actress or singer. Photographers took Polaroid pictures as keep-
sakes, and autographs were traded. There are many companies to-
day that hire “look-alike” celebrities to perform the same function,
and it still works to build attendance and excitement. Jay Lurye
started the concept, but he used the real McCoy!
He used his creativity and imagination to enlist “target mar-
kets” into the fold as “marketing partners.” For example, the Me-
chanical Contractors Association of America was his client and
was struggling to get support from its state and city chapters to at-
tend the annual convention. Lurye’s concept was to change the as-
sociation’s chapters from passive to active marketing partners. He
would give them a proprietary interest in the enterprise.
So he created a major reception and dinner as a highlight of
the convention and challenged the chapters to be among the first
20 to sponsor “hospitality centers” in which they would offer food
and drink indigenous to their localities, giveaways of memora-
bilia, and costumed characters reminiscent of their state’s history.
Only 20 theme centers were available. First come, first served.
They clamored to get on board.
Their pride swelling, the chapters immediately began trying to
outdo each other. The Kansas City chapter proudly served barbe-
cue and gave away miniature Kansas City Chiefs footballs. The
Louisiana chapter served fried oysters and crawfish and tossed
Mardi Gras doubloons and masks as a Dixieland band regaled the
crowd. The Seattle chapter drew a crowd with its smoked salmon
and Washington State wines. Seventeen other theme stations com-
peted for attention. The party became a living, exciting montage of
the association’s width, breadth, and diversity.
But while the event was a marketing marvel and a great suc-
cess, Lurye had a subtle strategy. The association itself saved a for-
tune on food and beverage expenses and entertainment costs that
the sponsoring chapters covered, all of which would have fallen
on the association for a more standard party.
In time, Lurye expanded his creativity into corporate meetings
and product launches, and ultimately conceived a service com-
pany producing college and fraternal reunions with the same
cutting-edge creativity he used to bring association events into the
modern age. Many of his marketing and management principles
still form the basis for contemporary event production and
promotion.
Chapter 1 Introduction to Event Marketing 5