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HHN Marketing


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So me and a few smart other members were having a conversation about HHN's marketing. The overall feel is that it's getting better but could be so much more. Keep in mind this is not related to us fans. As we known everything HHN months before the GP knows anything. We are speaking directly towards their marketing for the GP. The site has been up and all the info is out. Though I still have people asking me what is the theme this year. So maybe their not reaching everyone.

Do you feel it's been good or bad? If your answer is good name some points, if bad name those as well.

How do you feel they could improve?

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I think no matter how much marketing you have.. you won't be able to reach everyone, and some people will still not know the theme. A lot of people don't care to know about HHN until October rolls around. I know when I first started going.. I didn't care about the event until it was October. I think marketing wise..they are definitely doing better though. Using all the social medias out there is definitely a plus. I hope next year they use social media more to build up hype.

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Marketing is all about gaining the interest of a captive audience and using it to your utmost advantage. I would say that Universal does a great job of that with the long time fans, keeping our interest year round. With the HHN website, Facebook and Twitter, they are definitely using technology to their advantage while still going old school with the billboards and in-store signage we see as well.

There are many people out there who don't find haunt season or Halloween remotely as interesting as all of us do...I know that's a shocker ;) This same group of people are aware of HHN but don't follow it and probably don't take much notice of the event till sometime in October. Universal can only direct so much attention to that group and I think by partnering up with Burger King, Publix and the other outlets that showcase discount coupons and tickets that helps direct the information a bit more to the general public.

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Hush again you hit it spot on. Marketing is to bring the event to the attention to everyone. Sure i've seen the web ads and the Burger King bags/cups. Though I have not seen the commercial in theatres or on television. I remember back in 2003. I saw that commerical all the time.

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I haven't seen a single commercial this year, maybe it's the DVR's fault, maybe I'm not watching the right channels but I don't know haven't seen a commercial this year and can only think of about 5 billboards I've seen and most of those were on the 408. Maybe I'm just not paying as much attention but I really don't know.

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Hush again you hit it spot on. Marketing is to bring the event to the attention to everyone. Sure i've seen the web ads and the Burger King bags/cups. Though I have not seen the commercial in theatres or on television. I remember back in 2003. I saw that commerical all the time.

I haven't seen the commercial yet either. I'm not sure if they are choosing a certain demographic which means it's only being shown on certain channels at certain times or what. There for a few years, it seems we were seeing commercials on every channel at every time of day.

I haven't seen a single commercial this year, maybe it's the DVR's fault, maybe I'm not watching the right channels but I don't know haven't seen a commercial this year and can only think of about 5 billboards I've seen and most of those were on the 408. Maybe I'm just not paying as much attention but I really don't know.

I'm beginning to wonder if it's a combination of all of the above Jake. I too have yet to see the commercial, but as I said above it could be they are targeting different demographics and are only airing it on certain channels. I can't see Universal dialing down the commercial aspect of things because they have the cash to place them on whatever channel at whatever time they want. I've only seen one billboard thus far, but I think it's the simple fact that I haven't been paying as much attention. (And I also don't drive the main roads where they are usually placed...)

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I would think they would want to excite people close to the event opening. Well were getting really close. I thought maybe the theme is advertise to the adult crowd. Though their is not one thing adult-ish about the event than it's been before. Maybe the money for Ad's have dropped a little or maybe their waiting for October to hit. All the free social marketing has to be saving them a little bit of money. Hopefully more money to ad to next year's event.

Has anybody heard of a radio ad yet? or Seen the hotel ad?

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I would think they would want to excite people close to the event opening. Well were getting really close. I thought maybe the theme is advertise to the adult crowd. Though their is not one thing adult-ish about the event than it's been before. Maybe the money for Ad's have dropped a little or maybe their waiting for October to hit. All the free social marketing has to be saving them a little bit of money. Hopefully more money to ad to next year's event.

Has anybody heard of a radio ad yet? or Seen the hotel ad?

As the event continues on into it's 21st year I also tend to believe that the marketing folks at Universal realize that they have a pretty captive audience and that word of mouth tends to also helps. After two decades worth of marketing and consistently being voted as one of the top Halloween events in the country, the people who really want to attend, attend, regardless of the marketing. And likewies a great deal is done in house via the hotels, CityWalk and the parks. Again, another captive audience, guests already on property who are intrigued by the event and can just buy a Stay and Scream ticket to check it out. I know many folks who were in town, happened to see info on the event in the park or at their hotel, upgraded their day ticket and have been hooked on HHN ever since.

When you've been putting on an event for this long, you almost don't need to saturate the market with advertising. Sometimes, the simpler the better. Less exposure can be the most intriguing sometimes! Perhaps that is what they are shooting for this year....or come October all we'll be seeing and hearing are HHN 21 commercials. ;)

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I would think they would want to excite people close to the event opening. Well were getting really close. I thought maybe the theme is advertise to the adult crowd. Though their is not one thing adult-ish about the event than it's been before. Maybe the money for Ad's have dropped a little or maybe their waiting for October to hit. All the free social marketing has to be saving them a little bit of money. Hopefully more money to ad to next year's event.

Has anybody heard of a radio ad yet? or Seen the hotel ad?

I didn't start hearing the radio ad until yesterday, and then proceded to hear it about 8 times total throughout the day.

A lot of times they won't start pushing advertisements until one event is over. Now the RTU is done, expect to see the ramp-up start.

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I have not heard the radio ad, or seen the commercial, but then again, I listen to NPR and don't watch TV. :D

Believe it or not, I have actually had fellow team members ask me what the theme is. Some people, no matter how much you advertise, just won't pay attention or notice. They certainly do have a captive audience, and I guess the ads are to bring in the folks who normally might not attend.

You think perhaps the commercials aren't being shown much locally, and instead of in other, farther away markets? If you advertise the event to someone who doesn't live less than 2 hours away, you increase revenue because they need to get a hotel, purchase day tickets for the park, eat there more often, buy souvenirs, etc.

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I've heard the radio ad, and I've seen a few billboards in the Lake Buena Vista/535 area by my apartment, but that is about it if I'm thinking in the mindset if I was apart of the GP. I rarely get on the full site Facebook because I use my phone, same with Twitter, so I've seem to miss most of those updates, unless I specific visit their pages to catch up. Also being a college grad living with roommates still in school we opted out of cable to save money so I haven't seen any of the commercials on TV. I agree that the use of social media is key though. I probably wouldn't have noticed the billboards if I haven't been a fan and been on this site. Just because I wouldn't have been looking for them. As I stated, I don't have cable so I wouldn't have seen the TV commercial. I also don't eat at Burger King or shop at Publix. (Walmart, baby!) But I know eventually I would have seen advertisements on Facebook or Twitter, and would hear the radio advertisements. Also, I have an annual pass, so just visiting the park, I think they are doing a good job of advertising upcoming holiday events so you are interested to find out more information if you hadn't seen any other advertisement yet.

I still think they could do more with social media. Maybe make a check-in for each house on foursquare, and explore twitter more? However; their photos they tweeted have been awesome so far. :D

Did they extend the original leaked commercial for TV or is it still the short one?

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The thing is, Horror Nights is flat out marketed towards me, the middle class, 20 year old, male. Why I have seen NO tv commercials is beyond me, but alas I still have not. Radio, well I have a satellite so that explains that and I don't feel like billboards are as aggresive as they have been in the past. I drive to UCF atleast once a week from Clermont and I see few billboards. Once more, maybe I'm not paying attention but idk.

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Very good question Kim. I wonder if people who live outside of FL see any of the ad's. They plastered the billboards everywhere as of now. Finally I've seen the commercial on regular tv now. Another easy form of marketing their doing which I did not think of before. Is the street construction. It grabs regular folks attention. They take photos and are interested into what it might be.

Just today I've seen the regular park maps with HHN advertised on the back. Another smart move. Hey why not show the commercial on the large video in City Walk. Though speaking on the commercial. I get a better since of what the event holds by looking at the website's house/street listings then the ad shows. If I based off my decision of going or not on the ad alone. I would not go. Do you feel that Lady Luck is a weak ad point or a strong one?

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I've seen the save with a Coke can ad on TV a few times now.

I honestly believe that to a certain extent that there really isn't much of a need to overly market the event anymore. There is such a huge draw every year that Universal doesn't need to soak as much into the marketing budget as they once did. Between billboards, social media, commercial spots on radio and television, ads in travel guides (like AAA), the advertisement on property, in on site hotels and off site partner hotels...they've got a good grasp on the audience they are looking for.

Remember this has become one of the premiere Halloween events in the country, when you've reached that stature, you don't have to focus on your marketing efforts quite as much as you once did.

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Remember this has become one of the premiere Halloween events in the country, when you've reached that stature, you don't have to focus on your marketing efforts quite as much as you once did.

Yep. I don't need to see ads for Knott's Scary Farms to know it exists and want to go.

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Yep. I don't need to see ads for Knott's Scary Farms to know it exists and want to go.

Exactly my point :)

Many of the premier events across the country don't require the advertising that some of the smaller venues/events do. If you love Halloween and are into haunt season in general, you keep track throughout the year of what's happening with the bigger events.

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