should also have a message on it that promotes the event. Some-
times the act of giving something away can be used to get media
coverage.
Whenever there is a chance to win a large sum of money or a
trip to an exotic location, people will be attracted in large num-
bers. Also, if there is a chance for someone to win a car or a mil-
lion dollars, both the public and the media will take notice. But,
remember, by holding one of these contests, you will create a lot
of awareness as well as a lot of disappointed people who did not
win. As a result, you may damage your event.
In 1990, Foot Locker created the first Million Dollar Shot,
which took place during the rookie game at the NBA’s All-Star
Weekend. One person was chosen at random that year to take a
half-court shot for the million dollars. National publicity prior to
the event included a story on the front page of USA Todayand an
appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman.When the
winner, a 15-year-old boy, missed the big shot in front of millions
of people on TV, his immediate reaction was to cry in the arms of
his parents. The public’s reaction to his crying was not the best
publicity for Foot Locker.162 Chapter 7 Marketing Festivals, Fairs, and Other Special Events
Sometimes There Is a Free Lunch!
The agency in charge of the grand-opening events for the
Vanity Fair Factory Outlet Malls wanted to create aware-
ness in the media that there was something special inside
the shopping center. To accomplish this, the agency ran a
promotion: For the four days of the grand opening, the
mall would be giving away a free pair of Lee jeans (made
by Vanity Fair) to the first 400 people who came through
the door. Each day, there was a line of more than 400
people, stretching almost the length of three football
fields, all camping out on beach chairs and blankets be-
fore the doors even opened. To the media who passed by
and saw a huge line every morning, their only impression
was that there must be something going on inside the
new store. To the traffic reporters who saw traffic jams on
the nearby roads, they reported on a “new hot store that
has lines before it even opens.”