Volume 1, No. 7. May 4, 2001
A shower of gifts
THE LOOP reports the opening of new rides and attractions under the guise of birth announcements and calls them "New Arrivals." It is with no little consideration that we use such a format because so many park managers, operators and marketers often compare the opening of a new attraction with childbirth. Not just the men do this, I must stress.
As with the approach of childbirth, the coming of an attraction’s opening involves the giving of gifts: but with a twist. You, "the parents," give us, the media, the gifts. Over the years of covering the amusement industry, I’ve received talking paper pyramids, a screaming key chain, hard hats, towels, rain ponchos, plush toys, an entire wardrobe of shirts and enough posters to wallpaper my sons’ room.
This year, of course, the tradition continues, a largesse that has astonished the two members of our team, Nathan and Lynne, who are new to the industry. Lynne’s daughter liked the Scooby-Doo flashlight, and Nathan took home a Rugrat book bag. While I’m not sure what to do with the Mars sand that LEGOLAND sent us (it bears a "caution" label), I’m turning the 33-piece Life on Mars Lego kit over to my boys, huge fans of the building blocks. Though we don’t garden, I appreciated the cleverness (and packaging sensibility) of Busch Gardens Williamsburg sending a packet of Bells of Ireland seeds to promote the upcoming opening of its new Ireland themed section.
One gift we received this year I think is the best ever, both for its promotional relevance and usefulness: a heavy-duty, 25-foot tape measure from Six Flags Great Adventure bearing the park’s NITRO roller coaster logo ("size matters"). That’s an item even graft-wary reporters would hesitate to discard.
From all of us at THE LOOP, thank you for the gifts and, more importantly, the information you share. We like announcing your proud births to the world and sharing with you the gifts of collegial respect and congratulations. Email us at eric@gettheloop.com, or call me. In North America it’s a toll-free call: 888-902-5667. Elsewhere, dial 1-937-296-9796.
©2001, Minton Enterprises LLC
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