Embarrassing Moments in Erie Media!
It’s my turn. When you are near the spotlight or have to manage events that are in the spotlight, things don't always go according to the perfect plan you designed.
About 25 years ago Henry, the male gorilla, died at the Erie Zoo from swallowing coins that someone had tossed into the cage. Henry was Samantha’s first mate and both were purchased with donations of S&H Green Stamps. (Samantha & Henry…get it?)
Since I had been involved with the zoo early in my career and at the time handled the local Pepsi-Cola Bottler, Erie Bottling Company, I had the brilliant idea of having the community raise money by donating their Pepsi bottle caps. (always have a way to sell the product) Erie Bottling Company would donate a few cents for each cap toward the purchase of a new gorilla. Erie Bottling Company thought it was a great idea and so did corporate Pepsi-Cola.
It captured the imagination of kids of every age. We even had a gorilla meter constructed outside the Zoo to follow the progress. We spent tens of thousands of marketing dollars on television and radio to promote it.
As the campaign went along, we knew that we would have no problem making the goal. In fact, Erie Bottling Company had guaranteed that they would make up any difference if the campaign fell short. That wasn’t the problem.
No the problem came from another bright idea I had to announce the final dollar figure. I knew that Pepsico had under contract an authentic World War I biplane that had been converted to do skywriting. The brain started to cook. (boil over actually) “How about we write the final dollar figure in the sky over the Zoo,” I said. Corporate Pepsi thought it was a great idea and was all too eager to help.
So we announced that on a set day at 10 AM in the morning, we would write the amount in the sky for all of Erie to see.
The plane was brought in the day before by two of its regular pilots. We gave open cockpit plane rides to the media to help promote the event.
The big day had arrived. The Erie Morning News announced in a banner front page head about the stunt. Even Erie and suburban school kids were let out of school to watch from their school grounds. The only thing we worried about was the Erie weather, but it was beautiful; perfectly blue sky and, more importantly, no wind. You couldn't ask for a more perfect day.
All the news media and cameras were assembled at the zoo and the prominent attorney and owner of Erie Bottling, John Britton ( the client), was there to make the announcement and present the check.
About 10 minutes before the plane was to start its airborne calligraphy acrobatics, we got a call from the airport. Now remember, I said the plane was an original and all the parts of the plane were kept just as it was around 1921, including wooden wheels. You guessed it. As the plane was being towed out of the hanger, one of the precious wooden wheels broke off. Of course, they didn’t carry a spare. (Now you would think that Johnson and Flick would carry just a few wooden wheels!)
My big moment blown by a cellulous breakdown…. who would have guessed?
The zoo did get over $20,000 for the gorilla. We did bring the plane back a few weeks later to write “Thank You Erie.”
About 25 years ago Henry, the male gorilla, died at the Erie Zoo from swallowing coins that someone had tossed into the cage. Henry was Samantha’s first mate and both were purchased with donations of S&H Green Stamps. (Samantha & Henry…get it?)
Since I had been involved with the zoo early in my career and at the time handled the local Pepsi-Cola Bottler, Erie Bottling Company, I had the brilliant idea of having the community raise money by donating their Pepsi bottle caps. (always have a way to sell the product) Erie Bottling Company would donate a few cents for each cap toward the purchase of a new gorilla. Erie Bottling Company thought it was a great idea and so did corporate Pepsi-Cola.
It captured the imagination of kids of every age. We even had a gorilla meter constructed outside the Zoo to follow the progress. We spent tens of thousands of marketing dollars on television and radio to promote it.
As the campaign went along, we knew that we would have no problem making the goal. In fact, Erie Bottling Company had guaranteed that they would make up any difference if the campaign fell short. That wasn’t the problem.
No the problem came from another bright idea I had to announce the final dollar figure. I knew that Pepsico had under contract an authentic World War I biplane that had been converted to do skywriting. The brain started to cook. (boil over actually) “How about we write the final dollar figure in the sky over the Zoo,” I said. Corporate Pepsi thought it was a great idea and was all too eager to help.
So we announced that on a set day at 10 AM in the morning, we would write the amount in the sky for all of Erie to see.
The plane was brought in the day before by two of its regular pilots. We gave open cockpit plane rides to the media to help promote the event.
The big day had arrived. The Erie Morning News announced in a banner front page head about the stunt. Even Erie and suburban school kids were let out of school to watch from their school grounds. The only thing we worried about was the Erie weather, but it was beautiful; perfectly blue sky and, more importantly, no wind. You couldn't ask for a more perfect day.
All the news media and cameras were assembled at the zoo and the prominent attorney and owner of Erie Bottling, John Britton ( the client), was there to make the announcement and present the check.
About 10 minutes before the plane was to start its airborne calligraphy acrobatics, we got a call from the airport. Now remember, I said the plane was an original and all the parts of the plane were kept just as it was around 1921, including wooden wheels. You guessed it. As the plane was being towed out of the hanger, one of the precious wooden wheels broke off. Of course, they didn’t carry a spare. (Now you would think that Johnson and Flick would carry just a few wooden wheels!)
My big moment blown by a cellulous breakdown…. who would have guessed?
The zoo did get over $20,000 for the gorilla. We did bring the plane back a few weeks later to write “Thank You Erie.”
Somehow it was anticlimactic.
If you have had an embarrassing moment in Erie media or remember one and would like to share it, write me at EMGR@verizon.net You don’t have to put your name to it if you don’t want to.
Maybe I should have called this “The Confessions of an Adman”…or perhaps a madman.
If you have had an embarrassing moment in Erie media or remember one and would like to share it, write me at EMGR@verizon.net You don’t have to put your name to it if you don’t want to.
Maybe I should have called this “The Confessions of an Adman”…or perhaps a madman.
(Editor's Note: The picture of the gorilla is not from the Erie Zoo and any likeness between this gorilla and Captian Dan is purely coincidental)
"Congress passed a law on February 1, 2006, setting a final deadline for the DTV transition of February 17, 2009. Most television stations will continue broadcasting both analog and digital programming until February 17, 2009, when all analog broadcasting will stop.." FCC http://www.dtv.gov/
"Converting to DTV also will free up parts of the scarce and valuable broadcast spectrum. Those portions of the spectrum can then be used for other important services, such as public and safety services (police and fire departments, emergency rescue), and advanced wireless services." http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitaltv.html/
2 comments:
Believe it or not, I can actually remember this day as five year old living in Millcreek by the airport. I was so excited to see the plane. I can still remember my mom explaining to me that it was cancelled due to weather. Thanks for the memory.
One Embarassing moment submitted.
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