'Hot Topics': Replies from the marketing department (#96)

[dazzyg]

It's called a typographical error. Nothing to do with grammar.

ooooooooooohhhhhh get you with the big word.........

[Legion]

It's not a big word. Antidisestablishmentarianism is a big word.

[TheSandman]

Hold the front page! dazzyg has made a post that does not make a reference in someway to chanting about sacking McLeish. Amazing. The record has become unstuck.

[cheltenhamlion]

One would imagine only briefly.

[DeKuip]

Song words on a big screen. Kill me now, please.

I'd already be dead through embarrassment.

If they could get 1000/2000 in the Holte End to sing The Bells are Ringing on a non-match day

Do we tend to get that many in on a non-matchday nowadays - since the invention of tumble-dryers?

[Legion]

UPDATE: Responses due soon. SCG13 Q&A are now available in GM.

[Legion]

Affordable ticketing?
Nicky K has answered lots of affordable ticket questions via the SCG.  As you will be aware this is always a balancing act between filling the stadium and ensuring best value for season ticket holders.  You will be aware of the tickets for schools scheme launched last week.

Any chance of a screen making a re-appearance in the North Stand/Witton Lane Corner?!
Tom Fantini answered this very positively in the last SCG response. Watch this space!

Free wifi in stadium?
Richard Hollingsworth has answered this via the SCG. We continue to look for a solution.

Bells are ringing/entrance music?
I have answered this via the SCG and Hot topic thread. Again, nothing to add here at the moment.

Live music in the Holte Suite pre-kick off.
We have no immediate plans to bring live music into the Holte before a game. Our research tells us that fans want to listen to sky sports news and watch live games (12.30 kick off and 5pm kick off).

How about some bottled ales from some of the excellent small breweries in the West Midlands?
It’s a nice idea. Unfortunately our official beer sponsorship restricts us in terms of what we can sell.

What active PR to we do in peripheral towns within an hour or so of Villa Park to try and nick fans from the Big 4/5/6? E.g. Northampton, MK, Worcester, Stafford, Cheltenham, Burton, Loughborough. Most of these are pretty affluent places with thousands of arm chair fans - subsidised or sponsored travel?
There is a huge amount of work that goes in to marketing the club both locally and to our peripheral towns. The majority of our regional marketing effort is activated via our extensive supporter club network. In order to increase attendance, Supporters Clubs have offered local fans free travel (financed by the club) numerous times during season 11/12. To find out more about your local club please visit http://www.avfclionsclubs.co.uk/.  To set up a new club or for further information, please email Alan Perrins – alan.perrins@avfc.co.uk 

In linking with the McGregor theme how about promoting Villa Park as the ‘Home of Football?’We agree that there is more that can be done to promote us as the creator/founder of league football.  Good idea and one to factor in to future marketing creative.

Can we please please have the 1980-81 shirt replicated in a modern day version...maybe even switch back to Umbro for the finishing touch.
We are aware that the 80/81 shirt is popular.  We will feed this on to our kit supplier for consideration in future years. 

Can we have special edition scarves?
Whilst we are always conscious of minimum order requirements, we do produce lots of special edition scarves already so the answer in a word is yes. Merchandise and marketing will continue to work together with the fans to develop ideas for special edition scarves.

SCG responses available here

Courtesy of Russell Jones
Head of Marketing and Communications

[Greg N'Ash]

They didn't go with my tie-ins with 70's games then? Pity, Hungry hungry Dunnies had potential i thought.