Eat Pray Love is set to hit theaters this Friday, August 13. The movie, if you don’t know about it, stars Julia Roberts, who travels across Italy, India and Indonesia “in search of everything.”
It’s been media-blitzed to the hilt.
HSN, for instance, launched a comprehensive campaign, spanning direct mail, online advertising, mobile media, print advertising, television ads, PR and events.
Kohl’s launched an e-mail marketing campaign last week, offering a sweepstakes with the grand prize of a trip to Rome to see the film’s premiere.
I came across other interesting promos tied to the film last week, during my travels.
“Where to Eat, Pray, Love in San Antonio” was one of them.
The city’s visitor center is touting San Antonio as an historic, cultural and romantic destination. The bureau created a dedicated microsite for the effort and partnered with public relations firm Edelman as well as blog sites, such as gogalavanting.com, to attract visitors to San Antonio.
Some of the hotel packages include: The Yellow Rose Bed & Breakfast with an Eat, Pray, Love package, including a two-night stay with in-room breakfast delivery each morning, an Italian picnic to enjoy by the River Walk, a novel — “The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching” by Thich Nhat Hanh and a dozen yellow roses.
The Marriott Rivercenter’s Eat, Pray, Love package includes two tickets aboard the Rio San Antonio Boat, in addition to complimentary breakfast for two.
There are rose petal turndown services, spa packages, special wine deals.
I liked what Sarah Gruber, media relations manager at the San Antonio Visitor’s Center Bureau, had to say: Americans don’t have to travel very far to experience romance and culture.
What a way to capitalize on a Hollywood film.
