How Nicholas Sparks Made the Most of Valentine’s Day
In recent years, no romance author has scored as many hits as Nicholas Sparks (at left via Facebook). The author of many hugely popular books, several of which have been made into “must see” movies for romantic movie fans, Nicholas Sparks’ marketing team had the author all teed up, and ready to swing for a major public relations win on Valentine’s Day.
Just before the big day of hearts, and chocolate, Sparks’ team announced the release of a DVD collection of his seven biggest romantic adaptations, Safe Haven, The Lucky One, Dear John, Nights in Rodanthe, A Walk to Remember, Message in a Bottle, and The Notebook.
To support the release, Sparks engaged the media, which was already ramping up for Valentine’s Day, and looking for love themed content.
Three reasons why Sparks’ promotion paid off:
He was prepared: Holidays come at the same time every year, and, every time, they offer an opportunity for someone to connect with their established audience. For Sparks, no day is better for this than Valentine’s Day. His movies, and books are like Date Night candy; stories of love conquering all. So, they put them all together, in a neat little package, for people who just can’t pick their favorite one. And ALL OF THIS was put in place months ago.
He stayed topical: In his interviews, and other media appearances, Sparks, promoted the movies and books, but not heavily. He let the interviewer lead him into those topics, which kept on message, without being overbearing.
He offered welcome content: Not only were the movies welcome content, but the discussion ABOUT the content, from the ultimate insider, was very welcome to fans. They appreciated the curtain being pulled back as the creator of their favorite movies talked shop. The opportunity allowed Sparks to repeatedly discuss memorable scenes, which, in turn, promoted the movies even more.
With these three action steps, Sparks was able to connect with his core audience in a meaningful way. While you might not be a bestselling novelist, you can apply these tips to achieve marketing success.
