LIBRARYPALOOZA

HOME

AWARDS

SEARCH

ARTICLES

LETTER TO EDITOR

TOOLBOX

Bobbing for Messages
A Marketing Opportunity In A Bottle

If you've been trying to get the message to your library's patrons that they should spend more time in your library maybe you should send that message in a bottle.

Yep, that's right. Stuff that message in a bottle (or on a bottle) and drift along with the publicity storm sloshing around the release of the new Warner Brothers movie, Message In A Bottle, slated to wash up in theaters everywhere on February 12.

Take the plunge and set up a display emphasizing the connection between this splashy new movie and the book by Nicholas Sparks. Do this right, and library patrons who are interested in the film will flood into your library to learn about ocean currents, tides, sea lore, beaches, boats, sand, romance!!!

Here are some ideas:

1. Make a bottle. Print the label image from the Acrobat file, cut out the labels and put those labels on large bottles.
   
   
2. Make a note with your message on it. This could be a flyer telling about relevant items in your collection or (if your bottle is near your catalog) a list of keywords or subjects to search. See the sample on the "keyword" Acrobat file. Put the note in the bottle so that it can be read.

   Acrobat hint: Never print an Acrobat file using the "file - print" commands on your Web browser. Use the little printer icon in the upper left corner of the Acrobat window or download the file to your hard drive and print from Acrobat Reader (not from the Reader plug-in on your Web browser).

   
   

3. For more splash, get a pie pan or plate, fill it with some pebbles or sand from your local builders' supply or hardware purveyor and display the bottle (with label and messages) in the sand- or pebble-filled pan and presto! — you have your own "beach" for your missive to wash up upon.
   
   
4. Get a movie poster from your local theater manager. Tell him that you want to help him by putting his advertising in a conspicuous public place. If that doesn't work, try begging or guilt. The New York Times had a full page, full color poster like ad in the Friday, January 29, 1999 Weekend Section of its newspaper — use that!
   
   
5. Direct your Internet patrons to some fun Websites such as:
   • The Message In A Bottle movie Website – http://www.message-bottle.com
     
     
   • Drifter Buoys and Ocean Currents – http://athena.wednet.edu/curric/oceans/drifters/index.html
     
     
   • A Primer on Ocean Currents – http://www.whoi.edu/coastal-briefs/Coastal-Brief-94-05.html
     
     
   • Our Restless Tides – http://www.opsd.nos.noaa.gov/predtide.html
     
     
   • Currents and Rips: Surf Safety – http://www.lifesaving.org.au/education/safety/rips.htm
     
     
   • Powerboats, Sailboats, Destinations, & Forecasts – http://www.yachtingnet.com
     
     
   • Gallery of Ships in Bottles – http://www.shipbottle.ru/thumbpic.htm
     
     
   • How to Uncork a Bottle of Bubbly – http://www.palmbayimports.com/tips/openbottle.html
     
     
   • Make a bath-time boat. This simple project that lets your child's imagination run free. Best of all, this project is good, clean fun. – http://homearts.com/depts/family/78rain11.htm
     
     
   • Fun Beach Activities: 20 fabulous seaside ideas for kids (and adults) to do from Seashore Obstacle, Sand Castle Tools, Footprint Scramble and lots more! – http://family.disney.com/Categories/Activities
     /Features/family_0401_01/dony/donyout_beach/donyout011.html
     
     
   • Pail Of Sand. This novel cake, topped with crushed cookie "sand," will be the hit of any beach party. – http://family.disney.com/Features/family_1998_05
     /famf/famf58cakes/famf58cakes4.html
     
     
   • How-to set sail with a traditional origami boat – http://www.cs.ruu.nl/~hansb/d.origami/traditional/boat.html

A really BIG thanks to Warner Books for permission to use the book's cover art in our "Message In A Bottle - At The Library"' bottle labels. Also drop by the North Bay Cooperative Library System in Northern Califoria to see how they used it to promote their inter-library loan program SuperSearch.