“I love the idea of donating half the fee to a charity and feel comfort that there’s a third party involved collecting my deposit. We want to celebrate the Games and have a great time, and knowing we’re helping give back to the host city will make it that much more memorable.”
–Andrea Clements, Calgary visitor
Non-profit benefits from cutting-edge wireless advertising campaign
December 15, 2009
VANCOUVER, BC – Home For The Games, an Olympic accommodation website with a charitable twist, is partnering with Blue Jamb Media Inc. in an innovative ad campaign to reach people wanting to open their homes to Olympic visitors. Through homeforthegames.com people can host 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games visitors from around the world, with proceeds going to charities fighting homelessness. Blue Jamb Media is donating its network and creative team to deliver an eight-week wireless Bluetooth technology ad campaign never before used in Canada.
“As a non-profit with budget constraints, promoting our services has been a challenge. Thanks to the generosity of Blue Jamb Media, our marketing is now being accomplished in a very new digital way not previously available to us. We’re taking our message to the streets and engaging with Vancouverites through their cell phones and in cafes. It’s an excellent opportunity to reach people who may have a spare room to open to Olympic visitors,” said Charles Montgomery, founder of Home For The Games.
Blue Jamb Media specializes in Bluetooth technology for interactive multi-media advertising and promotions. They created a video ad for Home For The Games that’s shared via Bluetooth technology with cell phone users in or near select Vancouver coffee houses. It’s permission based advertising and there’s no cost to users to view the ads – they need only to activate the existing technology on their mobile devices. Ads are also played on LCD screens and on the laptops of patrons in the cafes.
“The use of Bluetooth technology in advertising and promotion is just emerging. Combining it with Wi-Fi and the LCD screens in cafes provides access to a diverse demographic that will definitely bring Home For The Games exposure. They’re tackling an important issue facing the city while also helping citizens open their doors to the world during the Games. I wanted to support their efforts and raise their awareness by providing access to a unique and leading edge form of advertising by donating my services and our network,” said Michelle Herlihy, president of Blue Jamb Media Inc.
Home For The Games is a non-profit web-based system matching 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games visitors with Metro Vancouver hosts for short-term home stays, with half the nightly fee going to registered charities – Streetohome Foundation and Covenant House Vancouver – working to end homelessness.
“We’re harnessing the energy of the Games to foster friendship, generosity and a cultural exchange while helping those less fortunate. We’re grateful to Blue Jamb Media for sharing our vision by providing its technological expertise and networks to help raise our awareness,” said Montgomery.
Home For The Games both fuels and rewards generosity. There’s no fee to list or book a room on the website, and hosts will receive a tax receipt for the portion of the home stay fee that goes to charity. Hosts set their own rates, which will factor in such amenities as shared or private bath and whether breakfast is included, but are encouraged to set more affordable rates.
“Through the generosity and compassion of Vancouver hosts we’ll provide visitors with a positive and memorable Olympic experience and help our more vulnerable citizens,” said Montgomery. “We invite Metro Vancouverites with a spare room in their home or visitors looking for Olympic accommodations to list and book through Home For The Games.”
The advertising campaign will run through to the Olympic Games in February. Blue Jam Media joins existing sponsors of Home For The Games: BCAA, Vancity, Ryan Ilg Creative Design, Seven25 Design and Typography and The Tyee.
To list or book a room, or learn more about Home For The Games, visit the website www.homeforthegames.com
