St. John’s Forest Winner of Idea of the Year
After a party like this... St. John's Forest wins Grand Prize in the 2004 Idea of the Year contest.

You open the mail and among the bills, letters, and junk mail... you find a can of shoe polish!?

Enclosed in a box with the shoe polish is an invitation to a attend a new homes community preview event that reads, “After a party like this, everything will look a little dull.” This was St. John’s Forest innovative marketing idea and the Grand Prize winner of Sales + Marketing Ideas magazine’s 2004 Idea of the Year Contest.

St. John’s Forest was faced with the challenge to hold a high class event that appealed to families on a construction site. “There was no electricity, water, or permanent structures at the community,” said Melinda Brock, Marketing Manager of St. John’s Forest. “The entire event was established in the middle of an open construction site.” 

Because the event was planned on the community’s construction site, the creative team picked a “muddy” theme — highlighting the construction instead of hiding it. Then they developed the shoe polish idea for the invitation — an easy and inexpensive way to catch the attention of their prospects. 

The invitations conveyed that attendees were offered an exclusive opportunity to preview the community. “Our Muddy Boots event offered an exclusive preview of this spectacular community and all it has to offer,” said Tom Spence, Land Development Director. Invitations were sent to 100 prospects who had inquired about the community on the website. Attendees were the first to receive renderings, floor plans, and pricing information.

St. John’s Forest focused on every detail during the event. Attendees were taken on golf cart tours of the community. Children were entertained with a petting zoo. And before attendees left, they were treated to a shoe shine!

The simplicity of the idea generated extensive media coverage, more than 60 attendees, and secured 28 reservations — before any homes were available. 

SMI’s Idea of the Year Contest recognizes outstanding and cost-effective marketing ideas to generate sales, increase traffic, or gain referrals. Winners are chosen based on the originality and creativity of their campaigns. See www.SMImagazine.com for more information. [ return to top ]