Success Stories Historic Automobile Alley Chocolate Decadence Budget: $3,000 Problem: Attendance and money declined dramatically at the 2001 Chocolate Decadence event. Board members decided that the success of the 2002 event would determine whether the event would continue. Objectives: To grow attendance by 10 percent To increase awareness of attendees about the live and silent auction so that they would come to the event ready to bid on items To raise awareness in the community about Automobile Alley and promote the district as a great place for businesses to be located Tactics: radio sponsorship from KISS-FM including 25, 60 second ads, 70 live promotional announcements, on-air ticket giveaways, information available on the KISS radio and Jack & Ron Web sites, an additional 75 promos the weekend before the event, and daily promotion by KISS-FM DJs desserts from participating restaurants and talking points were dropped off to KISS-FM’s DJs, Jack and Ron, on each of the five mornings prior to the event radio interviews on The Sports Animal, KISS-FM and the KATT by event spokesperson and Automobile Alley board members interviewees brought each station’s staff a dessert from a participating restaurant paid and in-kind print advertising, which included six quarter page ads donated by The Journal Record and two ads in The Gazette additional on-air interviews with the local CBS affiliate and Melba Lovelace, a local food critic on KTLR hitting the streets – volunteers sat at a table at the entrance of Automobile Alley with chocolate treats, passed out fliers and sold tickets to the event print stories ran in The Journal Record, The Daily Oklahoman and The Downtowner additional promotion – table tents set up at participating restaurants and businesses, posters hung throughout the city, large signs place throughout Automobile Alley, board members sold tickets and promoted the event Evaluation: An increase in tickets sales from 224 tickets in 2001 to 364 tickets in 2002 - an increase of 38 percent. Ticket sales alone generated $9,101 in revenue. Auction revenue increased from $4,202 in 2001 to $8,946 in 2002. Overall, the event netted $12,340 in 2002. The event had raised $5,278 in 2001. The Bluestocking Group's work on this project was recognized by the Public Relations Society of America, and the firm received an Upper Case award in 2003 for its outstanding work on the event.