Dodge Dakota and EB Games in Search of the Best Pick-up Spots

February 8, 2005 , Los Angeles - 

Best-in-Class Pickup Truck Partners with Channel M and Clear Channel Katz Advantage on Integrated Campaign

You’ve heard about the best spots to pick up a date, now Dodge Dakota has partnered with Channel M and Clear Channel Katz Advantage radio stations to launch the "Key to the Best Pick-Up Spots" promotion - a multi-city search to identify the best "pick-up" spots for everyday favorite items.

Beginning Feb. 12, 2005, the integrated "Key to the Best Pick-Up Spots" campaign launches in 10 markets across the country. Leveraging Channel M’s national partner, EB Games (Electronics Boutique Holdings Corp.), and Clear Channel Katz Advantage radio stations, "Best Pick-Up Spot" nominations will be collected at 187 EB Games stores and via radio partners’ Web sites in each market, and at www.DodgePickUpSpots.com. Upon submitting a nomination, consumers’ names will be placed in a drawing for a chance to receive one of up to 40 keys per market (400 in total) that could start an all-new 2005 Dodge Dakota.

The Dodge brand’s advertising agency, BBDO Detroit, created the program leveraging its relationships with all the partners and incorporating an idea developed by Clear!Blue, Chrysler Group Communications public relations agency.

"This is truly an integrated program, utilizing the strengths of each partner to bring this fun promotion to life and to recognize other establishments that share the best-in-class status with the all-new Dodge Dakota," said Fred Diaz, Director - Dodge Communications, Chrysler Group. "We wanted to give nominators a chance to drive home in their own 2005 Dodge Dakota with best-in-class available torque and towing, and the power of the only V-8 in the mid-size segment."

"Our goal is to enhance consumer awareness of the Dodge Dakota, so it makes perfect sense to leverage EB Games as our national partner," said David Teichner, chief executive officer, Channel M, a leader in "in your face" marketing solutions. "The retailer allows us to bring the excitement and interactivity of the ‘Key to the Best Pick-Up Spots’ promotion directly to the target demographic through a creative, non-traditional program."

"Key to the Best Pick-Up Spot" nominations will be available at EB Games stores in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Sacramento, Calif., San Diego, Houston, Dallas, Tampa, Fla., Orlando, Fla., Seattle, Wash., and Portland, Ore., and will cover the best spots to pick up items in eight different categories:

  • Sports, weather and news updates (newspaper, television and online resource)
  • Carryout meal
  • Sporting or outdoor equipment and gear (football, camping, fishing, hunting, etc.)
  • Manly tools (air compressor, backhoe, wood chipper, nail gun, etc.)
  • The big game or race on TV (sports bar)
  • A cup of "Joe" and the paper
  • Gifts to impress your significant other
  • A category local to each market

"EB Games is thrilled to join forces with Dodge and Channel M on the ‘Key to the Best Pick-Up Spots’ promotion. This is a fun, breakthrough program that combines the excitement of driving a Dodge Dakota pickup with the local community and heritage of these 10 great cities," said John Panichello, chief operating officer of EB Games. "EB Games has worked with Channel M for over two years. They have done a great job running our in-store TV Network, EBTV, and now they have taken it to the next level developing value added strategic partnerships with top-tier brands like Dodge."

Nominations will be accepted from Feb. 12 through April 2, depending on specific market timing. To claim "Best Pick-Up Spot" status, stores/retailers that are nominated must receive the most votes in their respective category.

Beginning March 12 and continuing through April 16, the winners of each drawing will try keys at a mall-based EB Games store in each market to see if they can start the Dodge Dakota pickup truck. Each lucky contestant whose key starts a vehicle will win an all-new 2005 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab Laramie 4X4 pickup. The local winning pick-up spots will also be announced at the public celebration in each market where event attendees can take part in a giant version of the childhood pick-up-sticks game.

BBDO Detroit established the creative direction for the program and will develop the broadcast creative. Channel M will manage events in each market including coordinating the entry/voting boxes, Dodge Dakota pickup truck giveaways and creating promotional videos and posters for the stores, as well as developing the in-store promotional creative. Public relations efforts will be managed by Clear!Blue, and the radio buy and remotes will be overseen by Clear Channel Katz Advantage.

About the All-new 2005 Dodge Dakota The Dodge Truck lineup continues to haul the most leadership claims. Bigger, bolder and tougher, the all-new 2005 Dodge Dakota stands alone as the largest and strongest mid-size pickup on the market with the only V-8 in its class. New interiors improve comfort levels on both Dakota Club Cab and Dakota Quad Cab models, with more interior room than any other mid-size pickup. The Dodge Dakota Quad Cab offers the most interior space in its class with available six-passenger seating.

About Electronics Boutique Holdings Corp. Electronics Boutique, a Fortune 1000 company, is the leading global specialty retailer dedicated exclusively to video game hardware and software, PC entertainment software, accessories, and related products. As of Oct. 30, EB Games operates 1,869 stores in the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Puerto Rico and Sweden - primarily under the names EB Games and Electronics Boutique. The company operates an e-commerce Web site at www.ebgames.com. Additional company information is available at www.ebholdings.com.

About Channel M Channel M is a leader in delivering a brand’s message to targeted consumers at the optimal place and time through Face Based Media, Events and Sampling and supported by Face Based Promotions. Channel M reaches consumers virtually anywhere including at such retail locations as EB Games, Chuck E. Cheese’s, Blockbuster, Inc., Namco Cybertainment video arcades and Loews Cineplex Entertainment and other movie theater chains. For more information, visit www.channelm.com.

About Clear!Blue Clear!Blue is a communications company that creates breakthrough ideas, brings them to life and delivers unprecedented results. "Exclamation. With a point." is our brand promise, which means we think beyond the commonplace to find powerful ways to communicate strong and lasting messages to the right audiences, in the right places, at the right time and in precisely the right way. Clear!Blue has offices in Detroit and Chicago. For more information about Clear!Blue, visit www.clearblue.biz.

About BBDO Detroit BBDO Detroit is an agency solely devoted to supporting the global communication initiatives for Chrysler Group’s Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands worldwide, Mopar, DaimlerChrysler Services, Fleet and Mercedes-Benz Parts and Service. The agency has had involvement in Chrysler’s communication business for more than 80 years. BBDO Detroit has approximately 1,550 employees in 34 field offices in the United States and 26 international offices.

About Clear Channel Katz Advantage Clear Channel Katz Advantage (CCKA) is the strategic sales solutions and marketing company of the Katz Media Group. The sales arm of CCKA services unwired, sports, direct response and Ag business, and the marketing arm is comprised of agency, advertiser and multicultural dedicated divisions. Additional information about the company can be obtained at www.katz-media.com.


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