Commerce Cabinet
T-Shirt-in-a-Bottle and Free Kentucky State Parks Stays to Promote Kentucky’s Unbridled Spirit

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 20, 2006) – The Kentucky Department of Tourism, The Kentucky Department of Parks and Pepsi are teaming up on a T-shirt-in-a-bottle promotion aimed at raising awareness of the state’s Kentucky Unbridled Spirit merchandise.

The program features prizes of gift certificates for two-night lodge room stays for two in one of 17 Kentucky State Parks resorts along with Unbridled Spirit T-shirts. Winners will receive their prizes in bottles of Diet Pepsi or Aquafina sold from vending machines in 21 Welcome Centers and rest areas throughout the state. The winning bottles will also contain $1.50 for the consumer to buy another beverage.

“This is a great way to create awareness of our new on-line store that features many types of Unbridled Spirit gear,” said Brad Caldwell, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Department of Tourism.

More than 80 Pepsi vending machines at the Welcome Centers and rest stops will be involved in the promotion, which will feature a total of 300 winning bottles. The promotion will run from Dec. 22, 2006 to Jan. 28, 2007.

“The Kentucky State Parks system is an excellent way to promote the Unbridled Spirit brand and expose new audiences to our products,” said Parks Commissioner J.T. (Jerry) Miller. “Our award winning parks offer all kinds of fun – swimming, boating, golf, hiking, beautiful scenery and fabulous food. The parks are a great way to experience Kentucky.”

Caldwell said the newly designed T-shirts in the bottles will create interest in shopping for Unbridled Spirit sweatshirts, caps, totes, glasses, business and youth apparel at the Tourism on-line store. You can readily access the on-line store through the www.kentuckyunbridledspirit.com web site.

The winning bottles will be distributed evenly throughout the state, Caldwell said, with one winner per 144 bottles stocked in the Welcome Center and rest stop vending machines. The participating vending machines will bear posters announcing the promotion.

The special 20-ounce bottles that contain the T-shirts will have instructions on how to easily tear open the containers to take out the shirt.

The Tourism on-line store has received 6,500 hits since last September, Caldwell said. Sales of Unbridled Spirit merchandise on-line and through retail outlets have exceeded $500,000, he said.

The Kentucky State Resort Parks gift certificates are good for stays through August 31, 2007, based on availability.

The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 52 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov.

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The Kentucky Department of Tourism, an agency of the Kentucky Commerce Cabinet, exists to promote The Commonwealth as a travel destination, generate revenue and create jobs for Kentucky’s economy.