Outsider Entertainment is Your Source for Video Recaps and Testimonials...

Are you looking for new ways to deliver comprehensive recaps to your corporate partners? Are you looking for a resource that will help your organization gain credibility when prospecting?

Sports organizations searching for new ways to differentiate themselves in the marketing/corporate partnership space should consider creating video testimonials and recapsto provide to both current and prospective partners. As more teams shift to deliver program results through online platforms, multimedia pieces that capture corporate partner testimonials, creative activation tactics, game entertainment, measurement, and fan engagement will become even more important.

Outsider Entertainment, a full-service video production company in Columbus, OH, does an excellent job creating these pieces for sports organizations. The company has completed extensive projects for both the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Columbus Crew and has the capabilities and expertise to create captivating corporate partnership testimonials for your organization.

Check out two (2) examples of their work below:

For additional information, feel free to reach out to Andy Emery (aemery@outsiderE.com, 614.488.6365)

Follow Pete Carroll's Lead and Start a Twitter Campaign...

Are you looking for new ways to utilize Twitter and YouTube to your organization's benefit? Are you looking for new ways to leverage athletes and high profile personnel?

Pete Carroll, the University of Southern California's head football coach, recently created a campaign to convince Will Ferrell to join him in the social networking world. In recent days, Carroll has used his Twitter profile and a YouTube viral piece (as shown below) to get others involved in his crusade. The USC football coach (with 6,000+ followers) even reached out to Suns C Shaquille O'Neal (who has 493,000+ followers) to help him encourage others to send notes of encouragement to wewantwillferrellontwitter@gmail.com.

Over the past few years, Pete Carroll and Will Ferrell, a USC alum and die-hard Trojan fan, have become good friends. Their friendship has led to several Ferrell cameo appearances at Trojan camp, sparking a handful of viral pieces that have generated waves of attention online.

Why is Carroll so actively involved in the social networking space? That question remains to be seen. But Carroll's social networking campaign is an extremely smart move because it demonstrates to young HS football stars how well he relates to the younger generation. After all, which 17-year-old wouldn't want to go play for a coach with National Championship wins under his belt and two good friends in Will Ferrell and Shaquille O'Neal?

Check out Carroll's recent YouTube campaign below:

Teams Find Social Networking Solutions at the Watercooler...

Are you looking for new ways to tap into the social networking space? Is your organization looking for new ways to use social networking platforms to drive ticket sales?

Sports properties are turning to Watercooler Inc. for social networking solutions. Watercooler Inc. provides the most extensive network of online fan communities around sports and TV entertainment, presenting sports organizations an opportunity to target (and offer select promotions to) a niche group of avid fans. Founded in 2006, Watercooler has emerged as a leader in creating fan group applications (e.g. Florida Football Fans app on Facebook).

Sports properties leveraging Facebook groups to promote their brand will find that their options are pretty limited to walls, discussion boards, and building an online user list. With Watercooler’s 800+ online fan group applications, teams can do much more, including:

• Drive ticket sales (through an online ticket promotion targeting a niche group of fans that can span in number from a few hundred to 500,000)
  • Note: To run an effective promotional ticket offer, Watercooler normally requests 7-10 business days for proper execution
• Cross-promote through other the fan group applications of other organizations in the local marketplace (e.g. the LA Clippers could cross-promote on the LA Dodgers page/notifications during the off-season)
• Offer select value packages/VIP experiences (receive a free hot dog and beverage with the purchase of a $10 ticket)
• Trivia
• Game Day Forums
• Discussion Forums
• Customized Walls / Photos
• Online Polls

Watercooler has already helped execute ticket promotions for a handful of professional teams, including the Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, NY Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, Los Angeles Clippers, and New York Rangers. The company has the infrastructure to help teams host third party social communities on their team pages and can help deliver promotions to a new, untapped online fan base.

Look for new efforts by Watercooler in the sports marketplace! Check out a clip that details their services below:

See this video on Vator.tv »

Is Your Venue Bluetooth Ready?

Are you looking for new ways to engage with consumers attending events at your venue? Are you searching for ways that technology is continuing to have an impact on the sports industry?

Everton FC of the English Premier League recently outfitted its home pitch, Goodison Park, with the largest Bluetooth installation of any stadium facility in the world. Everton FC's new Bluetooth infrastructure enables it to create extra value and strengthen club loyalty for the 42,000 fans in attendance for matches at their venue. The team collaborated with More Mobile Relations to install 89 Bluetooth nodes in 58 zones equipped with flat screen televisions to demonstrate the technology's advantages to fans.

Everton FC's bluetooth technology enables the team to offer news, exclusive offers, free downloads, footage of classic goals, and exciting applications on an exclusive game day mobile site to all fans who link to the wireless connection while attending games at Goodison Park.

The Bluetooth technology has proven to be very popular with fans in attendance. For every campaign promoted at the stadium, 1,000 fans have chosen to download the content and application - a number rising each match.

How does it work?

Everton FC's bluetooth technology sets up a wireless connection with all fans who have Bluetooth technology on their phones. As fans enter the venue, they are sent an automatic message asking them if they would like to connect to the service. If they accept the offer, they are sent exclusive news and offers as long as they are within the stadium confines or in the team store.

With the technology still in its early existence, Everton is reaching out to its fanbase and asking for instant feedback. The team set up an email address (bluetooth@evertonfc.com) for all fans to provide their thoughts on the content they are receiving through the technology, etc.

A special thanks to Steen Leth-jorg of Sport One Danmark A/S for his insights and contributions to this column... Best Wishes Steen!

Adidas Taps into the Social Networking Space with Adidas.tv...

Is your brand looking for new ways to penetrate the social networking space? Are you looking to provide consumers with additional content that they can own and share with friends?

Adidas recently unveiled an exclusive first look at Adidas.tv, a video distribution platform designed to provide online users with high quality, customizable content that they can share with colleagues and friends through social networking portals. Adidas.tv offers a large, clear display screen that features a variety of exclusive Adidas media content, including:

• Exclusive Interviews with Adidas' Top Athletes
• Event Footage
• New Advertising and Viral Campaigns

The site offers an extremely easy-to-use tool that enables users to share content on the site with their family and friends. With one click of a button, users have the ability to post the site'smedia contenton their social networking pages (MySpace, Facebook, Blogger, Friendstar, hi5, Windows Live, Wordpress, Yahoo, etc.) as a widget or send it to a mobile phone device or an email inbox.

When sharing content, Adidas provides consumers with the option of choosing whether they would like to post a specific video, an entire channel (e.g. Adidas Basketball Channel), or an Adidas.tv microsite on their preferred social networking platform.

Enclosed is a videothat displays the type of exclusive content that users can expect to see on Adidas.tv:

A special thanks to Sebastien Duval of Rubber Republic for his insights and contributions to this column.

Stay On Top of Your Industry with Alltop.com...

Are you looking to stay on top of your industry's news, headlines, and topics of discussion?

If so, you need to check out http://www.alltop.com/.

Alltop.com does an incredible job aggregating headlines and combining the most recent headlines from valuable resources across the web. The site compiles the latest headlines (with a one hour refresh) of all the webpages focused on a particular topic (e.g. NASCAR, college football, branding, etc.).

As an example, here are a few direct pages:

• Auto Racing - http://autoracing.alltop.com
• College Basketball - http://collegebasketball.alltop.com
• Sports - http://sports.alltop.com
• Branding - http://branding.alltop.com
• Social Media - http://socialmedia.alltop.com

One other "must-see" website for sports business professionals is the Sports Biz Feed, created by Jason Peck. Thiswill instantly become yourprimary resource for keeping up on the sports business marketplace.

• Sports Business – http://sportsbizfeed.com

Coca-Cola Zero Offers Interactive Online Experiences for Sports Fans...

Are you looking to enhance your website with interactive web applications? Are you looking for new ways to capture the attention and interests of consumers online?

Coca-Cola Zero partnered with Crispin Porter Bogusky to create an incredible interactive website for Coke Zero. The site effectively demonstrates how the Coke Zero brand is intertwined in the sports space. The company, targeting the hard-to-reach young male demo, created a handful of virtual experiences for football and NASCAR fans, including:

• A "Victory Dance" feature where consumers can create their own personalized victory dance (a feature that mirror's Office Depot's Dancing Elves) and can email it to friends
• A NASCAR "Rooftop Racer" game where consumers have to try to race around a track for 5l aps while balancing a Coke Zero bottle on topof the car- this is the best online NASCAR interactive feature available online!
• A "Fan Cards" feature where consumers can spell out messages that are displayed in a card display by virtual fans
• A "Championship Ring" feature where consumers can create their own customized virtual Championship Ring

Hats off to Coca-Cola Zero for offering such a great interactive platform for consumers to enjoy...

Follow Obama's Lead with Video Game Advertising...

Are you looking to advertise your brand in video games?

Follow the lead of U.S. Senator Barack Obama, who recently became the first presidential candidate to advertise in video games. Obama's campaign has featured an "Early Voting Has Begun" billboard campaignin a selection of online video games, including Burnout Paradise, NASCAR '09, NHL '09, NBA Live '08, Need for Speed, NFL Tour, and Skate...

The Obama campaign is targeting the online billboard campaign at video game players living in ten (10) swing states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Nearly 1/3 of households own a popular video game console.

EA Sports has willingly acknowledged that it is currently featuring the Obama ads in some of its most popular video game titles. The company notes that it is open to promoting any credible candidate.

If your organization is looking to create a holistic messaging platform aimed at targeting a specific consumer base, consider modeling a plan similar to the one executed by the Obama campaign (obviously with scaled back dollars). Obama has led a technological charge in '08, embracing SMS, text, social networking, blogs, widgets, and additional digital formats.

Looking for New Ways to Promote Your Brand?

Are you looking for new ways to capture and hold the attention of consumers? Are you looking for new technologies that will help promote your brand?

360BrandVision may have all of the answers for your needs. 360Brandvision is a Las Vegas based company that designs and develops 3D Holographic images that are suspended in mid-air and can be seen in 360 degrees. The company's incredible technology has proven to be an effective medium for capturing the attention of consumers.

Sports and brand marketers alike can utilize the 360BrandVision technology for permanent displays in-venue, product launches (in-venue), POS displays at retail, trade shows, and special events. The company currently boasts an impressive list of clientele, including Adidas, BMW, Lexus, Bacardi, Microsoft, and Toyota.

Here is a quick breakdown of some of the company's products:

Cheoptics360 - 360BrandVision's Cheoptics360 provides teams and brands alike a chance to promote their team/product in a 360 degree presentation display. This new consumer-facing technology would serve as an incredible interactive feature to display in the concourse/suite levels of venues.

Free Format - 360BrandVision's Free Format technology provides brand marketers with an effective medium to take their static branding to another level. The interactive technology would serve as an effective way to use blank wall space in the concourse levels to attract the attention of passerby consumers.

VideoLogo - 360BrandVision's VideoLogo technological capabilites could lead to a new wave of interactive signage featured in stadiums across the globe. The VideoLogo technology provides brands with a great way to escape the static stadium clutter (in ways similar to LED signage)

For more information on ways to promote your brand using 360BrandVision technology, reach out to Nick Vilardell, VP of Business Development for 360BrandVision at nick@360brandvision.com. This is a new wave of technology that could dramatically enhance your brand's positioning in-venue!

Is Your Team/Brand in THEIR Calendar?

Are you currently exploring ways to have multiple touchpoints (daily/weekly) with your target fanbase? Are you looking for new tech-saavy ways to integrate corporate partners? Have you brainstormed different ways to get on your fans calendar?

Numerous teams/universities are now offering schedules on their websites that fans/donors/season ticket holders can easily import into their Outlook/Google Calendars. The University of Texas Athletics Department offers a benchmark example for teams/athletic departments to model if interested in implementing such an online service. On their athletics website, the Longhorns host fourteen (14) varsity teams' schedules in addition to future ('09) and past football schedules. Simply feature this offering under both the Schedules Tab and the Downloads Tab on your sports organization's website.

Is this just the start of a new way that teams will look to communicate with their fanbases? It is only a matter of time when teams use such offerings for promotional usage (offering all fans who download the schedule an exclusive meet-n-greet/autograph appearance, etc.). After all, teams that can effectively persuade fans/donors/season ticket holders to import their schedules into their daily Outlook calendars have found a cost-effective way (free!) to create new touchpoints with their targeted consumers. With people's lives becoming convoluted with various media channels, it is important that you can communicate directly with consumers to help them see/understand when your events are taking place (and how they can make their calendars work so they can attend).

Teams/athletic departments can integrate corporate partners by detailing promotional nights (mark the calendar event with a different color), integrating passcodes for calendar users to access when clicking on the schedule date to redeem online for exclusive prizes/VIP from supporting partners, and/or find new ways to tie-in advertising, etc.  

Introducing a Revenue Generating Widget...

Are you looking for ways to penetrate the social networking space? Or better yet, derive revenue from this channel?

I recently had a great conversation with Ed Trost of Real Time Matrix about a widget his company created that serves as a great forefront for teams/organizations looking to enter the social networking space. Real Time Matrix's new widget, the Vortex, allows teams/organizations to deliver video, ticketing, and news feeds (personalized content) directly into users' online social networking spaces.

The widget technology offers teams/organizations a new media channel to sell advertising inventory, integrate corporate partners into video clips, and drive awareness for corporate promotions/events through news feeds. The Vortex technology is a relatively inexpensive upfront cost that is structured as a revenue sharing model based on CPM's. 

Which organizations are using the Vortex technology?

• The Vortex widget is currently being implemented by Major League Soccer and each of its member organizations.

How do consumers use the Vortex technology?

• All consumers have to do is click the "copy me" link on the Vortex application and fill out some requested information. Once this step is completed, users are given an HTML code which thay can then embed in their desired social networking location. Users can find different "shareable" Vortex downloads on NetVibes, Real Time Matrix's website, and each of the MLS' respective sites.
• Real Time Matrix now offers a "Find us on Facebook" button that enables users to directly feature the widget technology in their Facebook pages.

How do you make effective use of this technology?

• Prominent website placement (if you are trying to drive this virally, you cannot hide it on your team website. Feature the Vortex widget technology on a sidebar of the main homepage or on a Downloads Tab that is directly accessible by fans)
• Devote adequate time and resources (Users are looking for unique content - find ways to deliver this through the Vortex widget (i.e. Dallas Stars' "Dropping Gloves" feature; behind-the-scenes video, etc.)

How Do Fans Capture Your Events?

Have you ever considered how many fans capture in-game entertainment at your events on their phones, cameras, and video cameras? Have you considered different ways to leverage this footage?

Brands and organizations need to begin scouring YouTube and Flickr.com to gain a better understanding of their game experience "from a fan perspective", find ways to leverage amateur photography and footage, and do a more effective job of controlling their own messaging. What am I getting at?

Take a look at the four (4) clips below which provide four (4) different angles of "Crazy Dave", a drunk Boston Celtics fan, running onto the field at Fenway Park after making a $100 bet with some LA Lakers fans that he could slide into second base. It turns out that "Crazy Dave" had alerted numerous fans that he was going to attempt this "feat" and even had a friend capture the escapade for his own personal collection... Fans across the stadium captured the event on video, providing different perspectives for how the event was perceived...

Hopefully these clips will spur you to search online for different ways that fans are capturing their time spent at your events... Consider hosting a fan video/photography feature (sponsored by Canon, Sony, Kodak, FujiiFilm, etc.) on your website and/or utilizing these search processes as a way to control your organization's brand image!

If You Haven't Joined Linked In Yet, It's Time...

Are you looking to expand your network in the sports business industry? As marketers, we should be looking to expand our knowledge and network of contacts each day...

Looking for a simple goal? Try to establish 52 new contacts each year year (one (1) per week) and begin to identify five (5) individuals that you can consider your "Personal Advisory Board" (per Jim Kahler, Executive Director of the Ohio University Center for Sports Administration). Luckily, we now have social networking platforms (Linked In / www.SportsMarketing20.com) that enable us to reach out and connect with industry leaders.

If you aren't a member of Linked In yet, it's time to join. Specifically, there are two (2) groups that you should consider joining because of their expansive network, newsletters, and career development offerings:

• Sponsorship Insights (created by Dan Beeman, Beeman Sponsorship Consulting)
• Sports Marketing and PR Pros (created by Joe Favorito, IFL)

I am also looking to connect with all PartnershipActivation.com readers/users before launching a social networking component that aligns with the site. Please sign up for the Linked In "Partnership Activation Group"  and/or add me as a contact through the link on the left column of this site ... I would love to connect with you and learn ways that I can assist you and your business.

What is Linked In? LinkedIn is an online network of more than 20 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries. The social networking platform includes thousands of sports professionals, marketers, and industry leaders. It's time to join if you haven't done so!

When it Comes to Mobile, Educate Your Fans!

In today's industry, sports marketers are offering fans some incredible mobile content... but the masses have yet to jump on board. Why? A recent study by AKQA and dotMobi found that 44% of U.S. mobile users report having had a bad experience in their initial use of the mobile Web (slow connection speeds, poor site display, and cost are the top three (3) reasons respondents cited for being dissatisfied with current mobile Web Services)... 

Case in point: Do you remember Mobile ESPN? The venture failed for a number of reasons, but primarily due to the fact that ESPN thought that consumers loves its sports content so much that they would rush to their wireless services too... By taking a sales-centric approach (remember those continuous, annoying Mobile ESPN commercials?), ESPN failed to educate consumers on the ease of use, the unique content, the functionability of the device, and why it warranted consumers to switch their carrier. The Key Learning? If it didn't work for ESPN, it probably won't work for your organization either. You need to educate.

But there is hope - new technology has an expansive learning curve that spurs consumers to trial, educate, and communicate with their friends. The aforementioned survey found that there is a high level of consumer curiosity about the mobile Web and the services it offers. Roughly 90% of respondents said that they were interested in learning about the space and what it can do. That is astounding!

Educate the benefits and ease of use of mobile offerings to your fanbase through tutorials, news articles, and videos (showing players/team personnel using the widgets/mobile services)... While it is great to feature a collection of mobile services and widgets on your team/event/brand site, one must educate individuals on these services to drive their likelihood of interaction and purchase!

Microsoft Surface... The Future of the Sports Industry

"With Surface, we now see a day when every desk can be a computer, and it's not only your desk but maybe your kitchen countertop, the table in your breakfast nook, the mirror in your hallway or, at work, the conference room table." - Mark Bolger, Senior Director of Marketing, Microsoft Surface Computing

It is only a matter of time before Microsoft Surface becomes the most discussed topic in the sports industry. The technology is here - AT&T retail stores in NY, Atlanta, San Antonio, and San Francisco debuted the technology last month...

The Microsoft Surface phenomenon will be the new wave in technology that all teams are looking to capture... Taking a look at how technology has evolved over the past thirty (30) years in the sports industry, it comes as no suprise that teams will be looking for "the next best thing" now that the LED/High Def scoreboard craze is startign to lapse...

But how exactly will Microsoft Surface technology affect the sports industry?

• Suite Levels
  • Picture all persons seated in the stadium suite level with technology at their fingertips. Instead of walking out to grab a drink, waiting for a hostess, or using a "loaded concessions/merchandise" card, consumers will be able to order concessions and merchandise through the countertops of the tables they are seated at.
• Press Row/Courtside Seating
  • Courtside seating will be taken to a whole new level... The media, PA announcer, statistics officials, and fans with elite courtside seats will be treated to touchscreen technology that will amplify their game experience and relieve some of the stresses of their game responsibilities... What exactly will this technology be able to do for these individuals? Time will tell...
• Promotions
  • Soft-drink cups could have tags printed on the bottom, which, when placed on the Surface counter, could then call up promotions. Teams could also place tags on premium items, which could activate a trailer on Microsoft Surface promoting upcoming movies, product offers, and additional information relevant to consumers.
• Digital Content
  • Teams could load the Microsoft Surface with music files, wallpapers, screensavers, and ring tones that consumers could load directly onto their phone by simply dragging the file with their finger.

What is Microsoft Surface?

• Microsoft Surface is an emerging technology that allows users to touch digital content with their fingers and a flick of a hand. Freed from the limited of a click or key, users can touch dozens of locations. Because of those multiple points of contact and the surface size, it is intended for multi-user applications. Microsoft is basically repositioning the tabletop by taking what was an inactive surface and turning it into a vibrant interactive display.

How is Microsoft introducing the technology and what is the price point?

• Microsoft is using a model similar to the introduction of plasma TVs. The company is focusing on leisure, entertainment, and retail sectors where consumers can familiarize themselves with the technology while Microsoft works to reduce the price point, which is currently around $10,000 a unit for commercial partners.
• Microsoft has received more than 3,000 partner inquiries from 50 different industries across 25 different countries since the product's introduction and figures that Surface can be a $2-3BN market by 2010.

Source: The Power of Touch, Adweek (5.19.2008)

Check out the videos below... this technology is amazing!