[The Smiler] Marketing discussion

[JayTricky]

Team Edit
This topic contains posts from the previous SW7 discussion topic which discuss the marketing for the ride. With little hints of marketing popping up around the country, we thought it best to split discussion off so that the other topic can concentrate on construction updates and ride speculation. Post your ideas for marketing, your feedback and of course photos/links to marketing in here .​

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This coaster is going to be brilliant. I love how compact it looks already. It's a shame that it looks like it could be delayed but I'm not going to lose sleep over it - this happens to the best of parks, due to unforeseen circumstances. Still, I'm hoping for the best.

I can't wait til the marketing hots up. That's the really exciting part. Whilst I'm here I'd like to share with you my SW7 Soundtrack creation below...

Alton Towers SW7 CUSTOM SOUNDTRACK (downtempto)

 

[Jonathan]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Looks like marketing's getting more under way, with this photo being taken by TS member Sammy at Leeds station not very long ago.

 

[JAMMY_Jaunts]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Wow! I am impressed. I wasn't expecting so much widespread marketing. Good job AT and keep it up. ;D

 

[Sammy]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Well, I have to say, we have quite a marketing campaign on our hands here don't we! This thing is spreading like wildfire! Here are a couple of other pics that I took in Leeds train station about an hour ago!

It really is one of the best bits of marketing I have seen, I can also say, I wasn't the only one taking pictures of it either! And I would guess that these are not the only ones either! So go get Smiler hunting people!

YAY!


TowersStreet, as always feel free to use these images! Any other sites are more than welcome to as long as all credit goes to TS

 

[Martin]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Hahaha, that's brilliant!

 

[LiamC]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Oh my God, this is AMAZING! This is the kind of advertising a ride like this needs, viral and random. Reminds me of the early stages of Oblivion's marketing quite a lot. Looks to me like it's going to start stepping up a gear now.

 

[cotda]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

This marketing is amazing! 1000x better than the th13teen promotion!

Excellent work marketing team!

 

[Mi-Nigle]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

I actually want to take the train into uni tomorrow just so I can see this! LOVE it. I'm excited to see what else they have up their sleeves.

1000x better than the th13teen promotion!

+1

 

[Poisson]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

YAY for great marketing

I shall keep my eyes peeled here in Sheffield for marketing

 

[GAGrathea]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

This is just SO exciting! I could not be more enthused for the whole project right now, the marketing is so brilliantly subtle (in an in-your-face way)... I get the feeling these are going to appear all around the country until that symbol can't help to escape people's consciousness (as well as reminding those who've been recently of Towers) and then eventually they'll run TV ads with just the logo filling the screen and then a link to the Towers website or something.

 

[JoshC.]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Loving this marketing approach. It's a very bold way of doing things, and works well with the possible them idea we've got (it will appear everywhere, so it's recognisable, and 'brainwash' / correct people). It's the perfect balance between subtle and in-your-face which is so difficult to achieve normally.

I can't wait to see how this develops and, more importantly, where..

 

[Meat Pie]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Eurgh! This is Tower's interpretation of Gurerilla marketing? I mean it will do the job but it has about as much edge as a Mcdonalds logo plastered on the gates.

Very tacky.

 

[Vicky]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

This marketing is JUST what I wanted, it is subtle and it will get people asking questions. The logo is memorable and I imagine photos of it in public places will be making rounds on social networking sites soon. This beats marketing stunts and silly press releases by FAR!

I imagine that closer to the time, we will see short "blipverts" just showing the logo and the Alton Towers web address on television.

I would like to see something similar to this, used in a central city location. This was a large screen that displayed figures used for advertisement, something like this showing the "smiler" logo or even adverts with a brief flash of the smiler logo would be effective.
A video from Doctor. Kelman, similar to that shown before The Sanctuary would be fantastic, but I can't see that happening.

 

[Blizzard]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

This is some extreme marketing for a roller coaster! Usualy you just get a TV advert, a few posters & some kind of stunt (such as the morph suits in the Underground for swarm. Also, this seems to b spreading arround the country right down to london!

I suppose whats different about a roller coaster & a mass produces item, is that there is only one of a particular coaster, & people will come from all over the country to ride it! I think this just proves how big a part theme parks play in society.

People who say "I don't like theme parks" need to

Get. A. Life!

 

[BigAl]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

For any TV adverts, I'd like to see something like a fake black and white 1950's advert for something and then for the advert to suddenly be interrupted by the image of the MoJ smile flickering. A distorted eerie voice could also be featured, ordering viewers to attend the opening of a brand new correctional facility at Alton Towers before the original black and white advert flickers back on.

I'd also like to see those big rotating billboards utilised with just the MoJ smile on so that it can appear and disappear in very prominent places, creating a great sense of mystery.

 

[Fredward]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Very clever. I must say, I was atleast expecting all the ads to have Alton Towers planted all over them or #getcorrected. I think having the logo is a much better way. People won't notice it, until they start seeing it everywhere.

I do love this marketing, doesn't treat the GP as complete idiots like the ultimate roller coaster crap!


I hope it gets put on things like cereal box's, milk and drinks ext... no explanation. Just the logo!

 

[TheMan]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

On the off chance the Marketing team may read this thread.

Well f-ing done!!!

That's fantastic ;D - completely bizarre and random thing to do for a coaster this - it makes those gates look hilarious! Can you imagine people randomly going into work finding those plastered everywhere ha-ha!

The last time I remember random logo use to this extent was probably the Sega Saturn - now I hope this ride is largely more successful than that turned out to be!

By that I mean, no one had a clue what it was for by the way.

 

[Bethany]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

Love the way Towers are marketing SW7. Way to get the word out, and it makes us enthusiasts excited seeing them out and about. Definitely feeling a lot more excited for it now. ;D

 

[Tom]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

On the off chance the Marketing team may read this thread.

That is guaranteed. We have seen that they regularly act on what is posted on here without thanks as far as I can tell. I'm sure they're revelling in the enthusiast spreading their campaign out also.

It is a good campaign, but the threat of the ride not being ready is inexcusable really.

 

[Rupert]

Re: Re: Secret Weapon 7 Discussion Continued

It is a good campaign, but the threat of the ride not being ready is inexcusable really.

Only if people think it will open on March 16th. What we've actually seen is the major marketing start after the removal of all references to March 16th, so as far as the majority of the general public are concerned, it won't be opening late (not that they will know when it will actually open either).