Sunday, May 07, 2006
Marketing Messages from the Movies: My Day at Universal Studios
On Friday I played hookey. It took some planning but it was my son's 16 year old birthday so I took him out of school and cleared my desk to spend the day at the Universal Studios VIP Experience tour. Universal is a real working studio about 10 minutes from my townhouse. They are filming Evan Almighty, Desperate Housewives, and another lame Fast and Furious sequel. My family popped for the $60 annual pass which means we can all go as often as we like for one year. Of course we also pay $10 for parking and the "food" is a premium - $6 for a hot dog.
But the VIP experience was different. You pay more but you get special treatment. For example, for the studio tour, we actually were allowed to get off our tram and visit the set of Crossing Jordan (they were on hiatus - like summer break). I don't really watch the show but it's about a Boston medical examiner. There are lots of dead bodies and autopsies apparently. The detail they put into the bodies was phenomenal. Every hair is placed in the bodies by hand - even the eyebrow hairs. They looked so real you expect them to open their eyes. Creepy. Each body costs anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000. So they often reuse the bodies and switch out the heads.
My son, Justin, with a skull
Me with KONG
As VIPs we also got to go to the front of every line for shows and rides. Listening to the buzz of the people as we were escorted to the front was a great feeling. It really made you feel special. And that is the marketing lesson I want to share with you. Don't underestimate the value of making people feel special. No matter what business you're in there are ways to do it. Figure them out. People are willing to pay to get more.
Today more than ever people do business with those they know, like and trust. And when they feel they are treated superiorly, well, that just seals the deal.
But the VIP experience was different. You pay more but you get special treatment. For example, for the studio tour, we actually were allowed to get off our tram and visit the set of Crossing Jordan (they were on hiatus - like summer break). I don't really watch the show but it's about a Boston medical examiner. There are lots of dead bodies and autopsies apparently. The detail they put into the bodies was phenomenal. Every hair is placed in the bodies by hand - even the eyebrow hairs. They looked so real you expect them to open their eyes. Creepy. Each body costs anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000. So they often reuse the bodies and switch out the heads.
My son, Justin, with a skull
Me with KONG
As VIPs we also got to go to the front of every line for shows and rides. Listening to the buzz of the people as we were escorted to the front was a great feeling. It really made you feel special. And that is the marketing lesson I want to share with you. Don't underestimate the value of making people feel special. No matter what business you're in there are ways to do it. Figure them out. People are willing to pay to get more.
Today more than ever people do business with those they know, like and trust. And when they feel they are treated superiorly, well, that just seals the deal.
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