Mission: Possible
Donahue Schriber
Newport Beach, Calif.
The marketing teams at three Donahue Schriber centers were new and
unfamiliar to the centers' retailers, but the upcoming annual merchants
meetings presented the perfect opportunity to introduce their marketing
abilities, as well as to create bonds between the merchants and the
marketing/management teams.
The challenge was to mastermind meetings that merchants would actually
attend, enjoy, be motivated by and leave so enthusiastic that they would
ignite their staffs.
OBJECTIVES
1. To increase retailer attendance at each center's annual
meeting by 10%.
2. To save marketing funds by dividing the cost of the program design and
development among the three centers.
3. To motivate retailers to offer outstanding customer service.
4. To increase retailers' participation in their center's marketing
programs.
5. To improve communications between marketing/management officials and
merchants.
IMPLEMENTATION
Donahue Schriber went to work planning an unforgettable annual meeting
for three of its centers, Glendale Galleria, Montclair Plaza and
Montebello Town Center. The fun, strongly themed program, "Mission:
Possible," played off the popular TV series on international espionage
and the hit movie starring Tom Cruise.
Two weeks before the annual meetings, merchants were surprised by
trenchcoat-clad "spies" delivering confidential tubes marked "TNT." The
tubes contained invitations to the meetings, rendezvous coordinates and a
glimpse of what lay ahead. A week later the merchants received secret
prize decoder cards with instructions about the meeting site and the
chance to win prizes.
Upon arrival at the meeting, merchants received a Mission: Possible
briefcase containing a top-secret red file, the 1997 marketing plan
dossier. At breakfast they were joined by a Tom Cruise lookalike. Next
came the Mission: Possible video, which highlighted the previous year's
successes and unveiled the 1997 marketing plan.
The merchants received top-level retail training that addressed customer
service, developing customer loyalty and creating a culture of
excellence. Interactive games kept the meetings fun, increased the
camaraderie and motivated merchants to strive for superior service. The
meetings concluded with prizes awarded to top merchants, with an
explosion of confetti as a finale.
RESULTS
Merchant attendance at the annual meeting increased by 21% at Glendale,
35% at Montclair and 16% at Montebello. Sharing the program saved each
center $3,000. Nearly 90% of merchants described the meeting as excellent
or good, and as many said they were well-informed about it. The program
strongly motivated the merchants, as evidenced by their increased
participation (19% for Glendale, 33% for Montclair and 25% for
Montebello) in 1997 mall programs.
Communication has improved among each center's merchants and
marketing/management teams. Attendance at the centers' monthly advisory
board meetings has risen, too (26% for Glendale, 48% for Montclair and
30% for Montebello).
CREDIT
Professional recognition to: Deborah Blackford, marketing
director; Judi Lapin, vice president, marketing; Veronica DeSilva,
marketing director; Michelle Halvorsen, marketing director.
EXPENSES
| Invitations | $3,495 |
| Briefcases | 4,275 |
| Marketing plans | 1,089 |
| Signs | 370 |
| Decoder and cards | 1,386 |
| Giveaways | 3,708 |
| Shuttle vans | 500 |
| Speaker fees | 11,550 |
| Caterer | 5,994 |
| Video | 1,000 |
| Decor | 3,500 |
| Tom Cruise lookalike | 1,825 |
| "Spies" | 1,050 |
| Prizes | 959 |
| Total | $40,701 |
|
