. The Copenhagen carnival is very dependent on the weather
Events are economically fragile products

17. No tickets sold?
An audience is a prerequisite for the existence of events

18. 30.606 events in the Danish culture-network KultuNaut
…but the audience have many options

19. Copenhagen was voted Best Liveable City 2008 by Monocole magazine
Tourists and foreign attention is valuable…

20. Skanderborg and Vesterbro festivals advertise more than six months prior
to the events. That creates positive expectations.
…and creating the right expectations through marketing
can be half of the event itself

21. Events are special because:
they are not like physical products
every event is unique and experienced in a different way by
each member of the audience
if no one buys a ticket then the income is lost forever – unlike
e.g. in a restaurant where the same table can be sold the next
evening

22. Then how am I going to promote my event?

23. Incorporate your ”event experience” in the marketing
strategy before, during and after the event
Be unique – like your event is
Try to find the good story in your event
Surprise your potential audience
Be inspired by the promotion and history of former similar
events

24. ok, then give me some ideas…

25. public relations sense-marketing
street promotion
web banners
sponsorship
radio
direct-mail viral
sms
tv wikies
website
outdoor
web video
stunts
cross-promotion mini-events
google ads

26. All the
traditional
channels can
be used…
…it’s all about
how you use
them…

27. WEB
3 great examples of event websites
1. London Olympics
2. Spot festival, Århus, Denmark
3. World Outgames 2009

28. YOU TUBE
Get on You Tube and
connect with your audience
1. London Olympics
2. Spot festival, Århus,
Denmark

29. COMMUNITY + WIKI
Use a community or Wiki to interact
with your audience and get them to
return to your website – even after
the event
1. World Outgames 2009
2. Wiki example

30. NETWORK
Use your network!
1. Sonar, Barcelona
2. City Events seminar, Copenhagen

31. LISTINGS
Get on eventful, regonline, etc.

32. PR
Find the unique story of
your event and sell it to the
press.
Skanderborg festival made
beer cans to sleep in
– that was a unique story!

33. AD CAMPAGINS
Often your marketing
budget is relatively limited –
running ads might be too
costly compared to the
effect…
Online Special-outdoor Too expensive?

34. USE THE SENSES
Mmm…truck smell
How does Roskilde
festival smell?
Mmm…coffee

35. WARM-UP EVENTS
Pre-event in the Copenhagen Metro
Sidney celebrated the Olympics
nomination with a big fireworks show –
the promotion had begun

36. GUERILLA
Surprise your audience
World Outgames in Montreal
The tv-channel Zulu put their
mascot-man where their
open-air cinema would be set
up during summer in
Copenhagen
WWF used a strong projector
to promote Earth Hour

37. VIRAL
Viral marketing is much more
than making a funny video – i.e.
use Google Calendar to get
your audience to spread
information about your event
to their own network

38. SUPPORTERS
Get politicians, royals and
business people to support
your event

39. GOOD LUCK –
go for it

40. MIKKEL BECHSHØFT BYSTED A/S
Copenhagen
www.bysted.dk