I love the Oscars – they’re the Super Bowl of the movies, after all! This year I’m hosting my seventh-annual Academy Award viewing party, and although I won’t be throwing down a red carpet, my guests might get the star treatment in other ways: glamorous ticket invitations, decadent finger foods and lucrative prizes.
The Oscars are a great opportunity to shine the spotlight on your business or just gather friends together.
If you have access to a projector, you can hang a sheet on a wall in your shop or home or even set up a viewing party outside. Invite friends, family and clients, and then encourage networking during the red carpet interviews leading up to the show.
Don’t forget: The Academy Awards are on Sunday, March 7. Here are four printing ideas to do in advance that will make your Oscar party memorable.
Invitations.
A printed invitation is memorable – the recipient can hold onto it and remember your event, whether he or she actually attends. You can easily whip out a customized invitation, or you can play up the movie theme by printing tickets. PsPrint has free invitation templates to get you started.
Advertising.
Invitations aren’t the only way to call attention to your Oscar party. Print up posters with all the details and mount them at your store as well as bulletin boards of your friendly neighbors.
Ballot.
Even if you don’t host a party, you can still organize a fun competition among co-workers, customers and friends. Print out ballots with the nominees listed on the official Oscar site. For a personal touch and to add some marketing flair, design and print your own ballot form. Include your company’s information and consider adding some sort of coupon. (Hint: Choose a recycled matte paper stock, which is easier to write on.) Encourage participants to fill out the ballots early so they can turn them in to you prior to March 7 or at the start of your party. Then award a prize to whoever gets the most categories correct. Prizes could include a miniature trophy, a product or service from your company, or movie passes.
Consolation prizes.
Make everyone a winner by awarding all participants and party attendants a take-home gift. One idea is to make a CD of the Oscar-nominated songs. You can usually legally purchase them quite cheaply through iTunes. Then burn a bunch of discs and package them in a customized CD sleeve that includes a playlist, some sort of Academy Award-inspired design and your company information.
[...] the one hand, “Logorama” is nominated for an Academy Award and is making the film festival circuit, so it’s free advertising to all the companies included. [...]