Gearunlimited.com is set to launch what it believes is the first direct marketing campaign on DVD when Columbia TriStar Home Video next month releases the DVD version of “Cliffhanger” starring Sylvester Stallone.
Under the promotion, the DVD will contain a link to gearunlimited.com touting a special promotion for mountain climbing equipment and gear.
Based in Toronto, gearunlimited is an online marketer of action adventure sports equipment and one of the many companies working with Columbia TriStar to promote TriStar's “Champagne Celebration: 2000 A Day Giveaway” sweepstakes. Other partners include Burger King, Sony, Kellogg's, Prodigy Internet Service, Capital Records, Radisson Hotels and Russell Athletic T-Shirts. As part of the sweepstakes, Columbia TriStar will give prizes each day to winners who purchase Columbia home videos or DVDs and then register at its site.
The gearunlimited promotion with Columbia TriStar is scheduled to begin June 13 and run through September. Advertising for the promotion will include a direct e-mail campaign to gearunlimited's customer database, a two-sided advertisement on “Cliffhanger” DVD packages, an online promotional page with a direct link from the Columbia TriStar Web site and a mention in gearunlimited's mountain climbing section.
“Cliffhanger” hits stores on DVD early next month.
“From a PC, a user will be able to click on the box and be taken directly to a newly designed gearunlimited.com/'Cliffhanger' page within our main site,” said Louie Manzo, vice president of marketing at gearunlimited. “From a DVD player, the box will also mention the offer and encourage the user to launch their browser in order to visit the site.”
In the first week of June, gearunlimited is going to get a direct e-mail campaign under-way when it sends each of the 50,000 people in its database a message announcing the promotions.
“We will also include information on each of the promotions over the next three months within some mass e-mailings that we will be doing to our members,” Manzo said. “There is going to be some direct mailing on our part, but we do not have any plans at this point to include these promotions within those.”
Columbia TriStar also will be giving its frequent visitors the opportunity to learn more about the gearunlimited special offer through a new page on its site that will include a link to the gearunlimited.com/”Cliffhanger” page.
“For those who do not buy the DVD or receive our e-mail, they will be able to learn about the Columbia TriStar sweepstakes and our offer through promotional spots on our site,” Manzo said. “We will make mention of both promotions in strategic spots within our site.”
According to Manzo, Columbia TriStar initially plans to release 100,000 copies of “Cliffhanger” on DVD to retail locations. For the following three months, it will issue another 10,000 copies each month.
