Washington Performing Arts Society (WPAS) recently launched a new interactive online contest springing off of the excitement from the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. 
Participants who register can make their predictions on which classical music stars from the 2009-2010 WPAS season will win various Winter Game events. The winners of each event are randomly selected, and those participants who had the most correct predictions become eligible to win such prizes as tickets to WPAS concerts, meet and greets with artists like Joshua Bell, spa packages and dinners at area restaurants.
Will Gustavo Dudamel one-up Michael Tilson Thomas in the Men’s Giant Slalom category? Will Wynton Marsalis take the gold in the Snowboarding competition? Naturally, these aren’t REAL events. The agent relations alone would be a nightmare, to say the least.
What this contest DOES do, however, is create further awareness of WPAS as a brand. And, it provides an interactive way for WPAS fans to mix interests; sports and music. Ideally, it will also build new interest and buzz around the WPAS name.
Full disclosure: I currently work for WPAS as a marketing intern. You have to admit though, it is a pretty cool idea.
