More than 70 years ago, the very first superheroes debuted during the dire times of the Great Depression and the early years of World War II. Their names became legend -- SupermanTM, BatmanTM, Wonder WomanTM, Captain AmericaTM -- and they're still with us today. In the 1930's, the American Dream had become a nightmare. Comic books and superheroes in particular provided an escapist form of entertainment that allowed the American public to go into a fantasy world where all ills were righted by these larger-than-life heroes. Today, the public is turning again to costumed heroes in record numbers. Movies based on comic books are often box office successes. Comic books remain a strong industry even in today's society.
Bright Monkey Marketing, a Tampa communications group that creates conversations between customers and brands, developed the 2010 logo and theme for the Florida State Fair. "The comic book superhero came out of a context in which the political, social and economic realities were a little tough," says Thom VanderKlipp, a founding partner of Bright Monkey says. "We can certainly relate to those realities now in our own day. I think the resurgence of popularity of superheroes can be attributed to that."
With the aid of the Bright Monkey Marketing creative team and Rip Stalvey, Interim Director of Marketing for the Florida State Fair at the helm, the Fair has some first-time-ever ideas to engage new Fair visitors and make this year’s communications campaign as fun and interactive as the Fair itself. The Fair will kick start the campaign with an audition/casting call to discover Florida’s very own superheroes, "The League of Fair-ness". The casting call will be a super fun combination of an American Idol-style audition and Florida’s most fun costume party with a fair twist. Auditions to be held on October 29-30 will be videotaped and integrated it into the Fair’s viral marketing strategy culminating into a contest whereby the public can vote for their favorite costumed character that may ultimately be chosen to be part of the Florida State Fair’s "League of Fair-ness". And being part of this select group can make you famous too while getting paid to make appearances at community events to promote the 2010 Florida State Fair.
The 106th annual Florida State Fair will take place on February 4-15, 2010. The Florida State Fair – always in Tampa and always in February – is organized by the Florida State Fair Authority under the leadership of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson leads the Fair Authority, which oversees the Florida State Fairgrounds and the annual Florida State Fair. For more information about the Florida State Fair or the Fairgrounds, visit online http://www.floridastatefair.com/, call toll-free (800) 345-FAIR or (813) 621-7821.
The Florida State Fair Authority is a non-profit organization which operates primarily from revenues generated from the annual State Fair and other ongoing operations during the year. Presently, the FSFA does not receive any state tax appropriations from Hillsborough County, City of Tampa, nor the State of Florida. The FSFA operates the Florida State Fairgrounds year-round in association with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson leads the Fair Authority Board, which oversees the Florida State Fairgrounds and the annual Florida State Fair.
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For press relations inquiries, please contact a Fair Authority staff member as identified below:
(1) Denise Shreaves – Manager of Marketing & Public Relations for the Florida State Fair Authority
E-mail shreavd@doacs.state.fl.us / Office #: (813) 627-4314 / Cell #: (813) 732-0141
(2) Rip Stalvey – Interim Director of Marketing for the Florida State Fair Authority
E-mail stalver1@doacs.state.fl.us / Office #: (813) 627-4222
For advertising inquiries, please contact the Fair’s media buying agency of choice as identified below:
(a) English-language market media buys: Karen Sim – Wilson Media & Advertising
E-mail karen@wilsonmedia.tv / Phone #: (727) 894-6100
(b) Hispanic-language market media buys: Al Frederick – Emotional Connections Consulting
E-mail emotionalconnections1@gmail.com / Phone #: (813) 758-9149
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