Ace Marketing & Promotions Takes Macy's 82nd Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade Interactive
VALLEY STREAM, NY--(MARKET WIRE)--Nov 20, 2008 -- Ace Marketing & Promotions (OTCBB:AMKT.OB - News), the innovator of Proximity Marketing(SM) -- representing the convergence of advertising and merchandising -- today announced that the Company has partnered with Macy's in making the 82nd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade the first interactive event of this size in history. Interactive elements will be delivered via Bluetooth and Wi-fi to spectators. The annual holiday spectacle is attended by over 3.5 million viewers lining the streets of New York City on Thanksgiving Day.
The interactive elements begin at Macy's Balloon Inflation the day before Thanksgiving, where over a million spectators gather to see the giant character balloons in the Parade come to life. Macy's Balloon Inflation takes place on Wednesday, November 26, 2008 and is open to the public from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. When spectators enter the inflation area at 79th Street and Columbus Avenue, they will receive fun facts and behind-the-scenes info on the giant balloons being inflated on 77th and 81st Streets. To receive this unique content, users of over 1,000 compatible mobile devices, including iPhone users, can enable their devices to receive special messages from the one-and-only Santa Claus and a host of other unique Parade content, only available at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. All spectators have to do is to turn their Bluetooth device "On" and Enable their Bluetooth Visibility to either "Discoverable" or "Always Visible" in the settings menu on their device. Shortly thereafter, when entering the Inflation site or when Santa's sleigh passes by them on the route, they will receive a message -- "Do you want to receive a FREE download from Macy's Parade /Santa?" When a user "accepts" the message, the FREE download immediately begins and is stored in the user's media folder. Because there is no network signal required, other than a detectable Bluetooth or Wi-fi device, the content is truly FREE to the consumer.
"We are very excited to offer this next level of excitement to our millions of Parade spectators," said Amy Kule, producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "The Parade has always been about connecting with our audience in magical ways and the added ability to provide engaging and helpful content, via easily accessible Bluetooth devices, offers us a new way to connect with the millions who watch our Parade live in New York."
"Having our Proximity Marketing(SM) solution showcased by Macy's, for an event that is unmatched worldwide, is truly a huge testament of our technology and its progress," stated Michael Trepeta, President of Ace Marketing & Promotions Inc. "As we strive to bring Proximity Marketing(SM) to the attention of advertisers, merchants and consumers worldwide, we could not have been chosen to demonstrate the strength of our services at a more time-honored tradition in America," Trepeta concluded.
"We have had a phenomenal year with being the first to conduct our Proximity Marketing(SM) & Rockzimity Marketing(SM) campaigns in premier sports & entertainment venues. We are just scratching the surface with the applications for this technology and participating in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an honor, we are more than hopeful that Macy's decision to work with Ace will continue for years to come," stated Matt Gaines, Chief Marketing Officer for Ace Marketing & Promotions Inc."
