Covering Business & Events of the  Carnival Industry

Are You waiting for parade sponsorships? Here's Why Mardi Gras May Never See Widespread Corporate Sponsorships ....

Pictured: File photo of Parade in New Roads, Louisiana

August 15, 2009 ........ Hammond, LA.  ...........  New Orleans, La.        Following the first few months after Katrina, everyone was trying to think of ways to help the city of New Orleans. One suggestion was, for the city to begin selling sponsorships for Mardi Gras. This brainstorm was the main one of the many ideas, that grabbed the most attention of the media. Certain questions quickly rose to mind, Whose idea was this anyway? Why would any native suggest such a thing?

     It was never the intentions of the krewes of the modern era  to subject businesses to supporting Carnival. City ordinances expressly prohibit the identity of any business or sponsor's signage on any krewe float. The ordinance expressly forbids the signage of  any political candidate, etc, etc. etc.

 If what this ordinance does, is not the sign of intent, of the statute, then no one is qualified to answer such a question. Yet it seems that the city along with some well meaning individuals wanted at the time, to toss that ordinance and others as well as their intent, right out the proverbial window.

 The framers of this city ordinance, along with the Mardi Gras community, clearly had no intention of allowing commercialism to creep into or find it's way into the New Orleans festival. The chief reasons no commercial sponsorship is eminent, is the law and tradition. The ordinances would have to be rewritten to accommodate any plan that may have developed. Such action is highly unlikely given the climate now.  

 Another aspect of this entire pattern of thought is how to develop a strategy that would allow any commercial venture inside Carnival to be unobtrusive. This may prove to be nearly impossible because of the very nature of the event. If New Orleanians are to loan their holiday to any commercial entity, they should be assured that all has been done to practically guarantee that the company's commercial goal's are as compatible with the festival core values as they can be.

 A company's overall marketing objective is to bring favorable images and press, to mind, when the company name is thought of or mentioned. When you think of Mardi Gras, what comes to mind...? Well it's not wholesome family partying, if you are so incline to think that. Thanks to the efforts of the soft porn kings, such as "Girls Gone Wild", Playboy, and Hustler, (just to mention a few, the latter  even has a store on Bourbon Street), activity that once brought to mind images of extravagant balls, with an unceasing line of playful easy going people showing off their kids costumes on St. Charles street has been ruined nearly close to a point beyond anyone's ability to repair.

Pictured: Corporate Logos of several different well known American Companies. These are the firms that could be the saving grace for the Business side Carnival in New Orleans, LA. in the far flung future.

Speaking exactly of that point, this is where most commercial interests would have to strongly wrestle and grapple with the ability of any standard company to use the festival as a vehicle to favorable press. Currently, ( I must iterate, this is strictly our opinion here) the mindset of Mardi Gras is so damaged that no company in its right mind would commit thousands of dollars to try to build a successful identity around the festival. If you look at the many news items that come across the net, there are more than a few that consistently compare crowds to Mardi Gras, compare the festivities to Mardi Gras, this or that crowd had a Mardi Gras mentality, etc, etc. 

Need further proof. Last fall, Mayor Bill Kiessling of Chesapeake City, Delaware, called on Monday, July 27, 2007, for a “study group” to investigate how his town could continue a  street festival while squashing the rowdy atmosphere that has plagued it as a result. He used the following line, saying, “The Mardi Gras thing has got to stop!”  He's not the only one. This year alone, we have had a total of no less than over 32 incidents, where government or other other wise well meaning individuals, used words that casts the blame of their problems, not on the very trouble makers, but on the holiday of Mardi Gras, and the, "mentality" that it has come to symbolize.

Of course, the good news is, that all is not lost here. The businesses that sell Mardi Gras memorabilia, beads, and other novelties, alcohol, costumes, Float builders, event planners, tuxedos, ball gowns, and accessories, limo services, caterers, hotels, travel agents and a hosts of others will continue to benefit from the holiday and its financial windfall each and every season. However, it begs to be said here that these very businesses that profit from the holiday are the very ones who aren't sponsoring the holiday. While they do some advertising, they still do not grasp the concept of taking the curves or up and downs, out of their businesses each year, by simply advertising just a little more during the entire year.

Given the current climate in which a company must operate, trash bags, and the Glad corporation, recognized that they are a good fit, however, so are the condom makers, Trojan, Car rental agencies, Hertz and Alamo, American Airlines, chain restaurants, such as Chili's,  Health Plans such as Blue Cross - Blue Shield, and some others. Ever wondered why they didn't step up to the plate, simple, to work with a positive message, of wholesome, plain good fun and a family event, the very image of Mardi Gras itself must be reclaimed from the porn kings, and smut peddlers. Businesses that participate in the meantime have to be overwhelming local businesses, and definitely show the corporations that it is not the touch of death to sponsor a ball or other krewe event. Basically, the locals must teach the country how its done! So far no one really has!

New Orleans in general has to start to jealously guard the very holiday it has come to be closely associated with. If not for the holiday, then for the city. The country looks at New Orleans as a wild and crazy place, where anything goes. We should strive to change that face and that perception of us, the city and the holiday. Because, until it does, No national sponsors are going to risk a backlash by showing they condone this type of out of control behavior.