Give 'Em the Sack
Two entrepreneurs pack in the profits with treat bags for the rich and famous.
What: High-end gift bags for
celebrities
Who: Debra Scott and Jane
Ubell-Meyer of Buzz Bags LLC
Where: New York City
When: Started in March 2002
The goody bag is a staple at trendy events--from art show
openings to Broadway premiere parties--and the who's who in
attendance always leave with loads of great products. And if Debra
Scott and Jane Ubell-Meyer have anything to do with it, their
luxurious Buzz Bags will become the bag to get.
A former editor of Hamptons magazine, Scott and former PR
exec Ubell-Meyer, 47, decided there was money to be made in getting
advertisers to pay for product placement in goody bags given to
trendsetters at star-studded events. Though it's a challenge to
get advertisers to pay for something that was once free (getting
into goody bags), the partners sell their service as an advertising
expense rather than a PR expense. Says Scott, 50, "It's a
specific group we target--affluent people between the ages of 25
and 40."
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They sell their service to advertisers by telling them how much
exposure previous products have received when included in one of
the goody bags. Sales exploded for one company in particular the
week after its product was featured in a Buzz Bag.
Although they currently focus on celebrity events such as the
Grammys, the partners got their start by targeting Hampton Jitney,
the luxury coach line service that takes vacationers to the
Hamptons. Eventually, Scott and Ubell-Meyer would like to get their
bags to average consumers as well. With sales expected to surpass a
quarter of a million dollars this year, the partners are well on
their way.
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