Comment from Andrew Cook, director of sales, at leading prize promotion specialist, Unmissable:

Synopsis: While it's certainly true that for some, a comfy wing-backed chair, a skein of wool and the rhythmic tattoo of the knitting needles is the only excitement required, others prefer their lives in the fast lane, hurling themselves into the unknown at every opportunity and storing up a lifetime's memories in the process… all of which is why, with the right market research, adrenalin promotions work so well.

Who are Unmissable?

Focussing on travel, lifestyle experiences and consumer goods, Unmissable specialises in creating brand led solutions for in-store, on-pack, print, radio, TV and Online consumer promotions. Working in partnership with the UK’s leading marketing agencies, commercial radio stations and consumer brands, we understand that delivering “stand out” for your brand is paramount to a campaigns success.

Are adrenalin promotions only for the blokes … at that, only for those blokes who write macho with a capital M? What can women expect in the way of thrills and spills – do you tailor specific experiences or do you find that, with one or two exceptions they appeal across the sexes?

No definitely not, it's not a question of fitting the experience to the gender, but more a case of tailoring an activity, that will be relevant for the specific target market and more importantly the age demographics. What is perceived as adrenalin fuelled to an 11 year old will obviously differ to that of a 30year old. For example, playing in a game of Quidditch organised by the stunt experts from the Harry Potter films would appeal to the younger market whilst driving a Porsche around the Arctic Circle or horse drawn skiing in St Moritz is more likely to suit an older target market profile.

There are also family activity weekend breaks across Europe which include kayaking, mountain biking etc...which, are suitable for young beginners or elder intermediates, the beauty of working with an expert is that they can build a bespoke experience tailored to your exact needs, rather than having to try and fit a promotion around an off-the-shelf package.

In terms of tailoring adrenalin fuelled experiences for the female audience quite simply there is just no need, statistics suggest for example that women are just as likely to buy exhilarating driving days or go shark diving as their male counterparts, we don’t live in the Dark Ages anymore so any notion that women aren’t just as motivated as their male counterparts to feel the adrenalin rush these experiences provide are simply outdated.

Both corporate clients and consumers have become far more adventurous in their approach to 'experiences'. A higher percentage of people in today's society now fall into the category of 'thrill seekers' as they look to spend their valuable leisure time experiencing something different from the normal hum drum of daily life. People want to create memories that will last forever and we provide them the opportunity to do that. The world has become a far more accessible place and as such opportunities to experience new and exciting activities and holidays are proving very popular.

What was hot during 2005?

The last 12 months have seen Unmissable provide a record number of adrenalin, high-octane themed experiences for a cross section of target markets ranging from a days stunt training for a group of journalists to support the launch of The Incredibles on DVD to two people jetting of to Oman for a ‘Living on the Edge’ desert safari adventure.

There was no single product or experience which proved more popular than others during 2005, it was the sheer number of adrenalin themed promotions and incentives that we worked on which allowed us to create so many fantastic products. These are just some of the experiences we provided during 2005:

• Ice rally driving in Lapland with the official Swedish Ice Rally Team
• Powerboat racing
• Space Academy training
• Super car weekends
• Extreme skiing trips
• Stunt training events in the UK & Europe
• Dune surfing
• Spying weekends in Moscow

…and what do you see as the big draw for 2006?

Having established some excellent contacts in the stunt world I would envisage this area to continue to grow during 2006, with more events and activities available to allow clients to experience life as a stunt person.

There is also likely to be an increase in extreme sports with more coverage in the media via satellite TV and the extreme sports channels. There has been a dramatic rise in popularity for certain sports such as kite surfing, abseiling, inline skating and extreme snowboarding many of which can involve expert tuition from a professional. Combining these sports with destinations such as The Dominican Republic and Maui provides a huge potential to create adrenalin packed tailor made holidays that will live long in the memory.

In addition to the growing number of stunt experiences and extreme sports available, there is also a growing opportunity to get back to nature with a number of exhilarating experiences. Adrenalin led experiences are not just defined by those incorporating some type of physical activity, the adrenalin rush felt from throwing yourself out of a plane at 3,000 feet can also be applied to less strenuous activities.

Trips ranging from canoeing through the rain forest in Borneo, to tracking lions & leopards in Africa and living with the Masai don’t require the same levels of physical exertion, but they are no less exhilarating.

Adrenalin experiences are increasing in popularity all the time, with trends such as working longer hours and higher levels of stress in the workplace, people are looking for ways to let off steam. The opportunities are limitless and the boundaries to what is achievable are broadening all the time, our biggest challenge is not to create all these amazing experiences but to convince clients that what we provide in our creative really can be achieved.

Are adrenalin promotions big budget campaigns?

As with any type of promotion or incentive, budgets are a necessity, they are not meant as a hindrance or a constraint but are merely an essential characteristic of any brief. Adrenalin promotions are no different from any other theme the skill is to create innovative and engaging solutions for our clients regardless of budget. Our bespoke approach allows us to work to a specific budget and tailor solutions across several price levels without loosing sight of the brand or the theme of the activity.

Is a lot of planning involved or can a promoter pick up the phone one day and be breaking the lap record at Brands Hatch the next?

The degree of planning required is dependent on both the location of the activity and the number of people taking part. In essence a day at a racetrack driving a sports car in the UK can be organised at very short notice whereas organising a group of ten people to experience wing walking in Budapest will take more planning.

The key to any successful adrenalin based promotion is to take advice from experts and to ensure that individuals organising the experience on the ground are registered with the necessary industry bodies, and that all instructors are fully qualified.

First, and by far the most important rule, is to always use experts in their fields. Due to the very nature of what is involved in adrenalin based experiences there are specific requirements such as additional insurance, age restrictions, health and medical forms which all need to be considered. By using an expert all these potential obstacles can be overcome from the outset without any problems occurring, alleviating any initial concerns the client might have.

As a company Unmissable has a very rigid policy of only trading with those people registered with their respective professional bodies and who therefore carry all the required insurance and professional qualifications.

Are promotions of this type bought 'off the shelf' or can you accommodate a client's requests?

Whilst Unmissable can provide a number of solutions ‘off the shelf’ we specialise in tailoring specific experiences and activities to the individual requirements of our clients briefs. Generally we will take a theme and create a number of concepts around it. Our in-house creative expertise allows us to extend the brand proposition and consistently deliver bespoke solutions, which compliment the brands identity.

Case Study

• Campaign: Spy Game Toy – Product Launch
• Client: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
• Agency: Unmissable
• Objective: To create an experience to compliment the ‘Spy’ element of the product.

Activity: Unmissable created a super spy weekend in the wondrous surroundings of the Arctic. Having flown into Reykjavik our prizewinners were given VIP treatment throughout with go karting, a super jeep safari, snowmobiling, sleigh riding and trip to one of the famous Blue Lagoons. We couldn’t let our super spy’s go cold so we even provided all the essential spy kit and clothing to combat the hostile conditions!

Comment: “By creating such a unique experience which was able to extend the brands identity through its promotional activity, we were able to deliver a solution which allowed our client to achieve the required ‘stand-out’ and ensure a successful campaign” Andrew Cook, Unmissable.

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