Nothing Fishy about this Marketing Campaign

Last week, I started spotting blue posters plastered in shop windows across town proclaiming “PLAY like a kid, PAY like a kid!” It’s all part of a special promotion, this month only, that lets all South Carolina residents visit the South Carolina Aquarium and pay just the children’s admission price of $10 (down from regular adult admission of $17).

Smart marketing all around.

It’s no secret that spikes in gas prices, food prices, and the cost of pretty much everything has hit Americans pretty hard in the pocket. The Summer of 2008 saw the creation of a new buzzword, the “staycation,” for those who take time off of work but don’t leave town on a vacation in order to save money. Why not, then, appeal to bargain-conscious staycationers when ticket sales might be tight?

The Charleston CVB’s been specifically targeting locals for years with their Be a Tourist in Your Own Town program, allowing locals to visit museums, plantations and attractions during a typically slow tourism month – January.

The South Carolina Aquarium is a great educational resource (and beautiful event venue to boot!), so spread the word and go “play like a kid!”