Ryan Posted April 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Oh here we go... A theme park has joined forces with airline giant Virgin Atlantic to create a treatment plan for people with a fear of rollercoasters. Thorpe Park in Surrey said the move followed a spate of panic attacks and an increase in the numbers seen sweating and hyperventilating after going on the new Swarm ride. A special half-day course will be offered to help people overcome a fear of rollercoasters, ending with a ride on the Swarm. http://news.uk.msn.com/odd-news/afraid-well-take-you-for-a-ride With a photo of G-Force at Drayton Manor.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 msn never get stuff like that right. I'm sure their 'news' is written by an automated press release and photo generator. Sidders 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobD Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 In terms of marketing strategy, I think Thorpe have got it bang on. Thye get people, in some cases, the world over (Storm Surge haunting making Australian news), talking about a relatively (on a global scale) small theme park in the UK. What's more, it's a free marketing strategy. It works excellently, even if the ideas are stupid. It gets people talking and that is never a bad thing. But with what success? Unltimately, marketing always forms part of a business strategy, which in Thorpe Park's case is of course to get more people through their doors. To boost the publics awareness of the park will not neccesarily achieve this alone, the park need to draw people in. So, lets look beyond the PR stunts. For anyone who has been to WHSmiths or Burger King, to name just a few, you will have seen the 2 for 1 vouchers given out to every customer. Now, combine this with the mainstream marketing used, and it soon becomes clear how wide reaching the presence of Merlin's entertainment is outside of their attractions. Essentially, the group manage to maintain a excellent presence in the public eye, through a number of different channels. Combine this with offers, and the customer becomes almost brainwashed into visiting the park. But, then you have to consider the limitations of such a strategy. For example, this won't bring in the enthusiast types like you and I, as the majority of us are annual pass holders, we tend to represent the bread and butter customers. So how do they keep us? Through similar srategy of course! To an extent, this can be through memories of a past day out. For example, why do you think the marketing department press so hard for annual pass renewals early in the season? It comes as no coincidence this is whislt the parks are closed. People remember a good day out, along with the marketing for the future additions to the park, and suddenly, spending £150 that goes directly to the park (probably the single biggest spend they'll get from any one customer all year) becomes very attractive. They also try to avoid people visiting the park, the pass expiring, and them realising it's maybe not worth splashing out £150. Of course, there is a huge variety of customer, but the two approaches here essentially outline two of the tactics. In terms of personal opinion, I dislike, with a passion, the marketing techniques used by Merlin. IT's almost entirely over-the-top, over hyping rides, that would benefit much more from a solid theme. For example, Alton use much the same techniques to Thorpe, when Th13teen, for example, would have benefitted much more from a Hex style marketing campaign, than a SCARIEST RIDE IN THE WORLD OMG strategy, with no real story. The group, generally, in my opinion, lack imagination (notice any similarities in storyline and concept between Nemesis, Raptor, Swarm and Nemesis: Sub Terra, per chance?), and they need to really look to new strategies and ideas. Ryan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Unfair to say that there are similarities between Nemesis and Sub Terra because well, they've used an extension of an existing backstory and moved to enlarge it... And tbh, I much prefer Merlin's stories to places like Six Flags and Cedar Fair... At least we get attempts at stories here... Agree with the hype machine for Thirteen though, and the PR stunts which have been completely stupid... (BO, limb loss, etc)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobD Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 ^ True, an effort is better than nothing, but there is only so many times you can do the same thing, just, based around a different creature. Sub Terra is fair, I'll reserve judgement until I ride it, but, it is nice to see them using the original story. As for The Swarm's limb business, personally I'd say it is the cleverest so far. The others (haunted Storm surge, for example) have no relevence, however, this does; one of the key elements of the Swarm is the near misses, and by putting it in the news, it really highlights this to the public and makes them more aware of the near misses, subconsciously almost making everything that bit closer. Shame it didn't achieve the hype it could have. Then there was the morphsuits 'swarming' the London Underground. Almost seems to have gone forgetton how irrelevent and utterly shambolic that was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattgwise Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 Just came across this collection of old 1990's Thorpe Park adverts on Youtube. UnderItAll 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 I remember those first two so clearly. Good old days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattgwise Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 £28 for a family of four! It's £138 now, gone up £110 in around 20 years. If the same pattern follows, in 2030 it will be around £220 a family ticket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 Love how the third advert makes Flying Fish look as big as Colossus. BigBobJones, aTOMic and c1hrisin 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles1 Posted August 19, 2012 Report Share Posted August 19, 2012 £28 for a family of four! It's £138 now, gone up £110 in around 20 years. If the same pattern follows, in 2030 it will be around £220 a family ticket! But with inflation, £220 won't be as bad as it sounds now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 But with inflation, £220 won't be as bad as it sounds now. If it had risen in line with inflation it would now be just under £50, so quite bad really! There is a lot more there now though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeksy Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 The park are at it again! Any excuse to get a few lines! http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/913081-thorpe-park-to-breathalyse-drunk-students-to-put-them-on-the-swarm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 Oh god! Spare me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 You will see a photo soon with a thorpe park medic breathtaking a teen girl soon! They were taking the pics last Thursday but I didn't think much of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 An increase of 250%? *I don't want to live on this planet anymore[/img]* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge2002 Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 Says the park holding a freaking night club in their entrance hall. haha... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mightymetra Posted September 25, 2012 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 Uh oh, another stupid marketing idea: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/iv-drip/thorpe-park-to-breathalyse-drunk-students-8175444.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c1hrisin Posted September 25, 2012 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 It HAS to be an inbetweeners pic lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jom222 Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 On the right of the bridge: With thanks to Thorpe Park Mania Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokesyboy Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Has that Nintendo marketing gone now? I've not been to Thorpe lately so haven't seen if it's gone or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c1hrisin Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Yes As far as I have seen its gone Stokesyboy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 The nintendo marketing adverts where for one day only yes ye to an event held in the evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenVig Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 (edited) The nintendo marketing adverts where for one day only yes ye to an event held in the evening. The Nintendo marketing adverts were displayed for only a day, as the company were holding a private event on park. Edited October 4, 2012 by Sidders : Rudeness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted May 24, 2013 Report Share Posted May 24, 2013 The park have been awarded a 'TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence' - http://www.thorpepark.com/press/releases/2013/23-05-2013-TripAdvisor-Excellence-Award.doc (opens as a Word Document). Well that's good! pluk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted May 24, 2013 Report Share Posted May 24, 2013 Nice to see the park getting some recognition for all the hard work which has gone in over the last couple of years, theres no doubt the parks improved drastically over the past couple of years. Inferno 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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