While it is unlikely Whatcom Falls will ever flow with chocolate or a single stick of gum will take the place of a three-course meal, Western’s Associated Student Production’s (ASP) Pop Music is seeking to bring Wonka-inspired magic to Bellingham with the kick-off of its fall promotional campaign.

Similar to the situation in which Charlie Bucket found himself, ASP Pop Music’s “Golden Button” promotion is giving students and community members the opportunity to win a year of free concert-going.

But instead of golden tickets and a visit to Willy Wonka’s factory, those who find one of the five limited edition golden buttons receive a free pass to all ASP Pop Music concerts for the 2009-2010 school year.

The promotion produced its first winner last week when Western sophomore Phuc Le discovered the first golden button in his checkout bag on Sept. 24 at Western’s AS Bookstore.
Le, who transferred to Western this fall, said he knew nothing about the contest when he received his button, but bookstore employees explained to him what he had won.

“It was a good way to start the year,” said Le, who received both congratulations and smiles from the long line of students present in the bookstore that day.

Peg Godwin, general manager of the AS Bookstore, said ASP Pop Music asked the bookstore to hide the first button.

By following two-part riddles posted in the AS Review and on the ASP Pop Music Facebook and Twitter pages, “Golden Button” participants receive hints as to where to find each button.

The first riddle was posted in the Sept. 22 issue of the AS Review. The second half of the riddle followed in posts on the ASP Pop Music Facebook and Twitter pages the next day.

The first Twitter clue read, “They won't miss U.S.E. or any other concerts because they get in free! So buy your books and ask for a bag (there may be more than a blue book in store). Make sure you check the bag for your chance at a golden button!”

Ashley McGowan, a sportswear and customer service clerk for the bookstore, was working the day that Le came in. She said the first button was hidden in a bag at the bottom of the stack beneath the register so that when cashiers reached for checkout bags, the winner would be completely random.

“I feel like it was extremely fair, how they did it,” said McGowan, referring to the way the bookstore orgainzed its portion of the contest.

Le has yet to contact ASP Pop Music about finding the first button because he has been so busy, but is excited about attending some, if not all of the concerts.

ASP Pop Music coordinator Hallie Anderson said the campaign is meant to get students excited about the events ASP Pop Music has planned for the school year.

Anderson said she hopes the contest will also strengthen ties to the community by encouraging students to visit local businesses in hopes of finding a hidden button.

“Because we are using Bellingham businesses [to hide the buttons], technically anyone in the community can follow the clues,” said Jen Moore, assistant coordinator for ASP Pop Music.

The remaining four buttons will be hidden in businesses throughout the city approximately every two weeks of fall quarter—amounting to a total of five buttons and five winners, Anderson said.

This means that music enthusiasts from all around Bellingham can join in the fun.

Although Anderson and Moore have already arranged for the location of the second button, discussions are still being held in regards to the final locations for buttons three, four and five.

The second button should be out in the community soon, and another winner should surface the first week of October.

Additional information about the promotion as well as future clues can be found on the ASP Pop Music Facebook and Twitter pages.

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