RANSCOMBE ADS HELP JOCKEY CLUB PULL AHEAD
By Adnews Staff
The Ontario Jockey Club is crediting ads from Toronto-based agency Ranscombe & Co. for helping the club post an attendance increase during the winter Standardbred racing season for the first time since 1994. The 1997 season attracted a crowd of 111,323, an increase of 3.51% over last year's total of 107,551. The larger crowd translated into more activity at the betting booths, as on-track wagering increased 10.4% to $20.4-million. Grace Polsky, the OJC's advertising director, said she was very satisfied with Ranscombe's campaign. "This is the first time in four years we've seen an attendance increase, so something's going right," she said. Ranscombe's ads ran in Toronto-area print and radio, focusing on what race bettors could win for a minimum bet of $2. One featured a photo of three men pushing a snowbound car with the headline, "Ticket to Florida - $2." Last week, Ranscombe launched its latest campaign for the jockey club putting print, radio, billboards and TV in the mix.