Guerilla Marketers Rouse BMA-HV Members at January Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) February 7, 2005 -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: June Bisel
BBG&G Advertising/Public Relations
t: 845. 695-1880 f: 845. 695-1996
junebisel@bbggadv.com

GUERILLA MARKETERS ROUSE BMA�HV MEMBERS AT JANUARY EVENT

New Paltz, NY (February, 2005) �The Business Marketing Association of the Hudson Valley (BMA-HV) has confirmed that its January 25 meeting, held at SUNY New Paltz's Terrace Restaurant, was even more exhilarating than the BMA�HV Board Members had anticipated: The topic for the event was Guerilla Marketing, and the rebel rousers were Ari Forman and Justin Tripp, CEO and Creative Director respectively of On The Go Marketing, and Tom Keegan, President and CEO of Keegan Ales.

Says Bud Clarke, BMA-HV Vice-President, "Our panel of experts introduced us to some very unconventional marketing methods. We learned that even if your company is on a shoestring budget, you can plunge ahead if you allow yourself to think outside the box."

The On The Go twosome described some of the guerilla tactics used successfully by nationally-known companies, but the story that seemed of particular interest to attendees was a campaign undertaken by ESPN College Hoops, which at the time had only a modest budget allocated to promote its new video games. In their effort to be both frugal and as college-student-friendly as possible, the company came up with a very creative and fun idea. They purchased an old bus for $4,000, made some repairs and painted it�very artistically, of course�and furnished the inside so that it was an exact replica of a 1960�s college dorm room. Sales Reps drove it across the country, stopping at colleges along the way to distribute shirts, posters and stickers�and a great sales pitch. "Guerilla Marketing works hand-in-hand with traditional marketing," Ari Forman reminded excited attendees, "it's not a vacuum."

Tom Keegan confessed to not knowing what guerilla marketing was until he got the call from Bud Clarke asking him to speak about it. But once it was explained to him, he quickly responded, "Oh, yeah, I do that!" Some of his unconventional marketing techniques include giving away free beer at his brewery on certain days, free beer at the finish line for winners who participate in the St. Patrick's Day Woodstock three-mile run, and naming some of his brews after certain individuals. For instance, the brew Hurricane Kitty is named after his grandmother.

As always, attendees left excited and talking abut how they could apply what they learned to their own businesses. The January 25 meeting, which was sponsored by SB Direct Inc., proved once again that BMA events generate the kinds of ideas that can really thwart business listlessness.

Interested marketing professionals and those involved in marketing decision-making who wish to enhance their marketing techniques are encouraged to attend BMA-HV meetings. The registration fee for each attendee is $25 for members, $45 for non-members and $15 for students. For more information about the BMA-HV, call Patti Kurtz at (845) 679-3275.