Promotional Ideas

[mikecummings157]

Does anyone have any great ideas and/or material for doing Jamboree Promotions? Our council has just picked the leadership for our contingent and has tasked us with promotions, but all we have is the cartoonish video put out by National. This is OK, but's it's pretty short. I have also seen the video on the website.

 

We're way behind on filling out 3-4 troops and need to really sell this to the kids and parents.

[emb021]

I'll say you're way behind. Most councils already picked their leadership months ago and are rapidly filling their troops. I really expect the two councils I work with to have their troops filled within the next month or so.

 

 

Promos. Well, not sure what 'cartoonish' video you speak of. The one on-line seems nice. You can also get the souvenir DVD from past jamborees to show segments.

 

But I prefer more then a video. How about setting up a 'science fair' display, with pictures and other items from the past jamboree (pictures of kids doing stuff, especially if its of your council's past contingents). Also include either patches (or pictures of them) of the JSP, Jambo patch, segments, and have other items from past jamborees (neckerchiefs, t-shirts, etc). I find kids respond better to seeing actual items vs pictures of them.

 

 

[Lisabob]

mike, what you write could describe my council too. We're just starting on recruitment. Currently the adults associated with our council's jambo troops are making visits to all of the troops in each district to do presentations. I also think it would be great if there were a few boys (young men by now) who had attended the last Jambo and who would go visit troops to talk up their experiences from the youth side of things.

 

I don't know how this will work out for a lot of folks? But thinking about the people I know who might potentially be interested, I can imagine a lot of process, safety, and cost questions from parents. So I'd also like to see split presentations where youth talk to youth and the adult leaders address the parents.

 

As for the jambo video - one or two runs through that was all it took to get my son excited. It's a good starting point, though notably short on any sort of detail for the uninitiated.

 

 

[emb021]

National sent out some time ago a Council Jamboree Guide. You can access it on-line here: http://www.jamboleader.org/docs-2010/2010_Council_Jamboree_Guidebook.pdf

 

Amoung other things is a timeline on when things should be done. Contingent leadership should have been picked during the summer, with recruitement going on this fall, with troops pretty much filled by the begining of next year, with a waiting list begun.

 

Info is given on how to promo the jamboree. There is a video that went out (mentioned in Scouting magazine) to councils that can be used.

 

Overall, good info on the jamboree for those not familiar with things.

[Lisabob]

OK we had a couple of guys attend my son's troop meeting last night to promote jambo.

 

I have to revise my previous statement about the video. I thought we were talking about the promo video from the jambo homepage, showing real boys doing all sorts of real cool activities. The video our presenters showed instead (with the cartoons scouts?) was lame. The boys all thought it must've been made by someone who was a teen in the 80s or 90s and was trying to act like he "gets" today's kids, without quite pulling it off.

 

The price tag scared off most folks, particularly considering that the next payment of $400 is due in less than 3 weeks and this presentation was the first intro to what jambo is for most folks.

 

But, my son is going and he was happily telling everyone who would listen how cool it is going to be!

[Eamonn]

Not sure why?

But the Council I'm in has never had to really do anything to promote the Jambo.

In fact this year as in past years we have a waiting list and hope to fill any open spots that other near-by councils might have.

Hopefully if the price of gas remains low some parents will see the price go down.

Eamonn.

(Doesn't National require their final payment sometime early in the new year?)

[Lisabob]

Don't know about national's deadlines Eamonn, but we got told that the council was paying up front for all the slots.

 

 

[Tokala]

As for payment schedules. There is a $100 deposit due on January 31st. I know that my Council will front that money for at least one full troop. We have been granted two troops, but I don't see us being able to find enough qualified adult leadership. We'll probably only use one troop and surrender the other back to National.