Spring break is booze, booty and big business.
When college students head for sun and fun, they can learn something about Marketing 101.
“Corporate America has infiltrated spring break, especially the last five years,” Paul Tedeschi says. “It’s at the saturation point in places like Panama City Beach. Go there and walk a couple of blocks, and you’ll see setups for 20 companies.”
Tedeschi should know. His marketing firm, Mr. Youth, connects corporations with college kids. The client list includes Nike, Dunkin’ Donuts, Reebok, Samsung, Sprint, Coca-Cola, Calvin Klein, PlayStation and Nestle’s.
Victoria’s Secret, enlisted Tedeschi and his partner, Matt Britton, to unveil and launch its new line, Pink, during spring break last week in the South Beach section of Miami Beach. It’s the first time the company has introduced anything outside of a fashion show.
“South Beach was a really good target for Victoria’s Secret,” says Britton, since college students hitting this beach have more money to spend than at other spring break stops. Pink is for women ages 18 to 22 who want the sexiness of Victoria’s Secret at a cheaper price. Bras start at $12.50–less than half of what a Victoria’s Secret bra usually costs.
Victoria’s Secret hopes to lure young bra buyers from Target and Penney’s underwear aisles and build brand loyalty, says Monica Mitro, a Victoria’s executive. “They’ll cross-shop, they’ll buy lace and silk. But for now, they like having their own collection.”
Here’s your spring break marketing lesson: First, match the product with the place. You can’t take Victoria’s Secret to Panama City Beach because those kids don’t have the money South Beach spring breakers have.
In Panama City, they’ve got PlayStation. In South Beach, they’ve got free Pink panties.
What about South Padre Island? MTV likes that spring break locale, but corporations don’t.
“Too regional,” Tedeschi says.
How about Cancun, Mexico? Though it’s the No. 1 offshore college spring break stop, Tedeschi says it’s too risky for many corporations.
“Jamaica too. Companies don’t want to leave the U.S.”
After you match the right spring breakers with the right product, you begin the buzz. Create excitement about your event.
“Technology, fashion, music,” Britton says. “You leverage those to hit critical mass.”
Victoria’s buzz was a gift-wrapped, three-story, pink polka-dot box built in South Beach’s Lummus Park four days before their model-strutting event. Mr. Youth hired 20 buzz girls–wearing tight tops from the new line–to hand out “invitations” to the event.
“When the Countdown Ends, The Party BEGINS!”
The event–right on time–exploded with hip-hop music, the very hot Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio, 10 more models and plenty of free stuff.
Loads of free stuff.
Victoria’s Secret gave away 2,000 tank tops, 2,500 beach balls and 2,000 floppy hats. There was pink water, Italian ice, bracelets, stickers, temporary tattoos, beach bags–all with the Pink logo.
But the most important giveaway was about 2,000 plastic cards good for a free pair of Pink cotton underwear at one of six Miami-area Victoria’s Secret stores.
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale (cdipasquale@tribune.com) and Victoria Rodriguez (vrodriguez@tribune.com)
