Released
on Christmas day, “Up in the Air” is currently 6th at the box office, reaching more than $45 million. It comes as no surprise as the dramatic comedy has been
nominated for 6 Golden Globes and 3 SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards.
As
the exclusive luggage partner for the movie, Travelpro launched “Up in the Air” Sweepstakes to
coincide with the premier. Suitcase.com
joined the offer in giving its customers the chance to win a free trip to
Hollywood, two Hollywood tour packages and, of course, Travelpro luggage, among
other prizes.
Suitcase.com
sits down with Scott Applebee, Travelpro’s VP of marketing, to find out more
about the Sweepstakes and how the partnership with Paramount Pictures began for
the movie, “Up in the Air,” which stars George Clooney as a traveling
businessman who is hired by U.S. companies to conduct their layoffs.
How did the
promotion with “Up in the Air” begin?
More
than a year ago while “Up in the Air” was being shot, Los Angeles-based Premier
Entertainment Services International Inc. contacted Travelpro. The
product-placement agency was hired to provide props for the movie.
“I
knew nothing about the movie when we were first contacted, but as soon as I
discovered it was about a frequent traveler and George Clooney was involved, I
was excited,” said Applebee. “Plus, Jason Reitman was the director, so I knew
it’d be a quality movie and great for our brand.”
Applebee
knew he needed an integrated
marketing program to maximize the impact for Travelpro. So, he went right
to work developing a marketing plan, which consisted of Web banners, media plans,
public relations and a Sweepstakes, and formed a marketing partnership with
Paramount Pictures.
How was
Travelpro chosen as the exclusive luggage featured in the movie?
Movie
Director Jason Reitman, a frequent traveler and customer of Travelpro, suggested
Travelpro luggage as props for the movie.
Is Clooney a
customer of Travelpro?
“That
I’m not sure about, but I certainly hope after the movie he’ll be a customer,”
Applebee said. Clooney uses the Travelpro
Crew series throughout the flick.
Why did
Travelpro decide to partner with Paramount?
“For
Travelpro, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Applebee. “Since the
movie was all about business travel and Travelpro caters to frequent travelers,
the movie was a perfect fit.”
Travelpro
is keeping the doors open for future partnerships with Paramount Pictures.
Which Travelpro
luggage pieces are featured in “Up in the Air”?
Travelpro
sent around 75 pieces to the set, including: Platinum
6, Crew 7, Walkabout
Life 3 and the Executive
First briefcase collection, as well as lines from Atlantic and Graphite
Lite 2, among others. The passengers in the airport scenes also used Travelpro
luggage, and a pretend Travelpro retail outlet was highlighted on the movie
set.
“The
movie featured a scene where Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) swapped out her old
piece of luggage for a Travelpro Platinum Rollaboard,” said Applebee, who
explained in the movie that Clooney’s character recommended Natalie upgrade her
luggage if she planned on doing a lot of traveling.
Speaking of
Travelpro luggage, which pieces will the Sweepstakes winner receive?
The
winner and his/her guest will receive Travelpro carry-on luggage from the
Platinum 6 collection.
How will the
winner be chosen?
An
independent firm will do a drawing to choose the winner after the close of the Sweepstakes
on Jan. 15. The company uses a computer algorithm that randomly selects a
winner, who will be named and announced about two weeks after the close.
How will the
lucky winners be contacted?
“I
will contact the winner directly by phone,” said Applebee. “I try to make it
personal, and I also want to ensure the winner is confident it’s legitimate.”
The
winner must provide a notarized letter of authenticity to accept the prize.
How many have participated
in the Sweepstakes to date?
We have received slightly more than 25,000 participants in “Up in the
Air” Sweepstakes, and we expect to get around 50,000 by its close on Jan. 15.
What all does
the Hollywood Tour entail?
The
Sweepstakes prize includes an 8-hour public Hollywood Tour, including sites
like Rodeo Drive; the Sunset Strip, the Hollywood Bowl; Walk of Fame; and
Grauman’s Chinese theater. The bus tour even drives by movie-star homes.
"I personally took the public tour to ensure it was a great prize," said Applebee. "It was fantastic, and covered all the main sites in Hollywood and Los Angeles."