11/01/07 - Desperately Seeking Viewers

“Desperate Housewives” promo uses branded parking stripes

Other Advertising, Volume 3 Issue 7, November 2007

TO PROMOTE the fifth season of “desperate Housewives,” ABC ran a series of branded parking stripes in grocery store parking lots in Los Angeles and New York. “Parking for Desperate Housewives. They’re back. Sunday 9pm,” read the stripes surrounding specific parking places, and left intrigued shoppers wondering whether the house babes of Wisteria Lane themselves might put in an appearance. The parking stripe concept itself comes from the Parking Stripe Advertising Company based in Colorado. “The parking lot’s the last domain; there’s not much to compete with parking lot stripes,” Becky Osborne, president of Parking Stripe Advertising said. “When you step out of your car, you’re going to look down. We felt it was a really great way to reach people. They’re not expecting it and they’re going to have to look.” In addition, the show set up branded “rejuvenation” stations hosted by brand ambassadors to pamper and engage women with complimentary services. According to Michael Benson, executive VP of marketing at ABC Entertainment: “we’re always looking for different ways to reach our consumers and this is an appropriate way to reach this audience.”

Corporately:

PSA received over 68 phone calls and emails regarding the stripes. The Vice President of Marketing for Universal Music, Jeff Moskow called and said, “This is the stickiest ad I have ever seen. I’m an ad guy so I notice this kind of thing. I took the time to watch people getting out of their cars. Every single person took the time to read the ad and look at the surrounding ones. I have never witnessed such an interactive medium. I want to be the first one to do this. What’s really ironic is that my CFO called me and told me about Parking Stripes®. His wife saw them at Trader Joe’s and called him from the parking lot. He told me that Universal Records needs to do this. How often does the CFO and Marketing guy agree? When can we meet?”
Warner Bros. Music called and requested a meeting as well.
One woman called from her cell phone in the parking lot to say that Parking Stripes® were “the coolest thing” she had ever seen.
There are numerous other examples of positive feedback. We will be happy to provide any further information.

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