[The Smiler] Construction Updates and Ride Speculation

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Judging from their success as the UKs most checked in place, I can imagine most advertising will be done online. Cheaper and I would say Alton Towers has a lot more control.

I wouldn't think about TV adverts till late February/March.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk, please excuse any ridiculous mistakes!

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

They won't advertise it until they have a name to advertise.

Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

I'd love too see a small little TMOJ logo and a URL link to pop up as a small advert, would be great.

Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Johno said:

BigDave said:

Im sorry but why wouldn't advertising now work? Are some of you not already planning visits to over seas parks? To us a trip to Alton Towers might be planned a few days in advance, to the general public who have to travel miles and fork out a load of money, a trip to the park is a big deal and needs a lot of planning. Other large parks are already running fairly large advertising campaigns for their new attractions, so why should the UK's number one park be any different?

Its only 3 months away, 11 weekends if I've worked it out correct. Its hardly a year away is it?

Click to expand...

Anyone who believes that Alton will have TV slots 9-5 for 6 months is living in cloud cuckoo land to be honest...

Click to expand...

I wouldn't be so sure, living so close to X-Sector might give you the inside info!

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

If I remember correctly the adverts for Sub-Terra were out at Christmas or if not, then it wasn't that long afterwards, so why can't the SW7 ones be on TV soon? All they need is the face flashing a few times, then the Alton Towers Logo and 'Opening 16th March' or something like that on it. Simples *insert meerkat noise here*

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

The first major thing we got for Sub-Terra was that cartoon they released on New Years eve.
I highly doubt we will get anything as of yet. ;D

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Alton Towers will not market the ride now, there would be no point, the general public do simply not plan visits this early - it would just be a matter of people seeing the advert and going 'oh Alton Towers have got a new ride next year, we should go' then not going and forgetting about it.

End of Feb/start of March are ideal times to start nationwide marketing as people will book tickets around that time and most importantly, people will plan to visit during the Easter holidays, which I would guess is what the marketing team aim to do each year - school holidays are the biggest moneymaker for Alton Towers.

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Surely end of Feb/Start of March is waaaaay too late. I don't mean full on adverts, but if they just did a flashing face thing, like the Youtube video that those people made (sorry I can't remember who exactly it was) with the Alton logo at the end for now, then about mid jan/early feb start all of the proper stuff.

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Alton have never started any tv advertising even blip adverts before march, air blip Verts Aired two weeks before opening then the full advert 1 week latter.

Working in marketing there is no way it would be cost effective to start tv advertising this early. Other types of marketing yes and jan would be the right time to start these an then tv at the start of march.

Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

CupCakeMonster said:

Surely end of Feb/Start of March is waaaaay too late. I don't mean full on adverts, but if they just did a flashing face thing, like the Youtube video that those people made (sorry I can't remember who exactly it was) with the Alton logo at the end for now, then about mid jan/early feb start all of the proper stuff.

Click to expand...

I agree, at the end of the day 99% of people don't know there even is a new world beating coaster opening in march.

Sub terra name was released New Year's Eve. Maybe us and the public will get a teaser again on Monday ?

I do think they should put the idea out there. People will gather interest if blip verts started now. Not full on adverts but just putting the idea / name / concept out

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

CupCakeMonster said:

Surely end of Feb/Start of March is waaaaay too late. I don't mean full on adverts, but if they just did a flashing face thing, like the Youtube video that those people made (sorry I can't remember who exactly it was) with the Alton logo at the end for now, then about mid jan/early feb start all of the proper stuff.

Click to expand...

Nope, remember that the majority of the target market will consist of teenagers, most of which are in education. The end of Feb/start of March fits in perfectly with teenagers that will be planning their soon coming holidays, it's the ideal time for bookings.

In terms of viral marketing (my views in the post above yours only concern nationwide marketing) I expect that to happen on a wider scale from January. The joy of viral marketing is that it costs very little with a lot of gain. Here's how I expect SW7 marketing to play out next year:
January - Initial press release and/or press stunt to ramp up hype. Possible YouTube videos. Smiley face flashes on official site. Name reveal of SW7.
Start of Feb - Continuation of January marketing, possible second press release/stunt.
End of Feb/start of March - Nationwide marketing begins, advert blips on television followed by full adverts and SW7 featured on television shows/news channels. Press release also out around this time.
The rest of the year - Adverts aired nationwide in July/August to attract guests during summer period. Also aired around Scarefest.

Based on the way Alton Towers have worked in the past I think the above is likely to happen or be near to happening like that.

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Do they normal advertise for February half term ??

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Visited family today so popped down to see if anything new was in the car parks, nothing new but there was sounds of construction from x-sector so they really seem to be pushing construction working through Christmas week.

Still not sure I can see this opening on the 16th but who knows.

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Also been down today a lot of track has been moved but there seems still loads to be done.

There seems to be a lot of action taken place with the construction noise i got a few photos will try to upload them

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

If they've been working through Christmas Week, they are obviously behind schedule because of the weather. Let's hope that extra work will get them up to date and ensure that it will be open on the 16th!

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

We all know how much builders hate working over christmas so they are more than likely behind. I just hope I pass by driving test my the 16th so I can go

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

To be honested most company's work between Christmas and new year

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

If they hadn't been working over Christmas then something would have been seriously wrong. Have Christmas Day off, but apart from that it should be full steam ahead, this needs to open on time.

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

A lot of construction and manufacturing companies don't work on Christmas week, its really only the service industries and retail that ever do. I would guess it wasn't planned to work this week but they are playing catch-up.

Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Why is everyone so determined that they're behind schedule? Think Positively