Bluegrass turns Spurs umbrella offer into slam dunk for San Antonio Express-News

When the San Antonio Express-News was looking for a way to bolster new subscriptions, they knew no ordinary promotional item would pique interest. But the item itself was only half the equation. They also needed to connect the item - and their paper - to an endearing brand that would score points with the community. And they needed to accomplish all this on a budget tied to a low per-subscription rate.

That's when they gave Bluegrass Promotional Marketing a shot at the business.

We developed a San Antonio Spurs-branded umbrella that was made available only to new subscribers. But it was not your typical umbrella. With a 48-inch arc and a fiberglass shaft that made it light and easy to hold, this black and metallic silver umbrella was both regal in appearance and practical in use. And because we were able to source the umbrella through our Value Alliance Partner, Global Direct, we were able to hit a per-item price point that was well within the paper's budget.

When the Express-News started running TV spots promoting the umbrellas during Spurs home stands, the calls starting pouring in. During the commercial's initial three-week run, the Express-News saw an increase of 2,500 subscriptions, while the entire promotion yielded over 8,500 subscriptions. Plus, the Spurs' coaches, players and their spouses requested the umbrellas for their personal use.

Need a promotional item that nets real results? Pass your project to Bluegrass Promotional Marketing.

Watch the TV Spot Here

About Bluegrass Promotional Marketing

Founded in 1995, Bluegrass is a full-service promotional marketing firm specializing in custom products and brand marketing. In 2003, the eight-year-old company expanded into several new markets, which added new clients, doubled their staff and tripled their revenue. Bluegrass has won four Golden Pyramid Awards from the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) and was also honored by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) with the 2004 Best Client Promotion Award. In 2004, Bluegrass was recognized as one of the industries "Top 10" fastest growing distributors. The Charlotte Business Journal also recognized Bluegrass as one of the fastest growing companies in the region in 1998, 2001, and 2003.

The expanded Charlotte, NC-based company now has offices in Denver, Seattle and Houston with market coverage in Chicago, Louisville, Nashville, New York, Raleigh, San Jose and St. Louis. Warehouse facilities are strategically located across the United States with additional warehouse facilities in Canada and the United Kingdom.