With all the creative minds there are in the PR industry, you would think we'd be constantly wowed with the inventive stuff coming out of your trade - but that has not been the case. So, when we do come across something that evokes a chuckle or sings "stealable idea," we're eager to share the example with you.
This week we give a nod of approval to Sure Fit, Inc., a slipcover company in New York, for its 4th annual "Ugly Couch Contest" that runs from July 1-Aug. 20. Entrants can send a copy of their unsightly couch along with a short paragraph describing the couch of their dreams for a shot at winning $5,000. (Photos of former winners can be viewed at the company's Web site, http://www.surefit.net.)
Not only is the contest a clever PR move, it has a philanthropic angle as well, which in today's business climate is very smart. For every entry received, the company is donating $2 to the American Cancer Society in memory of an employee who died of the disease last year. (Sure Fit, 413/258-4904)