Social Media and Networking

Social networking sites like facebook and twitter are an essential tool for promoting events, with over 30 million users in the UK primarily  in the 20-29 age group it is a perfect interactive promotional hub for new and regularly updated events and festivals..

 

Smirnoff have a facebook page with the events pages being added to these. These event pages mean  promoters are able to follow the amount of people attending and the general response to the event, it also offers a place for other attendees to socialise even before the event. They are also able to write descriptions of the nights, links to ticket sales and pictures of these events. 

Smirnoff however has taken social media promotion to the next level with its branding has teamed up with facebook The Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange app, linked to from the Smirnoff Facebook fan pages, is there to gather and display user generated content around the campaign (suggestions for the essence of countries’ nightlife – eg in Britain, kebabs were a popular suggestion), and for users to apply for tickets to the night. The page also keeps fans up to date with the campaign as new content is available.

Facebook ads give brands a set of useful tools to target users like very few other platforms, Smirnoff have created something engaging, (what is British style? also most are likely to have a view) and it allows users who do engage to go a further step to find out how people they know voted. this is a great way to get users involved and the interactive aspect of voting

Finally, users can ‘like’ the Smirnoff page direct from the ad using click-throughs, allowing Smirnoff to enter into an ongoing dialogue with users in future. 

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DUBNIUM does not have so much of this online presence, where it is present is with people supporting and involved with the event, using the fanbase to help promote the event through word of mouth, the events they hold do have event pages on facebook which hold all the information about the event including full line-up information, ticket outlets, and promotions for the night.

Dubnium also have a page on youtube.com featuring footage from past events, these videos always feature the flyer and info for the next upcoming event and what people can expect from their nights. As Dubnium do not have a big budget for marketing they can use the success of previous nights as a promotional tool, if they are able to show what they have to offer and their culture of music.

Radio and Blog

Smirnoff's Nightlife Exchange Project's PR campaign extends to the UK's radio shows, Galaxy FM. This snippet features a competition for tickets to the event.. Galaxy FM is part of Global which is the biggest commercial radio broadcaster in the uk  Galaxy are the top three commercial radio brands in the UK, Glaxay fm has a share of 2.6% of the average 77% of the population who regulary listen to the radio.

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Dubnium's target audience wouldn't really be found in the mainstream of national radio. To offer an alternative they feature their DJ's mix's on online radio stations such as mixcloud and on blogs. 

Being on blogs rather than radio stations offers more versatility and directness when trying to communicate with your target audience. Blogs can be updated regulary andd dubnium offer promotional mix's from their resident DJ's to advertise the kind of music they are trying to promote. They use local blogs that feature the local night life such as

Tim Heywood's Bournemouth Music Blog  which is regularly updated with news on uppcoming events and lightlife in the city.

Articles and Print Media

Smirnoff has teamed up with Zane Lowe to push the £8million marketing campaign to the forefront, the radio 1 DJ has been promoting the Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project featuring in news articles throughout the PR campaign. They have chosen a well known voice of popular music. Radio one being the most listened to radio station in the UK, he hosts his own radio show as well as touring at UK and international events. 

"Once all of the suggestions were in, BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane selected the ones that best represented the nations vibrant and varied nightlife"

He has been brought to put a recognisable face to the brand and has proved very successful promoting previous nights for Smirnoff last year. He has also featured on interviews and event hosted and played previous events. In other country's where these events have been held they will also feature an international equivalent DJ or host to be involved with the marketing campaign. They also asked him to help select the proposed themes for the nights.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/sep/14/smirnoff-zane-lowe-nightlife-exchange-project

Both lengthy paid for advertorials and organic PR in Time Out, Shortlist, Stylist, London newspapers, Grazia and others. 

http://www.timeout.com/london/smirnoff-nightlife-exchange/?DCMP=OTC-smirnoff-fireplace-mag&

MTV have also created an online hub for the Nightlife Exchange, this includes a paid for piece of online video content presented by MTV news reporter Tim Cash.

http://www.mtv.co.uk/events/smirnoff-nightlife-exchange/news/249065-smirnoff-nightlife-exchange-project-grand-finale

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DUBNIUM

DUBNIUM does not stretch to such print media and articles as it is solely based on an emerging underground music scene. When they are mentioned in any other media is it usually twinned with promoting another upcoming event with more status such as 'Outlook Festival' in Croatia. These events marketing campaigns are intertwined and they cross promote by organising nights such as 'Outlook Festival Reunion Party'

First Encounter

I first became aware of what Smirnoff where doing through where i spend a lot of my time, on the television. Last year i saw this advert which was for their events in 2010.

I thought this advert was very well made and pushed the fact that this is happening all over the world, this concept appealed to me as with so many people being involved in this event across the globe it made me want to be a part of it, i can imagine others would have a similar response, with their more recent television adverts they have been urging people to get involved through facebook and vote for their town to play host to the event, this plays more on the idea of getting people involved in the night and with facebook which is a great platform as it is effectively you on an Internet page and allows you to interact with others attending the event through the social networking ideology.

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The first i heard of DUBNIUM was from a friend who goes to university in Bournemouth, i had been wanting to attend one of their nights for a while due to the lack of reggae influenced nights around the south of England. however after seeing the lineup for their outlook festival reunion party, which included some of my favorite artists, we decided to make the long trip down to Bournemouth for it. this poster was the first i saw of the nights..

This event was in collaboration with outlook festival in Croatia which markets to the same demographic and with similar artists playing, this was a great way to advertise the European festival to people living in Bournemouth, as to give them a taste of what to expect, it turned me onto it and I'm now attending this festival this September. this was successful event as cross promotion lead to the appeal of both nights.

The Events...

DUBNIUM holds regular monthly events in Bournemouth, the next event is the 26th Feb. The event showcases Local and Global DJs and live bands/artists in underground music scene focusing on Dubstep, Jungle and Reggae music. The hosting venue is a converted firestation with a 1200 capacity, therfore their marketing campaign needs to be very consistent and locally influenced, they have achieved this through word of mouth and verbal communications rather than sponsorship and mainstream media. Through starting from the underground music scene of free music party's they have been able through time to slowly build a loyal and consistent fan base. They rely on these people which make the event, more so than other events as they have built up this fan base over time and would not be able to hold the event without them as they have no influence through mainstream media. This makes this event organisation unique. The event costs £6 admittance and tickets are available through their own website and several shops in the surrounding area including the local university shop.

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Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project is holding its second event of the year on the 25th of March in Hatfield which had been voted for on facebook as the town to host the event. It boasts a 'Taste of Miami' with carnival entertainment, Miami Djs and Smirnoff's new drink; the Miami Mule. The events marketing campaign includes; Television, Print, Radio, Social Network Media and an experimental 'touring smirnoff crate'. The event is being sponsored and organised under the vodka brand leaving an endless budget for its marketing campaign. The event is held at the university's local venue and admittance is £15. Free entry is also available subject to a visit to one of the crates touring the area.

'Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project' Vs 'Dubnium Sounds'

In this blog i will be following the marketing communications of two events companys..
'Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project' Vs 'Dubnium Sounds'

The Smirnoff Exchange Project is a Diageo-owned organisation, its events are marketed with their 'Be There' experiential campaign featuring sponsored parties and events with a campaign to share the dance culture of major cities across the globe. They are funded and organised by the vodka brand 'Smirnoff', this already established brand is its key of promotion and funding. The very original concept of their events is the themeing of their events through 2 country's that have swapped theme's for the night, eg. Miami & London, Cananda & Thailand. 

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Dubnium Sounds very contrasting event organisation, it is a home grown events company which formed through a group of friends and love of reggae roots music and the emerging genre of Dubstep music. They started without sponsership and arrived through the free party movement with their own sound-system and series of Dj's. They entered into the club scene in 2007 starting in small venues and working their way up too regular events in a 1200 people strong venue, with monthly events and world reknown artists, they offer an alternative night of music and entertainment.

I will be exploring the marketing and promotion communications of these events through  online media, social networking and direct mail.