Historic Preservation Meets American Idol

A high-profile advertising campaign/contest is looking to bank on the coolness of historic preservation by inviting Chicago residents to vote for their favorite crumbling landmarks. The winner of the contest will receive $1 million in rehab funds.

1 minute read

September 8, 2007, 7:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg

"now, it seems, preservation is almost cool -- or at least cool enough for a corporation such as American Express to hitch to the same upscale marketing machine that has backed everything from the U.S. Open Tennis Championships to the Best Chef Awards."

"When the credit card company Thursday kicked off a Chicago-area 'American Idol'-inspired contest, an online vote that will let people pick a favorite landmark from a list of contenders vying for $1 million in rehab funds, it took a page from the playbook of "cause-based' marketing, which seeks to engage consumers with interactive programs rather than simply inundate them with advertising."

FULL STORY: Is saving the past sexy? Contest shows it might be

Friday, September 7, 2007 in The Chicago Tribune

History / Preservation Illinois

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