INDEPENDENCE, Mo — If you have been out and about this week, you have certainly seen “Chiefs Fever” on full display.
From offices and school classrooms to public buildings, the Kansas City area is decked out in full fandom ahead of the AFC Championship weekend.
Businesses along Independence Square are no exception. In fact, they are using this unique marketing opportunity to drive up sales.
“We came in last night and made lots of chocolate cake,” Erin Luttrell, owner of Eclairs de la Lune, said. “Andy Reid is really excited about chocolate cake and we couldn’t be more excited for the Kansas City Chiefs.”
Luttrell heard Reid’s chocolate cake metaphor and immediately thought: sales.
Other catchphrases like “13 Seconds” and “Grim Reaper” are helping her creative juices flows as well.
“Everyone wants a grim reaper on a cookie or cake and everyone wants ’13 Seconds’ on something,” Luttrell said. “It helps us to market, it helps us to plan for our week. To not take advantage of those things would be silly.”
Custom orders have spiked since the Chiefs win against the Bills and they project revenue will at least double this week.
“We watched the game last weekend, to see if there was still going to be a demand for Chiefs,” Luttrell said.
Luttrell says the Chiefs’ success could not have come at a better time. As a newer shop on the block, these opportunities help put them on the map.
“It kind of brings community together not just here in Independence where we are located, but across the metro — across the state,” Luttrell said.
Sean Fite, co-owner of Sonshine Sports Apparel LLC., is also busy making the most of the next two days.
Calls and messages have been pouring into his shop since Monday morning.
“We’ve been getting messages. ‘Do you have the reaper shirt? Do you have the reaper shirt?’” Fite said.
His business venture took off a few years ago when Travis Kelce’s famous quote took the Kansas City area by storm.
“When we did the ‘Fight for Your Right to Party’ a few years ago, we shipped to like 17 different states,” Fite said.
He is hoping to see a spike in sales again, especially during their off season in January and February. But more than the revenue, it is the sense of community he loves most.
“In a weird way, we’re bringing joy to people,” Fite said. “It’s nice to see it around town and it just feels good, especially in the last few years, to have people united around a similar cause regardless of background. And it’s nice to feel that positive energy.”
