Proposed Tikaboo March

The following letter was received by the Research Center from a public relations firm in Los Angeles. Because we did not seek permission or give notice before reprinting this letter, we have removed the company name and other identifying info.

August 13, 1996

Mr. Glenn Campbell
Area 51 Research Center
P.O. Box 448
Rachel, NV 89001

Dear Mr. Campbell:

Most Americans are fed up with government secrecy and although they'd like to do something to rectify the situation, they feel powerless.

We at Xxxxxxxx believe that we can -- with your help -- give a little power back to the people. We are proposing a May 17, 1997 march on Tickaboo. We've visited your website and feel that our two organizations can be of mutual benefit; we'll help direct more people to your website, i.e. help you sell more AREA 51 VIEWERS GUIDE books if you'll consent to be the star of the show.

Why is this march different? Xxxxxxxx is in the business of promotion. We've staged events for Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, athletic shoe/apparel companies and numerous other business concerns. We'll pull in the national press and other media prior to and on the day of the event.

We'll take care of the details. We hope that since you're the resident expert on Area 51, you'll lead the march.

Event publicity is scheduled to begin within the next few weeks in order to allow ample tine Łor our story to unfold and fot people to plan ahead. We will, with your blessing, refer people to your website so that they may learn directly from the source, i.e. you and your book.

Please contact us at Xxxxxxxx@XXX.COM or at:

Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx Colorado Blvd., Suite Xxxx
Los Angeles, CA 90041

This is going to be a huge event. The greater number of minds we can help open, the better!

Good flying,

Mxxxxxx Fxxxx
Partner




Reply from Glenn Campbell, by email:

August 31, 1996

Dear Ms. Fxxxx:

Thank you for your Aug. 13 letter proposing a May 1997 march on Tikaboo.

To be honest, your idea sounds ridiculous to me.

Your intentions may be honorable, but you must understand there are limits to what publicity can accomplish. It might help sell sports cars and athletic shoes, but it doesn't resolve complex social and governmental issues. Publicity might have put the name "Area 51" on everyone's lips, but it also generates more noise than truth.

Being in the business, you know that fads can pass, and the "Area 51" phenomenon has persisted on hot air for too long now. Unless you can produce some bona fide aliens or can demonstrate clear, achievable goals, I think that by May you'll be on the downside of the interest curve and will get little more than sarcasm from the press. The recent failure of a Rave party in Rachel, even when it had significant publicity, ought to be taken as an omen.

In any case, as director of the Research Center, I feel obligated to avoid alliances with your group or anyone else's. I have no interest in publicity for the Viewer's Guide or our web site. My main problem is not getting attention but finding ways to handle the traffic and keep up with expectations. I'd rather have a few intelligent readers than 10,000 easily influenced ones, and I trust that my "target audience" of non-Jaguar, non-Reebok owners will come upon the site on their own.

You are free to proceed with your Tikaboo march, but I advise against it. We will certainly cover your event on our web site, but it might not be the kind of publicity you want.

Sincerely,

Glenn Campbell
Director
Area 51 Research Center


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