Bulova's in Playful Mood For 125th

Brandweek, July 10, 2000 by Sandra Dolbow

Bulova is winding up its 125th anniversary year with a $125,000 sweepstakes that will run from late September through December with a drawing for more than 400 prizes. Grand prize: A Lincoln Navigator worth approximately $50,000.

The watchmaker, which has seen heavy competition from more fashionable and higher-priced entries, sees the contest as a means to draw attention, and foot traffic.

Consumers may enter the drawing at participating retailers including Macy's, Fred Meyer, Sears, Roebuck and at more than 2,000 independent jewelry stores designated by a 125th anniversary logo in stores.

Other prizes include a trip for two to Hawaii worth $10,000, big-screen TVs, DVD players, digital cameras, luggage and more.

Ventura Associates, New York, is handling the promotion.

A 30-second TV spot via agency Burkhardt & Hillman, N.Y., will run during the fourth quarter on CNN tagging the sweepstakes and the anniversary. Print ads running in current issues of Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report and Maxim, also tout the anniversary.

"We're trying to find ways to carry the 125th anniversary into a traffic-building opportunity for our retailers and reinforce the message that we've been around for 125 years but have kept up-to-date said Francie Abraham, vp-marketing. Throughout the year, instant-win cards for Bulova clocks valued at $150 have drawn consumer interest, she said.

Bulova spent $3.6 million in advertising last year and $140,000 for the first quarter of this year, per Competitive Media Reporting.