McDonald's Knocks it Out of the Park with Big Mac Land...

Are you looking to create new venue destinations? Are you looking for unique ways to leverage QSR partners?

In 1998, The St. Louis Cardinals and McDonald's teamed up to create Big Mac Land, a special outfield section at Busch Stadium designed to help McDonald's capitalize on the frenzy surrounding Mark McGwire's chase for the home run record.The specialin-venue destination instantly became (and remains) a hit with the team's fan base.

Why? Because every time a Cardinals player hits a home run into the Big Mac Land section, all fans in attendance can redeem their ticket for a free Big Mac sandwich at particpating McDonald's restaurants up to a full week after the game. McDonald's also features "Big Mac Land Bonus Nights", when ticket holders can receive a free Big Mac when a Cardinals player hits a home run anywhere in the stadium. The initiatives have resulted in millions of Big Mac sandwiches being distributed to Cardinals fans over the past ten (10) years.

The 181 seats available in the Big Mac Land are a hot commodity (an example of how the Cardinals organization has been able to create artificial ticket demand). Each ticket for the section comes with a souvenier, free McDonalds coupons, and a chance to be seen on the video board at the new Busch Stadium.

What's interesting to point out is that when the hamburger chain created the Big Mac Land during McGwire's chase of baseball's home run record, the slugger did not approve of the tactic. When the Cardinals moved into the new Busch Stadium, the section changed from #383 to #272.

Enclosed is a video of fans seated in the Big Mac Land waving giant foam French Fries while making an appearance on the video board:

The Panthers See Value in their Carls Furniture Partnership...

Are you looking to fill the furniture category with a new corporate partner? Are you looking for new on-ice promotional ideas?

The Florida Panthers organization have done a tremendous job leveragingtheir partnership with Carls Furniture & Design, a South Florida retail chain with nine (9) furniture showrooms and eleven (11) patio showrooms.

The Panthers partnership with Carls Furniture includes a mix of assets, highlighted by some initiatives that directly impact the Panthers fan experience at the Bank Atlantic Center:

• Product Integration and Ownership of Outdoor Areas - The Panthers renamed their two (2) ground level outdoor patio and party areas as the "Carls Patios" and outfitted the areas with Carls patio furniture that can be purchased at retail.
  • Each time the Panthers play a game at home on a Friday night, the team features a "Carls Party-O on the Patio" promotion that features grilled-to-order food, Bud Light Lime specials, and live music
• Featured VignetteDisplays - The Panthers refurnished four (4) vignettes in the Bank Atlantic Center - three (3) in the suite level and one (1) in the club level - with Carls Jr. furniture and designs
• Murals Sponsorship- The Partners enabled Carls Furniture & Design the right to sponsor twelve (12) color glass enclosed murals in the suite and club level of the Bank Atlantic Center
• Captivating On-Ice Promotions - The Panthers and Carls Furniture created an entertaining on-ice promotion that featured select contestants racing across the ice on mobilized patio furniture. The promotion (shown in the clip below) is a must-see!

Are Your Bathrooms Interactive?

Are you looking for new ways to engage consumers in the bathroom? Are you looking for non-traditional ways to leverage partners in the auto category?

In 2008, Mini Cooper devised a unique guerrilla marketing strategy to grab the attention of consumers using the urinals while out on the town. One unlucky person was tasked with gluing mini cones inside the urinals, setting up a "Test Your Handling Skills" competition for all users later that night.

When consumers went to use the bathroom they were met with the "Test Your Handling Skills" messaging and the skill cones competition. The creative campaign served as a great way to grab the attention of consumers in crowded settings, etc.

What are some sports implications here? This concept can easily be applied in many respects to the sports marketplace, especially for brands looking to escape the stadium clutter. Teams can consider tying in corporate partners through:

• NBA/MLS organizatons - "Test Your Dribbling Skills"
• NHL organizations - "Test Your PuckHandling Skills"
• NASCAR - Feature urinals that mirror Mini Cooper's execution (or feature an oval)
• NFLorganizations - "Cone Drill'
• MLB organizations - "Round the Bases"

Source: GuerrillaPromos.com

Firstbank uses Creativity to Escape Clutter...

Are you looking to create an impactful messaging campaign that draws the attention of event attendees? Are you looking for new ways to leverage afinancial partner?

With banks and investment companies struggling to bring positive attention to their corporate partnerships amid the economic crisis, FirstBank has taken a humorous, out-of-the-box approach to drive awareness and differentiate itself in the minds of consumers. Over the past few weeks, FirstBank has come out with two (2) very impactful messaging campaigns designed to grab the attention of sports enthusiasts:

Colorado Rockies - Messaging Campaign

With thousands of fans flocking to Coors Field for the Colorado Rockies' home opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, FirstBank flew a plane over the stadium for two (2) hours prior to the game that read, "This is the closest thing we have to a private jet." Using a little humour, the ad served as an effective reminder of the bank's fiscal responsibility during a time  of uncertainty.

Breckenridge and Keystone Winter Sports Resorts - Messaging Campaign

FirstBank partnered with the Breckenridge and Keystone winter sports resorts to implement a creative messaging campaign designed to target Denver's mobile using youth market. Firstbank features a "Bank in your ski mask without getting arrested" tagline on signage throughout the resorts (ski racks, snowboard racks, lift lines). The signage is in support of the bank's "Mobile Banking. Bank Anywhere" thematic.

FirstBank turned to Boulder's TDA Advertising & Design to create the humorous, targeted messaging campaign. Checkit out below:

Source: Media Post News

AT&T is All About Activation at the Final Four...

Are you looking to ramp up your Final Four activation? Are you looking for new ways to leverage mobile marketing partners?

AT&T did a fantastic job leveraging its status as an Official Partner of the NCAA around the 2009 NCAA Final Four. AT&T featured a variety of interactive mobile exhibits for fans to enjoy. Below is a quick rundown of some of the exhibits AT&T featured on-site as part of its "AT&T Arena" footprint:

Overall AT&T Arena Footprint

More Bars in More Places Shootout - If contestants could make a basket from each bar, he/she would be entered for a chance to win two (2) tickets to the NCAA Championship

AT&T at the Half Video Play-by-Play -The exhibit enabledfans to put their broadcasting skills to the test as theyperformed play-by-play ofthe most exciting plays in college basketball history

Naismith Trophy Trophy and Trivia Exhibits

Autograph Station

Variety of Interactive Games (Pictionary, Family Feud, Guitar Heroetc.)

Product Trial

Source: Flickr Photos - chubbyrwb

Georgia Max Coffee Lets Consumers Feel Like They're Skiing on the Hopper...

Is your brand looking to make a splash with consumers in the restrooms? Are you looking for ways to help your brand escape the advertising clutter at ski tournaments and extreme sports events?

Georgia Max Coffee, a canned coffee product owned and operated by the Coca-Cola Co., recently transformed therestrooms in a number of ski resorts throughout Japan to resemble a ski jumper's experience. The coffee company wrapped the restrooms with a ski jumper's view from the top of a mountain, making consumers feel like they are living in the moment while taking a few minutes to use the bathroom.

The only branding in the restroom stalls was featured on the toilet paper holder. There, consumers were greeted with the promotional campaign's URL (www.maxcoffee.jp) and an attention getting message. Tugboat Tokyo created the ad campaign for Georgia Max Coffee.

Check out some pictures of Georgia Max Coffee's bathroom branding initiative below:

Check out some of Georgia Max Coffee's other branding tactics on the ski slopes below:

Target Students with "Add a Slide, Get Free Tickets" Promotion...

Are you looking for new ways to attract college students and working professionals to your events? Are you looking for ways to make your team more revelant in the local community?

CoffeeCompany, a coffee shopping chain in the Netherlands, recently drew waves of attention by offering students acoupon good for ten (10) small coffees if they agree to add one of its six (6) branded PowerPoint slides into their presentations. The promotion served as an effective way for the company to turn students into brand ambassadors at a very minimal cost (CoffeeCompany is essentially sponsoring the students through the promotion).

To receive a ten (10) free cups of coffee, students simply had to upload a photo or video of themselves showing the slide in class on the site Free Coffee 4 Students(the site even includes a Wall of Fame). The promotion enabled students to submit a photo/video for a free coffee once per month. Check out a clip below which demonstrates a student's submission for the promotion:

What are the implicationshere for sports marketers?

Sports organizationscan consider mirroring the promotion with a "Add a Slide, Get Free Tickets" initiative. The promotional offer would serve as a great way to tap into local student bases (youth, students attending Universities) and local businesses. At the very least, it might just be a simple way to enhance the perception of your team's brand amongst students in thelocal community (who may be interested in coming to your games but are turned off due to prices, etc.).

To execute, teams should consider creating a microsite that features a number of fan-friendly elements:

• Acollection of team-branded Powerpoint slides for consumers to download and use
• A function that enables consumers to upload photos/videos that they can submit online for free tickets once per month
• A special offer from a corporate partner who is targeting students/young professionals (an additional offer, integration into the promotion, etc.)
• An interactive feature where consumers can see what their presentation would look like on the team videoboard
• A promotional opportunity for one lucky fan who submits photo/video to win the chance to have the team's mascot/players/coaches come to their classroom
• The chance to take part in an exclusive "Back to School" event prior to a game later on during the season
• Discussion Board / Wall Feature (to let consumers share their stories, etc.)

The Whitecaps Create an Interactive Plunger Signage Piece...

Are you looking for a new way to leverage a corporate partner specializing in plumbing services? Are you looking to create interactive signage pieces in-venue?

The Class A West Michigan Whitecaps are driving some industry buzz with their newest signage piece, a 40-foot Penning Plumbing Plunger in center field. The best part about the signage? It's interactive.

Each time the Whitecaps strike out an opponent to end the inning or the team celebrates a key play in the game, an operator in the press box can use a remote control device to move the plunger up and down a pole and shoot water into the air. The Whitecaps are hoping that the interactive signage piece will help their club "flush away the competition".

The team turned to Facility Maintenance Manager John Passerelli to handle the design work and construction of the unique signage piece. Using a post from behind home plate and an aluminum paneling called Alumalite, Passerelli was able to create the 40-foot plunger for the clubin just two (2) weeks.

With Penning Plumbing in their first year of a partnership, the Whitecaps are hoping to make a big splash in the industry with the novel idea. The team has even had discussions about distributing mini-sized plungers to fans in attendance coming through the gates.

Check out the Penning Plunger below:

5 "Must-See" NBA Team Features

Are you looking for new ways to stimulate fan interest? Are you looking for new elements to offer as an organization?

As consumers continue to feel pressures from the state of the economy, NBA teams are becoming more aggressive with their sales pitches, web content, and interactive experiences. Teams and their corporate partners are coming up with more creative sales pitches, promotions, and ideas than ever before. Here is a glimpse at five (5) of the latest and greatest ideas floating around the NBA:

1. The Indiana Pacersand adidas present the"Pacers Player Match Up Quiz"

The Pacers and adidas collaborated to create an interactive feature on the team's website designed to drive sales of select Pacers gear. On the Pacers home page, consumers are drawn to the "Pacers Player Match Up Quiz" with a web button that looks like a chalkboard. Upon clicking the button, consumers are taken through a series of seven (7) questions that asks them a variety of questions.

After the quiz is completed, the feature calculates the answers and tells the user what Pacer player he/she matches up with (based on the answers to the questions). The feature then provides the user with a variety of options, including: purchase the jersey of the player he/shematches up with, send the feature to a friend, embed the results on their social networking page, or purchase tickets to an upcoming Pacers game.

2. The San Antonio Spurs and AT&T present the AT&T Virtual T-Shirt Toss

The San Antonio Spurs and AT&T teamed up to create an in-game promotion for Spurs fans to enjoy while watching their favorite team battle it out on the road. The collaborating parties created the "AT&T Virtual T-Shirt Toss", a promotion thatrewards select fans who text in a special keyword aired during a Spurs TV / radio broadcast with a free t-shirt.

3. The Sacramento Kings and Folsom Lake Ford present "Can You Find Vlade?"

The Sacramento Kings recently teamed up with Folsom Lake Ford to offer an engaging "Can You Find Vlade" promotion for Kings fans. From March 17-26,Kings fans are asked to look for Vlade Divac driving a Ford Edge (courtesy of Folsom Lake Ford) around town.

When consumers do find him, they are asked to text the word FORD to 69866 along with Vlade's location for the chance to win a VIP experience to the Vlade TimelessGame on March 31, 2009 (or via the Kings Twitter page). Fans searching Vlade can text the word CLUE to 69866 forspecial hints of his whereabouts around town.

4. The Charlotte Bobcats and Hooters Offer a "Wing It Deal

The Charlotte Bobcats have teamed up with Hooters to offer the "Wing It Deal", an intriguing ticketoffer thatrewards consumers with a free $25 Hooters gift card with the purchase of any lower-level, non-premium Bobcats ticket ($35-$52.50) onlinefor select gamesthroughout the remainder of the season.

5. The Washington Wizards feature NCAA Tournament Brackets filled out by Their Stars

The Washington Wizards are capitalizing on March Madness by featuring NCAA tournament brackets completed by some of their star players (Brendan Haywood, Juan Dixon, and Darius Songaila) and a breakdown of how the team's players fared in the NCAA tournament.

The online feature does a great job engaging any site visitors that are caught up in March Madness. The team even enables visitors to post comments about the tournament (and different team performances) on the official team blog.

The Peach Belt Conference Drives BMW's Business...

Are you looking for new ways to leverage auto partners? Are you looking to create a partnership driven around a tournament championship?

John Semeraro and his colleagues at the Peach Belt Conference recently did a tremendous job integrating BMW into the conference's men's and women's basketball tournaments. Semeraro and representatives at the Peach Belt Conference created the "Taylor BMW Ultimate Drive to the Championship", an traffic-driving initiative that seamlessly integrated the local BMW retailer into the tournament action.

For two (2) weeks leading up to the tournament, Taylor BMW offered free co-branded tournament passes for the first 200 people who came into the dealership and opted to test drive a BMW. Taylor BMW supported the initiative by featuring cars on display at the tournament, championship banners along high-trafficroadways, and numerous branding pieces within the dealership setting.

Highlighting the Peach Belt Conference and Taylor BMW's partnership was the "Taylor BMW Ultimate Shoot-Out Bracket Challenge", a free throw challenge competition that enabled winners from the men's and women's brackets to win a free BMW Golf Bag or BMW Electric Car Cooler.

The Peach Belt Conference executed the promotion by hosting a contest at halftime of each game where two (2) participants were drawn for the chance to see who could make the most free throws during a 35 second timespan. The participant who made the most free throws advanced in a bracket-style competition each day of the five (5) day tournament.

To add to the tournament excitement once the free-throw shootout was completed, one (1) individual was drawn for both the men's and women's game to shoot for a certified pre-owned BMW. To win the BMW, the individual was challenged with making one (1) layup, free throw, three-point shot, and half court shot in 30 seconds.

The Peach Belt Conference and Taylor BMWteamed up to create a "true partnership" with representatives from both sides engaged and involved in all aspects of BMW's involvement on-site. The employees from Taylor BMW became very engaged in the Taylor BMW Ultimate Drive to the Championship promotion and gained a greater appreciation for the quality of NCAA Division II student-athletes competing in the Peach Belt Conference basketball tournament.

The promotion enabled Taylor BMW to:

• Drive retail traffic and trial
• Collect signups with quality user information (in an effort to target new customers)
• Drive brand affiliation and awareness (roadway signage, dealership branding, on-site display)
• Offeran engaging in-game promotion that creatively integrated its tagline
• Leave a lasting, memorable impression on fans

Congrats to the Peach Belt Conference and Taylor BMW for collaborating to create such a great initiative that benefits all parties involved!