Case Study:
Archives
A Premium that Has Heads Nodding
What do you give someone who has access to everything? And how do you personalize it so they know it was especially for them?
That was the challenge for the organizers of the Ride with Lance Armstrong event. The event gave 50 cyclists the opportunity to ride with the seven-time Tour de France cycling legend and take part in a pivotal event that generated over $1,250,000 for the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre in Kitchener, Ont.
The organizers wanted to thank some of the key people involved, including the man who has it all: Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie (15-time Tour de France competitor), Steve Bauer, (Canadian Silver Medalist at the 1984 Olympics), Rob Wildeboer (executive chairman, Martinrea International), Jim Balsillie, (BlackBerry fame) and Phil Liggett (the legendary voice of the Tour de France).
What could you give these men that would actually make an impression? Short of giving them a photograph, what would personalize the event? Bobbleheads anyone? That’s right, the fun-loving, oversized head that has been around for years. But instead of getting one of a baseball player or movie star, which have been handed out by the thousands, some of the world’s best and most recognizable cycling figures got their own head from You Bobbles, suppliers of one-of-a-kind bobbleheads!
So how does a person transform into a miniature four by six bobblehead?
The organizers, through a promotional products distributor, uploaded a clear photo of each recipient’s face in a simple JPEG format. They then selected a body type, and in keeping with the theme of the event, each head was put on a bicycle. Companies can choose from over 100 different styles — some bobbles include two people while others have different stances.
You Bobble’s trained sculptors then moulded each face, tweaking it, and accentuating characteristics from the photos to make the mould look like the person. You Bobble then sent an email, approximately 10 days from the date of the order, so the distributor could preview the mould. In this case the distributor also communicated directly with the artist and had a chance to post their feedback. Once the mould was approved, a You Bobble artist hand-painted each bobblehead. Each You Bobble takes hours to complete as every detail is included right from hair development, to facial expressions, facial lines and colouring.
At the event dinner Armstrong and his colleagues were presented with their own You Bobbles. Surprisingly, Armstrong, the man who has it all, had never had a personal You Bobble before. He and the rest of the recipients were thrilled. Like kids in a candy store, they played the night away with their own You Bobbles.