Circus Smarts: Zamoiski becomes ringmaster at PMA.
Before there was A&E Network’s $10 million multi-partner promotional campaign for Horatio Hornblower, there was the direct-mail search for the next Mrs. Zamoiski.
It was 1989. John Zamoiski sought out his second wife with an ad in the personals section of New York Magazine. After 100 women responded to the pitch fora “marketing professional who laughs at the Three Stooges and cries in sappy movies,” Zamoiski found his current wife, Debbie. The ad is framed on the wall of their home.
The president of New York City-based Promotion Development Group, Inc. and the incoming chairman of the Promotion Marketing Association, Zamoiski has a knack for bringing partners with similar interests together. One of the strong suits at PDG, which Zamoiski took over in 1995, is the Alliance Group that specializes in tie-ins.
For the four-film Horatio Hornblower series, PDG found a CD-ROM game of historical sea battles from Strategy First for cross-promotion, and got nautical societies to stage tall-ships battles in major harbors, co-sponsored by local radio stations. The promo roped in Barnes & Noble for nautical-themed book displays, and Windjammer Cruises to supply consumer and trade prizes.
Zamoiski began learning the fine art of promotion in the late 1970s when he joined Ringling Brothers Circus as a regional marketing director. He recalls how he would hit town armed with a couple of credit cards and the mandate to “make it happen” for everything from publicity and advertising to “scaling the house” and setting the ticket prices. “We made sure the animals got safely to the building and the fire marshal got tickets for his family,” he recalls.
When the advance clown fell ill before one TV appearance in Pittsburgh, Zamoiski stepped into the role to interview a duck puppet for the local channel. “I had no clue what I was doing. Yet I learned you have to jump into the trenches and get your fingernails dirty. There is no tomorrow in marketing.”
In 1987, after a stint directing tour promotions for the likes of Diana Ross and David Bowie at Ash LeDonne Advertising in New York City – with in-market contests to keep record sales spinning – Zamoiski moved to Don Jagoda Associates, where he focused on communications and network and cable accounts for eight years.
Zamoiski favors tie-ins where feasible, with clients including NBC Cable Networks, Fox Family Channel, HBO Home Video, and Fleet Bank. “Nobody has enough budget for target marketing, so you must find ways to stretch your dollar. The smart thing is to find someone who is trying to reach the same audience.”
He had the chance to clown around again last month when he helped A&E promote its upcoming movie on P.T. Barnum to cable affiliates. PDG mailed out white boxes with “PTB” initials containing size-44 inflatable clown shoes.
Even if the shoe doesn’t fit, he wears it.
