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Subject: "Ladies Night" article (The New Paper, Singapore)
From: Adam
Posted: Mon Sep 3. 2007, 14:57 UTC
While trying to find references to kawaii for an academic paper, I came across 
this one. I thought it'd be a nice resource for a few bar managers out there 
to squiz at.

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More than just free drinks
Esther Au Yong
933 words
4 August 2007
The New Paper
English
Copyright 2007, Singapore Press Holdings Limited

Clubs are getting more creative wooing women on ladies' nights

FREE booze and free club entry used to be the deal.

Now, ladies' night regulars like Miss Serena Wong, a marketing executive, 
expect nothing less than a discount voucher, when they attend such events, 
held typically on Wednesdays or Thursdays.

The 24-year-old said: 'While it's not a must, clubs which go the extra mile by 
offering these perks make the ladies feel special.'

Operators here say that more discerning customers like her, as well as the 
increased competition in the industry, has made them more creative when it 
comes to organising ladies' nights.

Dbl 0, well known for its ladies' nights, introduced themed events last year.

The dos boast stations where women can get free speedy manicures, free spa 
vouchers, product samples and are served by costumed male bartenders.

Even a club like Attica, which has not had such an event since it opened in 
2004, is starting its own version.

Ladies' nights started off as a marketing strategy to attract women to party 
on a mid-week evening, traditionally a slow day for business.

The logic behind it is, as one operator put it, 'where the women go, the men 
follow'.

And when the men pay for entry and buy drinks for themselves and the women 
they want to impress, sales are generated.

Said Mr Calvin Sio, Ministry of Sound's assistant vice-president of marketing: 
'On ladies' nights, we're generally packed. It is one of our strongest 
weeknights.

'I guess the whole idea is to give people a reason to come out, and not just 
on a weekend.'

But now it seems, for that to happen, clubs have to offer more.

Said Ms Cheryl Khong, publicity manager of St James Power Station: 'Now, 
ladies' night has to offer more value-added factors for the women, besides the 
usual free drinks.'

Some nightspots are even going in for such promotions on other days.

At St James Powerhouse, 'It's a Girlie Affair' happens on Wednesdays, Bellini 
Room's 'My Fair Lady' on Tuesdays and Dragonfly's 'Ladies' Night' on Sundays.

Miss Khong said the offering at each outlet is 'customised'.

'For example, Powerhouse caters to the younger audience, made up mainly of 
tertiary students and young working adults.

'We offer five free drinks and weekly girly freebies like cupcakes, Anna Sui 
perfume samples, manicure vouchers and so on.

'Dragonfly is for ladies who like Mandopop while Bellini Room targets the 
female working professional. These two outlets have clientele who are less 
sensitive to price,' she explained.

'The music at each outlet must also reflect the club's knowledge of its 
clientele's demands.'

This customisation was something the Attica team kept in mind when it 
conceptualised its upcoming ladies' night, 'Guilty Desires'.

Said Miss Amanda Ng, its marketing manager: 'Besides the usual free entry for 
ladies, there will be a weekly lucky draw where the women stand a chance to 
win quality prizes.'

The grand prize is a diamond pendant by Lee Hwa Jewellery and other prizes 
include complimentary hotel and resort stays, perfume hampers and so on.

The event is to be launched on 15 Aug and Miss Ng expects sales on ladies' 
nights to improve by '30 to 40 per cent'.

THEME PARTIES

Meanwhile, at Robertson Walk's Dbl 0, a part of the Emerald Hill Group, theme 
parties are the rage.

Once a month or so, the club has organised events like its recent Kawaii 
Princess party.

Female partygoers were given tiaras to wear and told to come dressed in white. 
They were also given free product samples and enjoyed complimentary manicures.

Dbl 0 had partnered Kawaii Tokyo, a cosmetics brand that was promoting its 
'brighten up gel'.

Dbl 0's marketing communications manager, Miss Francesca Liam, said: 'Most 
clubs and bars now do special promotions to ensure they are on track with 
competitors.

'If all clubs offer the same (free drinks and free entry), it will be a 
situation where everyone is just blindly trying to snatch a piece of the pie.

'There must be a unique selling point for a club's event to ensure 
differentiation from the rest.'

All the operators The New Paper spoke to acknowledged that strong partnerships 
and collaborations with their partners in the food and beverage and lifestyle 
industries are important.

Said Ms Khong: 'Different partners work with us in different ways.

'For example, we work with some established cosmetic brands which provide our 
female clientele with their product samples. There are also spas which offer 
complimentary massages or facials worth at least $100 a session.

'We also work with record labels and have done exclusive album launches of pop 
artistes like Rihanna and Beyonce for Powerhouse's ladies nights.'

Fashion labels also join in the act, occasionally.

However, it has not been all fun and games during these events.

Recently, an age-limit controversy was sparked off when a woman in her 50s was 
denied her share of free drinks vouchers at a local nightspot because she did 
not fit its 'target profile'.

Still, clubbers The New Paper spoke to are all for such nights.

Said Miss Amanda Soh, a 21-year-old project co-ordinator: 'Whether the 
operators are 'using' the women to lure men or not, at the end of the day, 
everybody benefits, especially with the extra perks.

'These extras for the ladies can be seen as a different marketing tool. It's 
also something that's being done by others, like the credit card companies.'


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