Farmers Santa Parade set to offer savvy marketing opportunity in tough economic times

With an audience of 300,000-plus, the annual arrival of Father Christmas in the Farmers Santa Parade is an event not to be missed by Aucklanders young and old.

While the event focuses on fun for the kiddies, it has traditionally enjoyed substantial support from the business community, recognised for both its community spirit and valuable and varied sponsorship opportunities.

Farmers Santa Parade organiser Pam Glaser says sponsors get excellent value exposure from the non-profit event.

“Our research after last year’s parade shows how popular it is – more than eight out of 10 people there said they’d be back this year and nine out of 10 under-15s said they would be telling their mates to come,” Pam says.

This year the free-to-attend parade has added a new multi-benefit option to the sponsorship menu.

“We’ve acted on feedback and added a new comprehensive sponsorship package,” Pam says. “Amongst a host of benefits it takes in a wide range of options including an extensive advertising programme, grandstand seating, a branded float, pre- and post-parade sampling and logo rights.

“Our packages are excellent value, assuming we again reach 2008’s audience level of 300,000 – and we have every reason to expect to do so in 2009.

“Sponsors can select from options costing from one cent through five cents reach per person. And the new, full $35,000 grandstand package still comes in at around only $8.60 reach per person.”

The post-event 2008 research shows the Farmers Santa Parade attracts interest across wide demographics.

Overall, 72 per cent of parade-goers are women and one third of the crowd has been to at least two and up to four Farmers parades.

Age groups are evenly spread with 20 to 29 year-olds being the biggest sector at 18 per cent closely followed by 10 to 14s (17 per cent) and under 10s (15 per cent). The 40 to 49 age group gets in the Christmas mood too, comprising 13 per cent of the crowd.

The Farmers Santa Parade is owned and managed by a charitable trust and, because it is free to the public, the trust’s only source of income is grants and sponsorships. Donations by the public at the parade this year go to the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation.