LOS ANGELES, Sep. 9, 2009 (Xinhua News Agency) -- U.S. businesses took today's numerically rare date of 9-9-09 as an opportunity to launch recession-fighting promotions for their products and services.
In Hollywood, the 99 Cents Only Stores (NYSE:NDN) , the American discount chain stores, treated nine couples to 99-cent weddings.
The nine lucky couples got married in the store at the famous Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood at 9 a.m. Wednesday. They were sent off in a limousine with 99.99 dollars as a wedding gift from the store, and were taken to an undisclosed "famous romantic Los Angeles" spot. The couples also got a free night's stay at the Hotel Angeleno in Brentwood.
In Las Vegas, big hotels and casinos tried different ways to attract customers. The Stratosphere hotel offered a group wedding ceremony at 9:09 p.m. for 99.09 dollars. Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel decided to hold a group wedding at 9:30 p.m. for 199.09 dollars.
In Florida, a one-day wedding special for 99.99 dollars was offered.
As part of the promotion, the 99 Cents Only Stores also announced that a baby of 9 pounds and 9 ounces, who was born Wednesday somewhere in California, Arizona, Texas and Nevada, would be given 999.99 dollars.
Besides the chain stores, almost all retail products in America have been priced with a 9. Merchants priced their products at 99 cents instead of one dollar and priced their products at 99.99 dollars instead of 100 dollars.
At the Envy Steakhouse next to the Las Vegas Convention Center, the restaurant is celebrating the day with 9.99-dollar items. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., all salads and sandwiches will be 9.99 dollars or less. During dinner hours, all appetizers, soups and salads will be 9.99 dollars, too.
The creators of iPod also grasped the opportunity to promote their products by moving their traditional Tuesday release day to Wednesday.
Focus Features, the Hollywood film makers, is releasing their new film "9", an animated tale about the apocalypse, on Wednesday.
Discount hotel booking web site Hotels.com (NASDAQ:IACI) has been running a nine-day sale leading up to 9/09/09 for hotel room prices at 99 dollars or less.
There was also "9 fever" in the Chinese culture, with the number closely associated with ancient Chinese emperors and thought to represent longevity in China.
To attract Chinese customers, Beijing Noodle No. 9 in Caesars Palace, a famous hotel and casino, is offering a fixed price menu of nine classic Chinese dishes for 19.99 dollars.
