Most consumers who would do some shopping at a Fye store would be in for the surprise of their lives once they see an ad for the new Jeep Wrangler.
It was very recently that Chrysler’s top-of-the-line Jeep parking light maker launched its aggressive ad campaign for its newly redesigned Jeep Wrangler. And one component of the campaign was a promotional partnership with retailer Trans World Entertainment that delivered more than 17.8 million impressions to various Jeep target audiences.
Trans World operates under the banner fye, which is short for “For Your Entertainment.” Trans World has 800 stores and Fye is the largest specialty retailer in the country when it comes to the entertainment category, which includes the sale of movies, music, games and even small electronics.
The Fye promotion has been central to Jeep’s entire promotional effort as the store’s customers are young men ranging in age from 18 to 34, the same demographic Jeep covets for its Wrangler.
The heart of the Fye promotion is a contest in which customers have the chance to scan a barcode on a ticket to win a new Jeep Wrangler. The contest was a fully integrated promotion that included in-store signage, store employees wearing Jeep t-shirts, Jeep ads on Fye’s in-store TV, Wrangler’s presence on Fye’s website, a Jeep integrated into the “Amplified Guide to the Holidays” fuse TV show, Jeep’s integration with the retailer’s e-marketing communications, a Jeep Wrangler tag in Fye’s national radio ads, and a special “scan to win flyer” featuring a Wrangler advertisement distributed in stores.
The f.ye. The promotion was an exciting and non-traditional way for Jeep to reach potential customers; However, so far, the most exciting and unique part of the promotion was the personalized ads that were shown on Fye’s Listen and View Stations (LVS).
The LVS is exclusive to Fye stores. Listen and view stations have LCD screens positioned around the store at eye level and allow customers to scan the barcode of a CD, DVD or game, as well as have the opportunity to sample the content. The LVS was installed in Fye stores five years ago and is now in its third generation.
There are two ways that customers can view Jeep advertisements in LVS stations. First is when they got entry booklets in stores with a barcode printed on the back cover. You can use this to scan and see if you’ve won the Wrangler. The second way to see an ad is by scanning a product at LVS stations.
In this time and age where DVRs, satellite radio, etc. Reigns The ability to deliver advertisements through such technology becomes a vital part of any promotional effort. Although some may view this form of marketing as an intrusion into the customer’s shopping experience, according to Burmaster, they have not received any complaints about the ads so far. This may be because fye is also employing moderation when it comes to the ads, making them less intrusive and becoming a more regular part of the entire product scanning procedure their customers are accused of.
The Jeep ad is displayed the first time customers scan products and would not appear on subsequent scans. The ads were also made short and lasted 10-15 seconds only. The ads were very entertaining and engaging. Burmaster said customers don’t mind seeing them. “Our stores are all about entertainment, so if the ad isn’t entertaining, it just won’t perform as well and may even run into resistance from consumers,” Burmaster explained.
So far, Jeep’s Fye campaign is successful in reaching the youth market, and according to Burmaster, they have barely scratched the surface in terms of their ability to offer personalized in-store ads.
