INPARK MAGAZINE: Sara Seay awarded Paragon Award for excellence in marketing by New England Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions
July 10, 2020
Sara Seay, Sales & Marketing Director of Premier Rides is awarded the 2020 NEAAPA Paragon Award for Excellence in Marketing. On right: Opening ceremony of Tigris attraction at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
Jul 10, 2020 |
Sara Seay, Director of Sales at Marketing at Premier Rides is the recipient of the New England Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions’ prestigious Paragon Award. Seay was honored for her excellence in marketing. The Paragon Award is presented to an individual who has created outreach or advertising pieces that demonstrate “unequalled excellence in graphic promotion.”
Seay’s focus on graphic promotion and engagement includes marketing for not only Premier Rides, but also Premier’s clients, industry associations and charitable organizations. NEAAPA recognized excellence in the promotion of Premier’s Sky Rocket II coaster named Tigris located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay as a great example of unique marketing for Premier Rides, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
From the beginning of the Tigris project, Seay and her team worked to promote the coming attraction through digital graphics, posters, print literature and ads. Additionally, Seay worked closely with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment to execute a “sweet reveal” at the IAAPA Expo in Orlando by unveiling a 5’ cake, an edible version of the yet-to-be-seen train. Months after the coaster’s opening, USA Today nominated Tigris as a contender for their 10BEST New Amusement Park Attractions. Seay and her team created and distributed multiple graphics to encourage people to vote for Tigris. Seay’s focus to provide creative and new ways to encourage engagement resulted in Tigris being named the top roller coaster in the poll.
“I am both humbled and honored that NEAAPA selected me to receive the prestigious Paragon award,” Sara Seay said of the honor. “I am fortunate to have an amazing and talented team at Premier Rides, and they certainly deserve much of the credit for the success of the Tigris marketing campaign.”
She continued, saying “For all of us, it was an honor to work with the incredibly creative and talented teams at SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay to promote Tigris. From the press event in our booth during IAAPA Expo, to social media construction updates and opening announcements, to the concentrated push to vote for Tigris in the USA Today poll, the synergy between our teams allowed us to not only #TakeOnTigris but to promote it to become the #1 coaster on USA Today’s 10 Best Amusement Park Attractions list!”
President of Premier Rides, Jim Seay added, ““We are extremely proud to have won this award and are very grateful for the NEAAPA’s recognition. Premier Rides is known for our “guerilla marketing” efforts to promote our clients and new products. Premier has a reputation for being on the leading edge of ride design, is not afraid to push the boundaries or to think out of the box, and yet maintain the highest level of innovation, service, quality and safety.” Seay continued, “Sara and the entire Premier marketing team live up to that reputation, and they strive to reach our clients, colleagues, and fans by engaging them through both traditional and unconventional techniques.”
