• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, May 15, 2008

Hallmark is once again inviting fathers to show off their best moves in its "Daddy of All Dance-Offs," a competition aimed at "moving Dad," emotionally and physically, through music this Father's Day, June 15.

The online and multi-city contest tour gives dads a platform to rock out to MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This," as featured in one of Hallmark's Cards with Sound, an innovation launched a few years ago and slowly gaining in awareness.

Deidre Parkes, a Hallmark spokeswoman, says the company hopes wives will encourage their husbands to enter their videos "because we know they might need a little prodding."

The marketing theme may honor dads, but at least one dad misses the point. Since the musical message appears to address a younger audience that doesn't go into the store to buy cards, the targeted demographic -- children -- doesn't seem to match the promotion, according to Robert Passikoff, president at consulting firm Brand Keys. "This is a promotion that sounds good, so they did it -- but I'm missing the connection. If consumers miss the connection in the promotion, you won't see action or behavioral changes."

To enter the contest, men can attend one of the live events in Grapevine, Texas; Indianapolis, Ind. or Portland, Ore., or they can upload video at hallmark.com/movedad. Videos will be posted on June 2. Voting takes place June 2-6. The winner will join the finalists from the three events and participate in a live dance-off prior to Father's Day.

"All My Children" star Cameron Mathison teams up with Hallmark to market the promotion via word of mouth at the events. As a father of two and former contestant on ABC's "Dancing With The Stars," Mathison hopes to get dads across the country excited about the competition. He also will help judge the four finalists.

There are cash prizes all along the way, with the grand prize winner taking home $5,000.

Radio ads began to run in Portland on KUPL this week to market the first event this weekend, followed by KKDA and WRNB in Dallas and WTLC in Indianapolis. The 10-second spots are traffic sponsorships.

The Hallmark MC Hammer television ad that debuted last year will air again beginning June 2, and will run through June 15 nationally on numerous networks during morning and prime-time programming.

Several direct mail and email pieces will also support efforts. Hallmark Crown Reward members will receive emails about the contest.

Merchants at Hallmark Gold Crown stores in each market also will hand out flyers promoting the contest. Parkes says some event organizers throughout the country plan to hold their own marketing promotions with multiple sponsors.