Kerlin
06-12-2003, 07:44 PM
I'm just going to cross-post quickly some suggestions I had written up a little while ago about what to write to advertisers. If you have any more suggestions, please feel free to add them here!
I try to mention:
1. That I saw their commercial during a specific Farscape episode: name, date, and time of the episode, on the Sci-Fi Channel.
2. That they have chosen to reach a very specific demographic. Some adjectives I use are: intelligent, financially well-off, educated, savvy, dedicated, loyal. Depending on my mood I might quote the over $200,000 for money we've raised so far. "That is money we could be spending on your product."
3. Again depending on mood, I might tell them about why Farscape is so good and that it was cancelled.
4. If I have used their product, or intend to use their product. For Pizza Hut's letter I told them I would be taking my entire family to Pizza Hut for dinner this week, and that I had two growing teenage brothers who eat everything in sight. If I can, I purchase the product and include some piece of it to show them I am telling the truth.
5. I always end by saying something roughly like, "Please tell the Sci-Fi Channel that you enjoy reaching this viewership and that you would like to continue advertising during Farscape. If you feel so inclined, I urge you to also contact UPN and tell them you would follow Farscape to their network with your advertising money in order to continue reaching this valuable demographic."
You can also include the stock contact information for these networks, and for Henson.
A few things to remember:
* Be as professional and polite as possible. This can't be stressed enough.
* If you type your letter (which is perfectly fine!), make sure to leave a space to sign it as well, and at least hand-address the envelope.
* Mention Farscape, mention the Sci-Fi Channel, and ask them to talk to the Sci-Fi Channel about their advertising. Mention Farscape again. It's all about name recognition and repetition. You might want to use some of the available stationary (http://www.watchfarscape.com/campaign/stationary.php) to write your letters.
* Do not use the word "fan" (or, for that matter, Scaper). Yes, I know, that's what we are. But in the media industry "fan" has a negative connotation; it denotes the person they've alrady hooked. Sci-Fi doesn't need Farscape fans, it needs Farscape VIEWERS. It may sound like a little thing, but we are striving to be as professional as possible. Use words like viewership, demographic, and audience to describe the people who watch Farscape.
I try to mention:
1. That I saw their commercial during a specific Farscape episode: name, date, and time of the episode, on the Sci-Fi Channel.
2. That they have chosen to reach a very specific demographic. Some adjectives I use are: intelligent, financially well-off, educated, savvy, dedicated, loyal. Depending on my mood I might quote the over $200,000 for money we've raised so far. "That is money we could be spending on your product."
3. Again depending on mood, I might tell them about why Farscape is so good and that it was cancelled.
4. If I have used their product, or intend to use their product. For Pizza Hut's letter I told them I would be taking my entire family to Pizza Hut for dinner this week, and that I had two growing teenage brothers who eat everything in sight. If I can, I purchase the product and include some piece of it to show them I am telling the truth.
5. I always end by saying something roughly like, "Please tell the Sci-Fi Channel that you enjoy reaching this viewership and that you would like to continue advertising during Farscape. If you feel so inclined, I urge you to also contact UPN and tell them you would follow Farscape to their network with your advertising money in order to continue reaching this valuable demographic."
You can also include the stock contact information for these networks, and for Henson.
A few things to remember:
* Be as professional and polite as possible. This can't be stressed enough.
* If you type your letter (which is perfectly fine!), make sure to leave a space to sign it as well, and at least hand-address the envelope.
* Mention Farscape, mention the Sci-Fi Channel, and ask them to talk to the Sci-Fi Channel about their advertising. Mention Farscape again. It's all about name recognition and repetition. You might want to use some of the available stationary (http://www.watchfarscape.com/campaign/stationary.php) to write your letters.
* Do not use the word "fan" (or, for that matter, Scaper). Yes, I know, that's what we are. But in the media industry "fan" has a negative connotation; it denotes the person they've alrady hooked. Sci-Fi doesn't need Farscape fans, it needs Farscape VIEWERS. It may sound like a little thing, but we are striving to be as professional as possible. Use words like viewership, demographic, and audience to describe the people who watch Farscape.