Circus Smarts
Before there was A&E Network’s $10 million multi-partner promotionalcampaign for Horatio Hornblower, there was the direct-mail search for thenext Mrs. Zamoiski.
It was 1989. John Zamoiski sought out his second wife with an ad in thepersonals section of New York Magazine. After 100 women responded to thepitch for a “marketing professional who laughs at the Three Stooges andcries in sappy movies,” Zamoiski tapped his current wife, Debbie. The adremains framed on the wall of their home.
The president of New York City-based Promotion Development Group, Inc. andthe incoming chairman of the Promotion Marketing Association, Zamoiski hasa knack for bringing partners with similar interests together. One of thestrong suits at PDG, which Zamoiski took over in 1995, is the AllianceGroup that specializes in tie-ins.
For the four-film Horatio Hornblower series, PDG found Strategy First’shistorical sea battles CD-ROM game for cross-promotion, and got nauticalsocieties to stage tall ship battles in harbors, co-sponsored by localradio stations. The promo encompassed Barnes & Noble for nautical-themedbook sales, and Windjammer Cruises to supply consumer and trade prizes.
Zamoiski began learning the fine art of promotion in the late 1970s when hejoined Ringling Brothers Circus [it wasn’t Barnum & Bailey yet?] as aregional marketing director. He recalls how he would hit town armed with acouple of credit cards and the mandate to “make it happen” for everythingfrom publicity and advertising to “scaling the house” and setting theticket prices. “We made sure the animals got safely to the building, andthe fire marshal got tickets for his family,” he recalls.
Zamoiski thought up Three Ring Circus Ringo [yes?] newspaper contest topublicize the circus and sell newspapers. Readers paged through localeditions searching for animal icons to complete a game board and qualify toenter a sweepstakes.
When the advance clown fell ill before a TV appearance in Pittsburgh,Zamoiski stepped into the role to interview a duck puppet for the localchannel. “I had no clue what I was doing. Yet I learned you have to jumpinto the trenches and get your fingernails dirty. There is no tomorrow inmarketing.”
In 1987, after a stint directing tour promotions for the likes of DianaRoss and David Bowie at Ash LeDonne Advertising in New York City – within-market contests to keep record sales spinning- Zamoiski moved to DonJagoda Associates, where he focused on communications and network and cableaccounts for eight years.
PDG grew from $1.7 million in billings in 1995 to $4 million last year,and, with $1.8 million in revenues and two-year growth of 24 percent, camein at No. 77 in this year’s PROMO [sm caps] 100.
Zamoiski favors tie-ins where feasible, with clients including NBC CableNetworks, Fox Family Channel, HBO Home Video, and Fleet Bank. “Nobody hasenough budget for target marketing, so you must find ways to stretch yourdollar. The smart thing is to find someone who is trying to reach the sameaudience.”
Zamoiski had the chance to clown around again last month when he helped A&Epromote its upcoming movie on P.T. Barnum to cable affiliates. PDG mailedout white boxes with “PTB” initials containing giant size 44 inflatableclown shoes.
If the shoe fits, wear it.
