What does Grease and apples have in common? Nope, me neither!

Pink Lady apples have partnered with the theatrical production of Grease to raise awareness of their brand. Pink Lady is giving away tickets, West End breaks (as the show is only on in London) and the chance to meet the cast (some guy who didn’t win x-factor….) which they are promoting through the press.

 Just because there is a nasty gang of teasing girls called the Pink Ladies does mean that this is a good reason to create a promotional partnership with them?  Am I missing the part in the film where the cast suddenly stopped smoking and said “I fancy an apple instead”? From Pink Lady's point of view this is a bit too literal.

I can see why Grease would do it, any additional exposure is welcome but why Pink Lady? Pink Lady are also receiving nothing at the west end venue hosting Grease in terms of sampling, branding, advertising, direct marketing or sales promotions. It all seems very one sided.

Grease said yes as it will cost them nothing and Pink Lady appear desperate to get some kind of point of difference. But Grease? 70’s music and slick back hair, leather jackets and tight trousers, illicit teenage sex and dancing…..where’s the brand values that Pink Lady wants to be reflect and be positively associated with? If you just focused on the Pink Ladies gang itself the brand values get worse as there was nothing healthy or tasty about this bunch of promiscuous bullies! Maybe they are trying to position apples as rebellious?

Even more bizarre is a part of the activity will see the show’s Pink Ladies characters posing and singing in various locations alongside a Pink Lady branded “Mini Clubman” car which is currently driving around the UK giving away samples of the apples. Now this strikes me as the least efficient way to give away sample apples. How many apples can one mini hold? Surely a better to connect with the film and have a series of Greased Lightning cars giving away apples…….not very sexy though it is!

Dont men relax in the bath and dream too?

Radox have launched a very imaginative promotion giving away 10,000 splash proof Kathy Lette books or downloads for those in the 21st century. The book is all about life and lust, marriage and divorce. It is also about a women’s busy lifestyles and how they should be more selfish with their time for their sake and the sake of everyone around them.  http://www.be-selfish.co.uk/#/how-to-be-selfish/

I love the thought of a splash free book...maybe they could do splash free newspapers or iphone......sorry I digress. Radox are also giving away the ubiquitous  spa break as well as giving time tips to busy mums but it is the partnership with the publisher  that is truly capturing the spirit of what a relaxing bath should be all about.....you! What is missing is a brand partnership with a book retailer to order more of her books and more books in general for you to relax and enjoy in the bath with or without splahes.
The only drawback of this entire marketing and promotional strategy is that it is aimed exclusively at women! And women with kids at that. Does this mean single young women and men don’t have luxuriating baths to think about life and relax? To have their own time to get away from the kids or the wife or work or life for a few minutes? Where’s the man’s version of this splash free book? Maybe I could suggest a splash free Nick Hornby or Bear Grylls, Andy McNab or Jeremy Clarkson? 

Chocolate and handbags now if we just had shoes that would be everything a girl could wish for!

I really like the new promotion that Kinder’s Bueno chocolate is running to win one of 100 designer handbags.  Clearly aimed at women’s desire for  designer handbags to place their Bueno chocolate in, they have created a reason that a woman would switch brands. Women will do anything for handbags and shoes...and chocolate!

Now the downside...the Bueno “win a designer handbag" website has either not been created or updated or  launched. If it has it can’t be found on Google. So the main site is still running its existing “a little bit of what you fancy” promo.  Surely it’s not too much to co-ordinate this? Especially as when you search for win designer handbags there are a million and one brands who are doing the same as Bueno (although at least no of them make chocolate).

Of course what would make me really love this promotion and for this to be a true brand partnership would be if Bueno had partnered with a designer handbag brand like Marc Jacobs or Matthew Williamson. However they haven’t. Now if they could form an alliance with Jimmy Choo or Christian Louboutin for their next promotion they could be onto a real winner!