'Gitcha Goomsba Up' ad getting attention

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'Gitcha Goomsba Up' ad getting attention

By Rachel Schleif
World staff writer

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Video

"Gitcha Goomsba Up"

LEAVENWORTH — Nutcracker Woody Goomsba is revealing his sexy side in Leavenworth’s latest ad campaign, but not everyone likes what they see.

The “Gitcha Goomsba Up” music video launched by Howell at the Moon Productions has become an internet sensation.

Hip-thrusting Bavarian babes, in St. Pauli girl tops and extra-short dirndls, dance around a man-sized Woody Goomsba. Their bare midriffs undulate to a hip-hop beat: “He’s a nutcracker, so bring on the nuts.”

Between dance sequences, the video cuts to scenes of river rafting, road cycling, fishing and family putt-putt.

In two weeks, the three-minute music video has picked up nearly 80,000 hits on YouTube. Howell at the Moon producer Jeff Ostenson called the video a wildly successful experiment in social marketing.

“We’ve been absolutely amazed and excited about the response,” he said. Ostenson said online bloggers have compared the $11,000 video to multi-million dollar tourism campaigns, such as “Pure Michigan.”

“Gitcha Goomsba Up” was one of five Woody-themed videos commissioned by the Leavenworth Area Promotions board, made up of city councilmen, hotel leaders and chamber of commerce members. The campaign was funded with lodging tax dollars.

“We talked a lot about doing something for younger generation, and that’s when viral marketing started to really take off,” Ostenson said.

The campaign strategy was based loosely on the Old Spice campaign, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like,” which spread like wildfire in the online world, Ostenson said.

“It really changed the way a lot of people were marketing,” he said. “It was a method of reaching millions of people really cheaply.”

The video has some conservative residents grumbling about their town being portrayed as a spring break-type destination.

“We have received some comments via e-mail asking why are we advertising to a hip-hop crowd,” Leavenworth Mayor Rob Eaton said. “But we’re not advertising to a hip hop crowd, it was a spoof video to have some fun and play with it.”

The Accidental Bavarian, a blog dedicated to tourism in Leavenworth, has ignored the buzz.

“It’s cute and clever advertising, we liked it,” said Scotte Meredith, a Spokane man who writes the blog with his wife, Renae. “It’s not the direction we want to see Leavenworth going in.”

Several business owners say they appreciate the attention, even if it’s controversial.

Sandy Hendrickson, owner of Sandy’s Waffle & Dinner Haus, said she’s not crazy about the music, but if it gets people talking, it’s worth it.

“I have a lot of friends who really hate it, but if it’s going to get that many hits, I’m all for it,” she said.

Pat Rutledge, owner of A Book for All Seasons, said the video made her smile.

“I understand it doesn’t appeal to everyone, but I don’t think it’s going to have a negative effect on Leavenworth,” she said.

Woody’s frat boy fantasy was a one-time venture, not a lasting theme for the town, Ostenson said.

“There won’t be another hip-hop video because we’ve done that,” Ostenson said. Other plans are in the works for Woody Goomsba.

“He’s going to be helping people have the right kind of experience in Leavenworth,” Ostenson said. “As a rule, that’s what we try to focus on: Visitors having a good time.”

Rachel Schleif: 664-7139

schleif@wenatcheeworld.com

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» 48 comments on this story

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ncks 2 years, 5 months ago

Moroms will always be Morons. Really great family advertisement. Whe is the red light housing district comming?

lurker_berserker 2 years, 5 months ago

oh noes, naked belly buttons and black people music!! Who will think of the children?!?

i_spywithmylittle_i 2 years, 5 months ago

Lurker - You are ignorant. "Black people music" You have GOT to be kidding me!

The advertisement is entertaining, which is exactly what they were looking to do. It is making people talk, it's ALL over the internet, facebook, bing, etc. They were SUCCESSFUL!

lurker_berserker 2 years, 5 months ago

huh, i think you need to get your sarcasm detector tuned up. or maybe your humor quotient is running a little low. either way, that whistling sound was my comment going way over your head.

anniebear 2 years, 5 months ago

It's a great advertisement and has been on FB for over a week. go to youtube a lot of positve comments as well as the negative nelly's out there. It was a social media advertisement. why do you have to be such a debbie Downer Kyle???? tourism is what has kept Leavenworth alive. They are trying to appeal to the next generation of spenders... Come on be happy it was funny. . Grim Light Please send me a picture so I can tear apart your "perfect" body - what a moron to make negative comments about a woman"s body - ever think that a comment about a muffin top is why so many teenage girls have such low self esteem...sure hope you do not have daughters and if you do sure hope they never have one ounce of fat on their bodies :)

BREWMAN 2 years, 5 months ago

Love it! I am willing to bet the peeps that do not like it couldn't even get their goomsbas up............ true

anniebear 2 years, 5 months ago

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA - that is great!!!!

i_spywithmylittle_i 2 years, 5 months ago

LOVE IT!

gizmodee 2 years, 5 months ago

Considering Leavenworth has the largest Oktoberfest celebration outside of Germany, I think it already kind of has that reputation...

anniebear 2 years, 5 months ago

Umm I will watch the video again but I do not think thoses are the actual lyrics. But if that's your interpetation - then you should get rid of the quotes. Roll your eyes all you want. I like this video.

i_spywithmylittle_i 2 years, 5 months ago

I like you Annie Bear!

anniebear 2 years, 5 months ago

:) ahh gee thanks :)

JohnDoe 2 years, 5 months ago

Lighten up, people. Looked like a lot of fun to make and produce. Nothing was shown that you wouldn't see on a weekend at the lake anyway. Good job, guys.

lurker_berserker 2 years, 5 months ago

by the way, I genuinely like the production values of this video and am impressed by the whole project. I LOVE that this got past the old guard censors. I come down more "for" than "against". But the point early on where Jim Jack rips off his co-worker's business suit to reveal her slutty dirndl underneath struck me as the most shocking and sexist moment. The dancing is fine, but tearing a girl's clothes off is generally a no no. Also, I think this video most benefits Proyekt Bayern and Oktoberfest weekends, which already overfills town with jerks and makes itself tons of money.

entiatfan 2 years, 5 months ago

Local talent-national exposure! Take from it what you want,I think its great!

i_spywithmylittle_i 2 years, 5 months ago

Lurker.... Please explain what YOU think "black people music" means.

& Who cares what it benefits most, it's a $$$$$$$$$$ maker! I personally love it and wish I would have thought of it earlier, seeing how I enjoy some 'black people music' and was born & raised in 'L-Town.'

Ohhhh Lurker, does 'L-Town' offend you also? It's almost like 'Black Slang!' BHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Empresschrys 2 years, 5 months ago

I think what Lurker meant was that his original comment regarding "naked belly buttons and black people music" was meant as a sarcastic comment about the potential reasons why some people are so anti this video ad. He was not saying that the words were his thoughts. His comment, in effect, was saying that those against the ad are most likely old fogeys who can't handle a glimpse of a belly button and a hip hop beat. He was also implying that these same people would be ignorant enough to assume that Leavenworth would be over run with non-Caucasion people because they still think that rap/hip hop music is a purely African American music scene.

Lurker was using sarcasm to show that he liked the ad and it was obviously out of touch, possible racists who were the ones complaining about it.

Obviously his sarcasm did not get across to you. The rest of us got it, but I guess you didn't.

2 years, 5 months ago

Exactly right Christina, That's why we luv us some Lurker!

lurker_berserker 2 years, 5 months ago

BabyBadger 2 years, 5 months ago

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!! Jeff Ostenson is awsome! and so is that video! Lighten up Wenatchee, bunch of old prudes!

girlfawkes 2 years, 5 months ago

I LOLed, but just a little bit. Mostly because I know it will get the fusty folks all in an uproar, and that's usually LOLworthy.

ETA- 11,000 production cost for the gained response is amazing.

gizmodee 2 years, 5 months ago

I think it's cute and not even remotely offensive... Actually it's pretty tame by today's standards. I've seen commercials on TV with more sex than this...

2 years, 5 months ago

Exactly right Christina, That's why we luv us some Lurker!

Kyle's probably still peeved about the lack of his colonial friends flag in

LEAVENWORTH

2 years, 5 months ago

Who are you and why should I care about your worthless opinion?

SheepDawg 2 years, 5 months ago

The producers of this video did an excellent job! The times has changed and it's time Leavenworth changes with it...or otherwise get left behind.

i_spywithmylittle_i 2 years, 5 months ago

I agree SheepDawg!!

Frostygoat 2 years, 5 months ago

The jaws of the tourist trap just got a lot bigger!

2 years, 5 months ago

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

Gator 2 years, 5 months ago

I'll agree that it was kinda funny, but I can only take about 20 seconds of that stuff before I have to turn it off.

If younger people like it, that's fine, but something this polarizing can definitely be a turn-off for certain people. I just hope Leavenworth doesn't start playing hip hop from the gazebo anytime soon. They need to remember who the spenders are - the older, successful people with money, not the poor college kids who roll into town to get blasted on cheap beer.

anniebear 2 years, 5 months ago

Can someone tell me is that Lindsay from Dance Creations as one of the Goomsba dancers?

2 years, 5 months ago

Meh, truth hurts.

2 years, 5 months ago

huh?

2 years, 5 months ago

Great ad but the music totally killed it.

Enesvy 2 years, 5 months ago

They did a wonderful job! I love the music, the fun of it, the postcard imagery...well done! It's getting tons of positive responses on Youtube from people who have never heard of Leavenworth and now want to go there. Way to go City of Leavenworth! And great production work from Howell at the Moon.

QueenLM 2 years, 5 months ago

I personally didn't like it. For me it had nothing to do with any one thing in the video, I just thought it was boring. I'm sure it was very appealing to others, but for me, it was just lacking something, I don't know what, but something. I don't get the first comment about muffin top hoochie mommas and all that. Women wear less clothing than that at the park sun tanning every summer.

Tim 2 years, 5 months ago

" Jeff Ostenson called the video a wildly successful experiment in social marketing." So that's what you call it...hummm I'm sure it's very successful, sex sells, no doubt about it.

dwilliams 2 years, 5 months ago

They used tried and true advertising techniques. It's very tongue-n-cheek and funny. It's really pretty brilliant! Yes, that is Lindsay from Dance Creations.

joanne 2 years, 5 months ago

Lurker, you should know by now that almost all sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek remarks just don't go over in writing. Regular readers and commenters should know by now that your comments often need to be read again for real meaning. Usually - but not always! - they are interesting and amusing and go right over many heads. Too bad. Good comments, Christina! And many others.

JBone: "... spenders are - the older, successful people with money, not the poor college kids " Most college-age kids are too young to drink legally, and ID's are checked. Many older people these days have greatly diminished incomes. In wine-tasting rooms we see many people from late 20's to mid-50's where both spouses work and they do spend. And it isn't the "young" who come in during Oktoberfest who are refused service because of their previous visit through the big tents.

And I still think it is funny that anyone thinks anything in this video is "sexy."

firemansledge77 2 years, 5 months ago

I love this.

JimboBear 2 years, 5 months ago

I posted the video on another group forum that I belong to just to see what people thought of it. None of the responders live anywhere in this state. No one was offended, most thought it was a bit off topic because they didn't think the music style fit the message of "come to Leavenworth, and some said they wanted to see less of Woody and the Ladies and more pictures of the city and attractions that it offers. I posted the Leavenworth.org link for them so that they could see more pictures and to my surprise, the guy who most opposed the video was so impressed that he's now making plans to come here next summer. He lives in England, and has traveled to Austria, Germany, and several other areas in Europe, so I think that something caught his attention for sure. He's VERY excited about seeing more. Apparently, something that Howell-at-the-Moon is doing or has done is working quite well. Too bad he doesn't have more money to spend while he's here, but I'll squeeze all I can out of him. :- )

2 years, 1 month ago

With the obvious huge drop in attendance at Apple Blossom, Wenatchee could sure use an ad like this to drum up interest again. If this city ever needed the extra revenue generated by all that spending, the time is now. Include those losses on the resume of the current leadership. Less and less people have attended this even over the last ten years.

2 years, 1 month ago

The reason for the drop was the huge upswing in police enforcement during the festival weekend. Some would call it over-the-top enforcement. Police look for seat-belt violations, broken tail lights and all sorts of little things which often go unheeded during a normal weekend. It's one thing to arrest someone for public intoxication, and it's quite another to go around and ask people walking down the street (who don't appear under the influence) to open the lid of a water bottle to check for the presence of alcohol simply because that individual looks younger. While an uptick in enforcement was needed, the flood of police officers looking for relative non-issues scare many away and it is now a shadow of its former past.