Saturday, August 28, 1999
J.T.M. tries stadium promotion
BY RANDY TUCKER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Make it loud, bright, fun and exciting, and they will come. That's the philosophy behind Harrison, Ohio-based food manufacturer J.T.M.'s promotion of several new products today at the Cincinnati Bengals' preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Cinergy Field.
More than 30 chefs, servers and hostesses — all dressed in colorful uniforms emblazoned with pictures of hot chili peppers — will greet fans at the stadium entrance.
A 10-foot mascot, Chef George, will join the crew to promote J.T.M's new “Beef Philly Cheese Steak” and “Chicken Philly Cheese Steak” sandwiches and new “Griller's Choice” burger.
“We want to show people a good time, give them good service and provide them with a good product,” said Jack Maas, vice president of sales at J.T.M. “Hopefully, they will enjoy the experience, and when they're in the grocery store possibly pick up a box.”
J.T.M. will market its brand name and products at Cinergy through the Bengals' regular season, having obtained exclusive rights to concessions in the “Jungle Zone” on the stadium's plaza level.
The exclusive agreement will not only help raise J.T.M's profile at the stadium, it will help build the brand name at the supermarket, said Clayton Tolley, president of the Charlotte, N.C.-based Addison Whitney marketing firm.
“This is a great opportunity for more of a regional player to gain an edge in competing against the major brands,” Mr. Tolley said. “When people walk into the stadium in Cincinnati and see (the J.T.M concessions), they'll say, "Certainly, if it's at the stadium, and the Bengals endorse it, it's got to be a top-end or national-level brand.'
“The Catch-22 is that if you put up your concession stands at an event-marketing or stadium-type setting, and you don't perform, then you have the opposite reaction.”
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