The date: July 12, 1962. The place: London’s Marquee Club. Taking the stage that night was a debut band fronted by a sexy, strutting lead singer. Mick Jagger and the boys rocked the house that night, and The Rolling Stones have been rocking the world for the last five decades.
The band’s 50th anniversary celebration is in full swing. The Stones have transformed the occasion into a “sell”-abration, and “Money” has been rolling in ever since. Companies wishing to transform their own business anniversaries into “sell”-abrations should take a cue from the group’s set list:
“Time Is On My Side”: The Stones invested significant time in planning their 50th anniversary. Proof of that is the 352-page photo book – The Rolling Stones: 50 by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood – that hit bookstores on July 12, 2012. The book chronicles the band’s half-century career through illustrations, photographs and text curated by band members (http://www.rollingstones.com/book/). The Stones launched the book exactly 50 years to the day they played their first gig in London. An anniversary project such as this does not materialize in a “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.”
Launching a new product or service for your company’s business anniversary requires advanced planning, too. Give yourself sufficient time for research and development. Then include another 12 months for creating the business anniversary strategic plan for marketing and promoting the new product or service. Hit a high note by introducing the product or service on the date your company was founded.
“It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It)”: The Stones kicked off a “50 and Counting” anniversary tour with five reunion concerts, the first of which was held in London in November 2012. The band has since announced additional concerts to be held throughout 2013 in the United Kingdom and the United States (http://www.rollingstones.com). Fans unable to get tickets have as a consolation The Stones’ new film, Crossfire Hurricane, which is available on DVD and Blu-Ray. This documentary tells The Stones’ story through early interviews, live-performance footage and news-archive material (http://www.rollingstones.com/crossfire-hurricane/).
When planning your company’s business anniversary promotional campaign, design events and activities that tell your company’s story and spotlight your products and services. “Don’t Stop” with a one-day business anniversary celebration; spread events and activities throughout the entire business anniversary year.
“Everything Is Turning to Gold”: According to CNBC, The Stones will earn $25 million for the five concerts of their anniversary tour (http://www.cnbc.com/id/100290534). With the extra dates, The Stones’ 50th anniversary concert income will yield a great deal of “Satisfaction” for band mates.
Other 50th anniversary revenue streams (http://www.bravadousa.com/rollingstones/) include:
- Lines of apparel for men and women, featuring the new Shepard Fairey logo
- Limited-edition prints and posters
- Mugs, key chains and jewelry
- A greatest hits collection, GRRR!
Every aspect of The Stones’ 50th anniversary “sell”-abration strengthens the connection between the band and its fans, ensuring that The Stones will “Not Fade Away” anytime soon.
For your business anniversary promotional campaign, plan events and activities that will connect your company to customers and prospects, too. Then, like The Rolling Stones, you will transform your business anniversary celebration into a “sell”-abration.
Rock on!
Blogger Bio: Pauline Bartel, M.A., is President and Chief Creative Officer of Bartel Communications, Inc., an award-winning corporate communications firm, specializing in marketing, public relations and business anniversary consulting services. The firm created “The Bartel Years™” and “The Bartel Years 200™,” rosters of business anniversary symbols to inspire two centuries of business anniversary “sell”-abrations. Download free copies of “The Bartel Years™” and the special report “The Top 10 Business Anniversary Ideas for SELL-abrating Your Business Anniversary” at this link: http://www.paulinebartel.com/services/corporate-services/business-anniversary-consulting