Well what a smashing bash it proved to be this year second time around at staging the 4 day fashion bash program at Townsville Riverway. Everything was just so much better. The lighting was so much brighter which allowed our photographer and TV Doco Producer to deliver so much better quality photographs & video film. The quality of the record 525 entries received were at least 30% higher standard. Paid ticket sales were up 48% due to the staging of this event in the Qld school holidays, reducing the overall ticketing prices by up to 50% & of course better marketing & promoting of the fashion bash via our WEB site + TV, radio & newspaper advertising. Overall it has to rate as the best promotion we have staged in the 6 year history of the fashion bash thanks to the wonderful support from many sponsors, the public & most importantly all our media supporters.
Let’s not also forget all the ongoing support we have received from many sponsors + all the primary, high & tertiary students over the past 12 months. Special mention must go to All Saints Anglican School & Academy of Design, Gold Coast for really getting behind this year’s competitions. They went away with a stack of prizes winning the title of best designer & best model as well. The Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE, Brisbane again was strongly supportive & went home also with swag of cash prizes. Julie Tickner’s busload of 10 young students from Yeppoon & Rockhampton all went home with their best ever winning result with all winning a prize. (Well Done Guys). Perhaps the most memorable performance was that of Carla Nott, 14ys, whom travelled with her family all the way from Kununurra in WA to Townsville to compete in her first ever modelling competition. It came as no surprise when she was named Best Runway Model as it was a fitting tribute to her belief that anything is possible if you have the will and passion to follow your dreams. Her inspiring story has now been featured in a 49 min TV Doco which will also be hopefully telecast on several Television networks throughout Australia.
Media Publicity Galore
In the lead up to & after the staging of this year’s Opal Fashion Bash we have received more publicity than in recent years due to it now officially being declared a National Youth Fashion Challenge. For the first time we have received 2 television news broadcast stories on Golden West News in WA, a Dolly Magazine story, a 2 page colour feature in MacAir Airlines In Flight magazine + a few other national magazine stories via freelance journalists including Qld Events “Celebrate” magazine & many web sites. We cannot see it also ending here with many entrants now appearing on prime time national modelling, dance & fashion design reality TV competition shows & on the covers of glossy fashion magazines around the world. To acknowledge all their outstanding achievements you can Log on to www.fashionbash.com.au click on Hall of Fame. It lists all their successes: 2003 – 2008. Good View!
WEB Site in Record Breaking Mode
Just over 30 months in operation our web site continues to attract more visitor numbers as each year passes. In 2006 it attracted an average of just 14 visits a day to record 4990 visits, in 2007 this rose to 30 visits a day to record 10, 655 visits. Up till the first 8 months of 2008 it has averaged around 55 visits a day and if it can maintain this until year’s end it will be on target to record up to 20,000 visitors in 2008. This will be a remarkable growth rate for a web site that has been in operation for just 3 short years. In this period we have continued to add on new informative links as this event continues to expand its programs & we are waiting to see what the new link “Showcase Designers” will achieve in the market place for some of our talented young designers whom have now commenced promoting their fashion designs on these web pages. The real benefit of this web marketing & promotion is for sponsors whom wish to associate their businesses with supporting valued youth projects whose students do achieve their career goals which the media continually support.
Future Plans & Direction
With plans now in hand to expand the Opal Fashion Bash global in 2010 we have strengthened our association with the National Opal Miners Assoc & also are working more closely with the International Colour Gem Assoc which is really the link we need to showcase this event to the world. We also intend to increase & broaden our membership base so we can attract more skilled business persons to join our management committee & also become part of our ever expanding organising team. We do see a need in the not too distant future to now look more towards establishing a Youth Fashion Foundation so funds will be in place to see this event become a very rewarding international event that will offer ongoing fashion scholarships to many of its talented student entrants. But for this to happen we must first demonstrate Youth Fashion Expressions Inc can successfully manage this event & also grow its membership base. We welcome any business or individual who has a passion to work on youth projects to become financial members & become part of a team whose chief aim is to “Build more future careers for the youth of this nation”. Membership Application Forms are available upon request.
TV Doco Showcases Fashion – Opals - Townsville
The production of a quality 49 min TV Doco on 2008 Opal Fashion Bash is certainly hitting its target market throughout this country. A 2min Preview Video posted on You Tube & our web site has already recorded well over 300 views in less than a 6 week period. We have also seen a steady enquiry to purchase copies and already over 60 DVD videos have been distributed throughout Australia & overseas. We believe this TV Doco will assist lots of first time entrants especially in schools & Tertiary Training Institutes. We are also hopeful that at least one television network will broadcast it. It was a huge Budget marketing expense to undertake but we firmly believe if we are to attract the best entrants around this country to the 2009 Opal Fashion Bash we did need to showcase this event in this professional manner. Besides taking viewers on a journey inside the 2008 Opal Fashion Bash it also promotes Townsville as an idyllic 4 day fashion holiday destination featuring some of its most scenic & relaxing attractions Inc Townsville Riverway, its beaches & foreshores as well as some of its lifestyle activities. Any one whom wishes to purchase a copy can do so on our web site www.fashionbash.com.au – Video Purchase Order
We thank you all for supporting the 2008 NOMA $100,000 Opal Fashion Bash Henry Petersen, President Mob: 042 888 7114
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