Application: Special Event Merchandising
Client: Michael W. Smith & Friends Alaska Cruise
Challenge: Take a major artist’s event/brand and create a merchandise line that is targeted at a specific age and economic demographic while enhancing the brand experience of the event. To be specific, the Michael W. Smith cruise is different than merchandising a normal tour. The time that Michael’s management has to sell merchandise is condensed, s
o the merchandise needs to reflect the consumers need for a “memory” of the event, while also appealing to an older and more affluent demographic than your standard concert. Michael W. Smith’s cruise is a full ship charter and will have over 1,800 people on board as potential customers.
Solution: After reviewing previous cruise apparel we found that previous offerings leaned too heavily to standard illustration or “rock” concert merchandise conventions. This time All Access Merchandising created apparel and merchandise items that were fully custom and specific to Alaska and the journey. For example on the t-shirt you can see the Tribal drawings that one of our artists created from scratch, then rather than falling to standard conventions of “it’s a Cruise, means let’s put a big BOAT on the shirt”. We centered on creating something classier and less obvious to show “navigation” and that element was a custom animation of a classic compass for the background. All of the other merchandise was pulled together based on slightly higher level merchandise options to give people something to be able to wear when they return home. All Access Merchandising was instrumental in putting together the entire line and recommending conservative quantities that will help ensure sales of the inventory while satisfying the customer’s needs.
Results: The cruise sails on July 11, 2010 from Seattle, WA. The merch line in its entirety features: 2 T-Shirts; 1 Jacket, 2 Golf Shirts, 2 Fleece Vests, Sling Backpacks, 2 High Quality Long Sleeve T-shirts, Aluminum Water Bottles, Lanyards, Travel Coffee Mugs, and a couple other items.
Application of Creative Idea: All Access Merchandising created the concept of the “FIRST DAY SHIRT” which allows Cruisers to buy one shirt in advance of the cruise and encourages them to wear it as they are travelling to the event, helping them (and MWS Staff) to meet other people heading to Seattle for the cruise. A little touch that simply enhances the event while also creates an additional merchandise opportunity for our client.