My Best Promotion

This month's My Best Promotion comes from John Resnick, a partner at Boston-based Proforma Printing and Promotion. He chose to share a promotion that details the company's work with the Rice Company, a marketing agency hired by Microsoft to promote Windows 7 at colleges and universities.

Promo Marketing: Could you describe a promotion that you consider one of your best?

John Resnick: The Rice Company, a marketing agency, was working with Microsoft to conduct a fall tour at colleges and universities promoting Windows 7, Microsoft's newest operating system. We were able to work closely with The Rice Company to identify just the right products that appeal to college 
students.

PM: What was the promotion's goal, and what did you do to make it happen?

JR: The goal was to increase awareness among college students about the new software. By selecting appropriate products, creating a buzz around the campuses and working closely with The Rice Company every step of the way, [we were] able to meet our goal.

PM: What kinds of items did you use in the promotion, and why?

JR: For this project we used lanyards, I.D. badges, T-shirts, jackets, laptop messenger bags, dry-erase markers and drawstring totes. We wanted to ensure that students would get use out of the products while keeping Microsoft top of mind.

We also worked with The Rice Company to provide 60,000 plastic cards that could be redeemed for laptop skins. Students could log on to a custom-designed website and use the code on the card to choose a vinyl skin. There was a survey option so Microsoft could compile data and measure the return on investment of the program. All parties involved loved the plastic cards and the quality of the work. Students found the website easy to navigate and couldn't wait to redeem their cards.