Godiva Hotel Promo a Bit of a Downgrade
Every year, Godiva runs a Valentine’s Day sweepstakes in which one lucky winner receives a slip in their box of chocolates telling them they’ve won a fabulous prize.
This year, the winner gets a weekend at a chocolate themed hotel room in New York. Chocolate adorned tables and chairs. Chocolate adorned lighting.
Is it just me, or does this sound kind of awful?
Don’t get me wrong. I love chocolate. Me and chocolate are close. And I think this would be a fun place to spend a half hour in. But a whole weekend in the Godiva Decadence Suite at the Bryant Park Hotel? After a while, I think I’d hate the smell of chocolate and be ordering a pizza with extra garlic just to change the aroma.
Remember back when Godiva’s prizes were diamonds? Or even 52 pairs of Manolo Blahnik shoes? That’s the kinda thing a girl wants, not cocoa flavored ottomans. A weekend in a hotel seems like a bit of a downgrade compared to bling you can wear year round.
Of course, you have to give them points for getting more bang for their branding buck. The online media gave Godiva all kinds of coverage (like this and this) for the unveiling of the suite, presented by “Heroes” actress Ali Larter. And the chocolate room is definitely a better showcase for their products than a pair of “Sex and the City” shoes.
Who knows? Maybe it will help keep the candy purveyor tops in this Valentine’s season, expected to be down from previous years.
Still, not for me. But I’ll happily take a box of Godiva on Feb. 14. Yeah, I’m looking at you, husband.
January 31st, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Yeah, that definitely sounds like an incentive for the guy instead. A weekend in the Land of Chocolate… and you can come too, wifey!
February 1st, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Gotta love the Surprise Marketing element, though. More on that tomorrow, I suppose ;)