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GPTMC Promotes Philly As A Place To Celebrate Halloween All October Long
Elvira Caps Off Month Of Halloween Festivities
Philadelphia is the place for families and adults to be in October, thanks to Halloween happenings taking place throughout the region that culminate with an appearance by American icon Elvira “Mistress of the Dark” on October 31, 2008. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is helping the region reap the benefits of this increasingly popular holiday—one in which consumers are expected to spend an estimated $5.7 billion according to the National Retail Federation—with a promotional blitz that includes special events, advertising, public relations, a microsite at gophila.com/halloween, social media components, hotel packages and partnerships with FOX 29 and others.
“With October 31 falling on a Friday this year and with Elvira in town to help us kick off the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday, it’s the perfect time for families and adults to spend a night or two exploring the region’s authentic Halloween attractions,” said Meryl Levitz, president & CEO, GPTMC. “Those who can’t make it on Halloween weekend have all month long to check out the region’s fun-but-spooky offerings.”
Highlights of the campaign include:
- Special Events: The month-long Halloween celebration will conclude in grand style on October 31, 2008, with a special appearance by Elvira. The most sought-after spokesperson for everything ghastly and ghoulish will kick off Halloween weekend by celebrating Edgar Allan Poe’s 200th birthday with her interpretation of The Raven at the Edgar Allan Poe National Historical Site. The horror icon will then make an appearance at Eastern State Penitentiary and finish the night at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue’s Haunted Halloween Bash.
- Advertising: On October 2, an e-mail blast about the region’s Halloween festivities went to 420,000 New York Times opt-in subscribers. In addition, through search engine optimization, GPTMC will ensure that gophila.com/halloween ranks high on key search engines. The advertising push will get another bump when a billboard touting Elvira’s appearance in Philadelphia begins its run on Route 30 in New Jersey. The billboard is expected to go up on October 17 (weather permitting), and approximately 58,000 will see it each day.
- Public Relations: With Halloween still several weeks away, Philadelphia’s month-long celebration is proving to be a media hit both locally and nationally. To date, the story has been picked up by 35 (and counting) outlets, including the Philadelphia Daily News, Courier-Post, MetroSource and dozens of blogs.
- gophila.com/halloween: The gophila.com microsite is the go-to source for Halloween happenings in the region. On the site, visitors can find out what’s going on throughout the month; view a weekend-long Halloween itinerary with interactive mapping, directions and a slideshow; book hotel packages; view a special video message from Elvira; and more.
- Social Media: Every Friday throughout October, uwishunu.com will feature a different Halloween attraction to help spread the word about Philly’s scariest haunts. GPTMC’s VisitPhilly Twitter account will generate buzz about Halloween happenings and Elvira’s appearance and whereabouts by sending messages to followers all month long. In addition, a Flickr Costume Pool will invite Halloween party-goers to submit photographs of themselves in their costumes. The best photos will be posted on uwishunu.com on November 3, 2008.
- Street Teams: Street teams clad in witch and ghost costumes will distribute thousands of invitations for the Elvira event at the Poe house at different events throughout the month, including First Friday, the Midtown Village 3rd Annual Fall Festival and OutFest. The invitations will also guide revelers to gophila.com/halloween for details about happenings throughout the month.
- Partnerships: Media partner Fox 29 will do segments on various Halloween attractions and activities throughout the month. They’ll also air two promo spots about Halloween festivities beginning in early October and run Elvira’s reading of The Raven live on their Web site on October 31. Additional partners include the National Park Service, Eastern State Penitentiary and the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue.
- Hotel Packages: Those attending the Haunted Halloween Bash at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue will want to take advantage of their one-night package, which includes two general admission tickets or two VIP tickets to the party. Another popular option is the Philly Overnight® Hotel Package, which includes two-night hotel accommodations, free parking (a savings of around $75 at most Center City hotels), a Philly’s More Fun™ teddy bear and a Macy’s Savings Pass. gophila.com/halloween
Contact(s):
- Bruce Yelk, (215) 599-7431
- Jeff Guaracino, (215) 599-2290
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