A British weekend promotion

Your destination, resort or hotel’s preparations for your British weekend should be nearing completion now. What are you doing to promote your destination using Queen Elizabeth ll’s Diamond Jubilee? Her Majesty is one of the most famous people in the world. No matter where your guests are from, the Queen’s face will be familiar to them and her jubilee offers you many wonderful promotional opportunities that will generate publicity.

If you haven’t developed your ideas yet, there’s still time! Here are a few of our suggestions:

• Serve British cuisine. It’s one of those stereotypes – such as the one that says that all Americans are fat and loud – that British cuisine is a misnomer. Nonsense. If your chef has the idea that the British eat fish ‘n’ chips, bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie and Cornish pasties, disabuse him of the idea and get him on the internet.
• Alternatively, hold a royal banquet with the finest wines and foods ‘fit for a queen’. This could have a totally modern theme or even a medieval one. Your chef can research recipes from medieval times and re-create them – there is a lot of information (and many recipes) available online. Your local art institute or drama group can help with costumes and music.
• Traditionally the British celebrate Royal events with a street party. Flags decorate the street, long tables are set out, entertainment is arranged. Neighbors pitch in as these are essentially community events and they are for all ages. Hold your own traditional street party.
• During the London festivities, there will be a flotilla of craft enjoying a jubilee pageant. If you have water nearby, a river, lake or even the ocean, arrange your own jubilee event. Boats can be decorated as they are here in Fort Lauderdale for the Winterfest Boat Parade. Arrange music barges and additional entertainment. In London, the Thames will hear whistles, tooting horns, ringing bells and will see waving flags and general good cheer.
• Celebrate your heritage. In America, it’s likely that your business or resort has British connections in its history. Take Las Olas Boulevard as an example. Its first residents were from British stock and one of its oldest businesses – a hotel – was founded by two brothers of English parentage. Create a history day or evening with displays, music and again, fine British food.
• Serve traditional British drinks in your bar. Pimms is a summer favorite. For kids and designated drivers, serve house-made raspberry lemonade. Create a Diamond Jubilee cocktail. Tea is thought of as a traditional British drink, as is gin – does this combination inspire your mixologist?
• Honor a member of your staff or local resident by making her ‘queen for a day’. Hold a coronation ceremony. Your ‘queen’ can then in turn honor local residents or guests by making them lords and ladies of [your resort, hotel or destination]. This can be tied in with a local charity. People can pay a fee to become a lord or lady and receive an elaborate certificate and memento.
• This is a great opportunity for spontaneous acts of culture. Try a Beatles tribute band, a string quartet,  a pipe band, medieval minstrels, madrigals, brass bands, traditional folk music, Elgar, Benjamin Britten … or have your local drama group perform excerpts from Shakespeare or, if you want to be less traditional, sketches from Monty Python (which Americans – oddly – seem to love).
• Britain isn’t all about tradition and history, although people do love the pageantry. So take a look at the younger royals too – there are lots of ideas there. Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge (and future queen) has become a fashion icon. Hold a fashion event. Prince Harry is the royal ‘wild child’ – have a wild royal party in his honor!
• This is a diamond jubilee which refers to sixty  years. How can you use that information? You can think literally and tie in with a local jeweler and have a jewelry trunk show – feature a cake decorated to look like the Queen’s crown. Make food, ice cubes, pizzas, cookies in diamond shapes. The Queen’s reign started in 1952 – celebrate that year. What was happening in your area at the time? If you’re a hotel, do something for your guests who were born in that year.
• Look at royal trivia when arranging your promotions. Prior to her coronation, according to her son who was four at the time, she used to walk around their home in the crown, practicing These days he supports organic gardening, what better opportunity to plant your own? The Queen’s husband was born a member of the Greek royal family – does your destination have a Greek restaurant or business? The family love horses and horse racing.
• Their dogs are all corgis – there is so much material for creative promotions. Hold a dog event with gourmet dog treats for the canines and some delicious British canapes for the humans. Or a dog (day) afternoon tea serving strawberries and cream, cucumber sandwiches, scones and a Victoria Sponge cake.
• If you have a beach location, hold a sand castle competition. Ask contestants to recreate the royal palaces and castles or the Crown Jewels (provide photographs). Feature them on your website, blog or in a custom book. Give a British-themed prize for the best. Most places sell British foods – give (delicious) British chocolates as prizes for runners-up.
• Remember that Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands are part of the UK. The Queen is  also queen regnant of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan,  Ceylon, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis – lots of ideas there!

We have hundreds of ideas – literally.

As with all events, make sure that social media is used to the full. Assign a member of staff to take lots of photographs. Make sure that your PR people have press releases ready before and after the promotion.