Parades for marketing?

My daughter is in a parade around Halloween which got me to thinking...(dangerous I know). Would it be a good idea, marketing wise, to make a little float for the parade, paint a bunch of kids and have them hand out something along the way with my name on it? Especially if I am painting at the festival at the end of the parade? Maybe a coupon for something off a face painting at the festival? There are quite a few parades like that around here and they are all free to march. Has anyone tried this?

I think that I would paint teens, give them your business cards, coupons, and brochures, and let them walk beside the float... and have younger (tweens/almost tweens) to ride the float.

All painted.

grin

Do you have to get permission from someone to enter?

While I haven't tried your idea exactly, I do have a push cart full of paper flowers that goes to every possible parade. I'm not in the parade, just walk up and down the spectator line. I make around $100.00 at each one, and even more on St. Patricks day! Your idea is definately worth trying out.

Here are the same flowers in my booth if anyone is interested....
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.184858218237612.46646.177605605629540#!/photo.php?fbid=184859474904153&set=a.184858218237612.46646.177605605629540&type=1&theater

I do know must parades have a fee to enter a float.

Here it is free to enter the Canada Day and Christmas Parades.

if there is no fee and they will allow you to hand anything out (at all the parades here they do not want anyone handing out anything), then I would go for it.