Look back to the future

Looking for a unique way to publicize a chapter, district or Society anniversary celebration? Tired of basic press releases and programs for your chapter shows?

The Keystone Capital Chorus (Harrisburg, Pa.) did a great "retro" piece in a local monthly tabloid called "Mode Magazine" that was just really good stuff. The tab bills itself as "business and entertainment for the working professional." The chorus was announcing its 50th anniversary show.

Modern-day ads in the magazine (cell phones, etc.) were accompanied by photos from the '50s, an interesting juxtaposition.

The article plugging the show began by "looking ahead" to the 10th anniversary show, and also mentioned some early show headliners, among them 1950 International Quartet Champions the Buffalo Bills.

Two chorus photos were published with the article: one from the group's 10th anniversary show and the other captioned as an "artists rendering of how they might look in 1998, if they can quadruple in size and buy nicer clothes."

The article also listed some "goals" for the 50th anniversary show, which included show dates and the fact that the chorus had already booked the Hershey Theater. Clever copy writing listed everything the show would contain as "goals" for 1998. How's this for slick? "They'd like to have a real charismatic musical director on board - one who can excite both a chorus and an audience. Only problem is the guy they have in mind as director, Hal Kraft of Camp Hill, is only in first grade! However, they're going to keep an eye on him anyway!"

Can't help but believe that the ingenuity of the article helped sell a lot of tickets.

Rather than simply copying the idea, and it certainly merits a rerun someplace, learn from what was involved, namely, thinking outside of the box. The value of what the Harrisburg Chapter did is its departure from the commonplace (read: easy way out). The only problem is that when you do something that good, what do you do next year? What a wonderful dilemma to be facing.