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    Entries by Brian Gainor (1382)

    Tuesday
    Sep092008

    When It Comes to Licensing, Think the Unthinkable.

    Do you think you have seen it all when it comes to licensed products? Are you currently brainstorming new product ideas that you can bring to market based on the recent success of your sport?

    Could Michael Phelps and the USA Swimming Team bring back the Speedo? Could Misti May -Treanor and Kerri Walsh bring out a new beachwear look?

    When it comes to licensing, think the unthinkable. If you think you have seen it all, think again...Unless you have seen the Durex England Supporter World Cup Condoms. Durex actually created the specific condom brands for English, German, and Brazilian soccer fnas traveling to the 2006 World Cup. With this being said, is there a whole new market that exists in the United States that has yet to be tapped?

    As licensing rights become more complicated (and fragmented), expect the unexpected when it comes to vendors looking to develop and produce new licensed products. While condoms may not be appropriate for the NBA, NFL, or MLB to place their logo onto, there will come a time and a place where an entity will look to take advantage of utilizing a similar means to drive awareness/sales, etc.

    Everything from USB's/flash memory to binoculars to wine are now being identified as opportunities and labeled. Take advantage of using these unique branding opportunities to drive awareness and loyalty for your brand!

    Tuesday
    Sep092008

    The Ravens and VW Rev Up Section Branding...

    Are you looking for classy, yet subtle ways to brand your stadium seating sections? Are you looking for a unique way to sell a corporate partners message to your fanbase?

    The Baltimore Ravens and Volkswagen teamed up to place VW branding on the entrances to sections at M&T Bank Stadium. The branding looks classy and delivers an impactful "Drivers Wanted" message to Ravens fans as they leave the concourse area and head to their seats.  The Volkswagen message is perfect in this case because it has a subtle direct call to action.

    Teams have a unique ability to align supporting partners with fan demographics based on seating sections. Meaning, a club can brand the entrances of lower level seating areas with different messaging than the upper bowls (e.g. Mercedes-Benz vs. Kia), based on the buying power/behaviors of the consumers seated in each of those sections. The brands and organizations that find unique, effective ways to do this, have a very powerful way to get their message in front of consumers each and every time they leave and return to their seats.

    The Ravens also feature some other classy, distinguishable corporate signage at M&T Bank Stadium. Enclosed below are two (2) examples:

    Clear, Distinguishable Visa Lines at the Concessions Stands

    Prominent Signage for the Budweiser Ravens Walk

    Tuesday
    Sep092008

    Six Tips for Reducing "Unsubscribers"

    Are you looking for tips on how to reduce the number of people choosing to "Unsubscribe" from your organization's publications/promotional offers? Are you weighing the differences in consumer receptivity to periodic informational emails vs. sweepstakes offers?

    In a recent MediaPost Email Insider column, Melinda Krueger (director of email marketing at OgilvyOne) provided six (6) tips to help organizations and brands reduce the number of "unsubscribes":

    1. Provide value in the first place. So easy to say, so difficult to achieve, given the time and budget constraints faced by most email departments
    2. Give opt-ins an option to "opt down" or receive less frequent email
    3. Ask why the recipient is opting out and do something about frequent complaints
    4. View your opt-out trends by campaign. At the end of the year, look at those campaigns with the highest opt-out rates and see which messages insipired the most drop-outs.
    5. View your opt-out rates in relation to frequency. Did more frequent mailings have subscribers bailing out?
    6. View your opt-outs by source. Did that co-reg campaign, sweepstakes, or fill-in-the-blank generate a lot of disinterested subscribers?

    If all these suggestions fail, always consider building a loyalty system (which many professional organizations now offer), to induce consumers to be more receptive to periodic emails and other pieces of communication.

    Tuesday
    Sep092008

    Looking to Drive Retail Sales?

    Are you looking to create a retail promotional that will spur interest, store traffic, and sales?

    Hoppy Hoffman has the answer.

    Hoffman owns The Design Shoppe, a small retail shop in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Prior to the 2008 Arkansas State football season, Hoffman created a retail promotion that rewarded customers with 1% discount off their purchase for every point the Arkansas State Red Wolves won by on the Monday following each home game. Meaning, if Arkansas State won by 10 points, consumers would receive 10% off their purchase on the Monday following the team's home victory.

    The result? The Red Wolves won their home opener 83-10... meaning all shoppers received a 73% discount on Arkansas State gear at Hoffman's shop the Monday after the team's opener. Since the promotion was created, business (and media buzz) has been booming for Hoffman. Following the Red Wolves' second home victory, nearly 200 people lined up for the store's doors to open at 9:30am. Arkansas State has four (4) home games remaining on the season, giving Hoffman a reason to hope for another win (although hopefully by a lesser margin). 

    Consider leveraging a similar promotion with your retail partners!

    Tuesday
    Sep092008

    Are You Looking to Add a New Partner?

    Have you considered signing an "Official Sunflower Seed Snack" partner for your organization? If not, you could be leaving some real dollars/trade value on the table (especially in the baseball world).

    Why? Teams can provide sunflower seed companies with performance level visibility (within the dugout/bench area, as pictured on the right with the branded blue crates) and direct access to team personnel (players, coaching staff, staff).

    To complement performance level placement/direct personnel access, organizations can also offer sunflower seed companies banner placement throughout the concourse (near concessions), on-site product sampling, rights to marks for package labeling, and access to a sponsor support system that facilitates cross promotions with other team sponsors (e.g. if your organization has a grocery store/c-store/wholesale retail partner).

    The leading sunflower seed companies are:

    • DAVID Sunflower Seeds (founded in 1926, DAVID Sunflower Seeds are now a part of the Nestle Corporation and are headquartered in Fresno, CA) (www.davidseeds.com)
    • GIANT Sunflower Seeds (www.giantseeds.com)
    • Spitz Sunflower Seeds (www.spitzseeds.com)
    • Deerfield Farms Sunflower Seeds
    Sunday
    Sep072008

    Score Five Goals, Score Free Tacos...

    Are you looking for new ways to reward fans based on team performance?

    Since 2003, the Nashville Predators and Taco Bell have teamed up to execute an extremely popular "free taco giveaway" promotion. Every time the Predators score five (5) goals while playing at home, all fans in attendance receive one (1) free taco. Since the promotion's inception, it has become routine for Predators fans to chant "We Want Tac-os" every time the team is on the verge of scoring its fifth goal.

    Energized by the enormous fan receptivity for the promotion, the Predators added a unique musical twist, as demonstrated in the video clip below:

    Sunday
    Sep072008

    Are You Looking to Honor a Team Representative?

    Are you looking for some measures to honor an owner or team representative?

    The Columbus Blue Jackets are implementing some classy measurers  to honor the organization's late founder and majority owner, John H. McConnell during the 2008 season. The team is integrating a logo bearing the initials "JHM" that will be worn by the team players and used in a variety of in-game elements.

    The JHM logo featured behind each creaseMembers of the Columbus Blue Jackets will wear a patch bearing the JHM logo on the front right shoulder of their home (blue) and away (white) jerseys throughout the season. The team will also feature the JHM logo on the ice behind each goal and on a pair of dasherboards at Nationwide Arena. 

    To drive home messaging among the team's fan base, the Blue Jackets will distibute a commemorative "JHM" cap to all fans in attendance for the team's home opener against the Nashville Predators on October 17th, 2008. The team also established the John H. McConnell Scholarship Fund to give all Blue Jackets fans the opportunity to honor the late owner and give back to the community. The money raised will be used to award an annual scholarship to Central Ohio high school students who personify Mcconnell's character and leadership.  

    Please check back for more updates on ways that the Blue Jackets will honor their late owner.

    A special thanks to Josh Hafer of the Columbus Blue Jackets for his contributions to this column. For more information, please contact Josh at Jhafer@BlueJackets.com.

    Sunday
    Sep072008

    Looking to Keep Up With the Sports Business Industry?

    Are you looking for a new online sports business resource? Are you looking to keep up with the industry's most recent news and opinions? then check out www.sportsbizfeed.com.

    Sports Biz Feed is an online resource that provides the latest sports business headlines from a variety of websites and blogs. By aggregating the best and most influential sports business blogs online, Sports Biz Feed can save you time scouring the Web for the latest sports business news. Sports Biz Feed features ten (10) recent stories from each of the eighteen (18) leading blogs. Sports business professionals can quickly scan the headlines and proceed to click through to read the stories that they are interested in... A Great Resource!

    If any sports business professionals are interested in promoting their products to the site's readership base (likely educated, wealthy persons working in the sports business/marketing industry), Jason Peck is offering one (1) 300x250 banner ad. Feel free to contact Jason, one of the most innovative minds in sports media, for more information at jolpid@gmail.com.

    Tuesday
    Sep022008

    Take Caution with Promotional Stunts...

    Week 1 of the college football season marks the first time that many collegiate athletic departments around the nation get to experiment with new promotional contests and stunts... While most stunts go according to plan, others do not. Check out two (2) stunts that went bad during the first week of the 2008 college football season:

    The University of Cincinnati Bearcat Gets Caught in the Wires (While attempting to parachute into Nippert Stadium prior to the game before the team's season opener, the Cincinnati Bearcats mascot got caught in the wiring behind the uprights and fell 40 feet to the ground) 

    Parachuters for the University of North Carolina Crash the Wrong Party (Two skydivers who were supposed to land in UNC's Kenan Stadium accidentally flew into Duke's Wallace Wade stadium nine (9) miles away, crashing the field during the team's pre-game festivities)

    Tuesday
    Sep022008

    Drive Your Product Into Consumers' Minds...

    Are you looking for new ways to drive awareness of your product in-venue? Are you looking for ways to leverage your baseball partnerships?

    The Hiroshima Toyo Carp, a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League, have found a very unique way to promote Cup Noodles at their baseball games. The team outfitted a small truck with a huge Cup Noodles on the bed. During innings throughout the game, the truck drives around the baseball field, encouraging fans to head to the concessions stands to purchase their very own Cup Noodles. The "mobile" promotional vehicle provides Cup Noodles a great way to escape from all of the signage and corporate activation in-venue.

    A similar mobile promotional vehicle would be a relevant for numerous companies to promote their brands in-venue:

    • Soft Drinks / Energy Drinks / Juices (e.g. the Seventh Inning Stretch Sponsored by Sprite, with the vehicle rounding the field showing a large Sprite can on the back and a half-off all Sprite purchases during the seventh inning)
    • Cell Phones (New Models)
    • Tools / Lawn Care Products
    • QSR Menu Items
    • Alcoholic Beverage Companies
    • Companies Selling Household Amenities
    Tuesday
    Sep022008

    Use The Foul Pole to Hook University Partners...

    Has your organization considered bringing on a local University as a corporate partner? Are you looking for new ways to drive awareness for your University in-venue?

    The Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League recently brought Millersville University on as a sponsor of the team's two (2) foul poles. The branding piece has turned out to be an excellent way for Millersville University to promote their commitment to the local community.

    However, teams (and Universities alike) can take this branding piece to the next level by utilizing it as a means to engage fans. Before each home baseball game, teams (and Universities alike) can select one (1) fan as the fan of the game (e.g. Millersville University Fan of the Game - preferably someone who is wearing a shirt to the game that promotes the University).

    The team can feature the select fan on the video board prior to the game, and if the home team hits a home run off either of the branded foul poles, the select fan can win free tuition (or books, cafeteria card, parking, team merchandise, season tickets for a year, VIP experience, AD for a Day, etc.) for a semester or a year. This simple promotional tactic is an offer that will easily resonate with your fanbase and will enable University partners to have a greater impact in-venue.  

    Millersville University's partnership with the Barnstormers has proven to be an effective way to connect with residents in the local community. In 2006, Millersville conducted a food drive to benefit the Water Street Rescue Mission and the University leveraged the Barnstormers mascot in their annual Homecoming Parade.

    Tuesday
    Sep022008

    How Genuine Are Your Fans?

    Are you looking for a unique way to promote your organization's MillerCoors partnership in-venue? Are you looking for a new way to promote Miller 64, the new 64-calorie version of Miller Genuine Draft Lite?

    The Milwaukee Brewers are currently running a unique initiative called "The Search for Genuine", which rewards 50+ Milwaukeeanswith a year's supply of Miller Genuine Draft and the chance to throw out the first pitch at a home game during the summer of 2008.

    "Genuine" fans will be selected through a variety of means:

    • Consumers at Brewers home games will be selected at random and featured on the video board
    • MGD street teams will search local sports bars through September and reward select consumers that are 21+
    • Consumers can submit stories of their friends who live to a "genuine standard" at www.ReachforGenuine.com

    Each of the 50+ "Genuine Fans" will receive two (2) free tickets to the Brewers game versus the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 24th, where they will have the chance to be chosen as Milwaukee's "Genuine Person of 2008" and throw out the first pitch.

    The Brewers activate the promotion by offering an in-venue video board feature called "The Search for Genuine". In essence, the team zeroes in on one (1) fan in the crowd that defines a "genuine fan" (e.g. a fan drinking Miller Genuine Draft). This simple, yet creative video board is an excellent way to promote this Miller Genuine Draft initiative in-venue.

    Friday
    Aug292008

    Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter - Sign Up!

    Dear PartnershipActivation.com Readers,

    It is my pleasure to introduce Partnership Activation 2.0, a monthly newsletter that provides sports business professionals with industry insights, creative activation tactics, and innovative ways to generate revenue for their organizations.

    Please take a moment to check out the Partnership Activation 2.0 newsletter HERE. To subscribe to the newsletter distribution list, simply send an email to bgainor@partnershipactivation.net with "subscribe" in the subject line. Also, please include your full name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing. If you like what you see, please pass the newsletter (and/or link to this site) along to your friends and colleagues in the industry who also may be interested.

    If your organization is interested in advertising on www.PartnershipActivation.net or through the Partnership Activation 2.0 newsletter, affordable opportunities are available. The first edition of Partnership Activation 2.0 was distributed to a diverse group of sports professional throughout the sports landscape:

    • 37 Agencies
    • 34 University Athletic Departments
    • 26 NBA Organizations
    • 17 NHL Organizations
    • 15 NFL Organizations
    • 6 MLB Organizations
    • 6 NASCAR Organizations
    • 6 Major Media Outlets
    • 3 Soccer Properties

    Thank you for all of your continued support. If I can ever be of assistance, please contact me at bgainor@partnershipactivation.net.

    Regards,

    Brian


    Click here to see Partnership Activation 2.0 - March 2009 newsletter.

    Thursday
    Aug282008

    Bring Your QSR Partners to the Tailgate Lots...

    Are you looking for innovative ways to leverage your QSR partners? Are you looking to provide extra benefits to all of your organization's fans tailgating three (3) hours prior to the game?

    Bring your QSR partners to the (tailgate) party... through the means of mobile vehicles.

    McDonalds recently began testing the popularity of the McCafe Lounge on Wheels, a mobile vehicle that enables customers to taste McDonalds coffees in a comfortable setting. The concept vehicle, created by the Moroch Partners in Dallas, TX, helps McDonalds escape from the advertising clutter and efficiently induces consumer trial of new products. The McCafe Lounge set up shop at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in March and has been widely introduced in Japan. The McCafe Lounge served 80,000 7-ounce cups of iced coffee over the course of the weekend att he Houston Livestock Show...

    For teams with vast, organized parking lots, bringing mobile QSR vehicles to the people could be a great idea. While people are tailgating (eating hamburgers, drinking beer, throwing the football), they are probably much more receptive to trying new products (e.g. drinks, sandwiches, etc.) than if they are inside the stadium where they are being price-gouged on concessions. Has a team ever attempted to sell $2 burgers through a mobile vehicle (roaming the lots) to tailgaters outside? As properties become more creative leveraging QSR partners, don't be too suprised if this idea is just a few short months away...

    Thursday
    Aug282008

    Are You Looking to Leverage Media Partners?

    Are you looking to activate your organizaton's partnership with a local media outlet? Are you looking to gain additional media exposure at minimal cost?

    Marketing representatives at Whataburger Field, home to the Corpus Christi Hooks, created a unique outfield branding piece to drive awareness of their local media partner, Channel Six (displayed in the picture below). The team used "Hit the 6" messaging to drive impressions in-venue (and hopefully some greater visibility on the network's sports coverage).

    Teams can take similar tactics to the next level by creating a "Channel Six Fan of the Game" promotion during every home game played at the ballpark. If a home run hits the designated sign, the selected contestant could win the opportunity to be featured live on the channel's television coverage (a benefit that would generate increased media exposure and fan interest despite coming at zero cost for the team). The team can complement the fan's prize pack with six tickets, hot dogs, and drinks to the game of his/her choice.

    Other sports properties can implement similar tactics:

    • Hockey - Dasherboard ("Check Channel XXX") - If a player on the home team checks an opposing player into that dasherboard, the "Channel XXX fan of the game" will be featured on the nightly sports coverage
    • Golf - Align a television partner with a hole (e.g. Channel 7 with Hole 7). If a player eagles that hole, the select consumer will be featured on the news, etc.
    • Soccer - Create a similar tactic for a field board that is located behind one of the goals. If a soccer kick misses the net and hits the field board, the select contestant will be featured on the news, etc. 

    Wednesday
    Aug272008

    The Marlins Offer Unique In-Game  Entertainment...

    Are you looking for new ways to attract a new fans to the ballpark? Are you looking for ways to attract a new demographic to your games? Battling a low payroll and blistering hot summer days at the ballpark, the Florida Marlins have gone to new lengths to attract  and entertain fans at the stadium:

    The Marlins have created two (2) sets of dance/cheer teams... The Mermaids and Manatees.

    The Mermaids

    • The Florida Marlins' Mermaid squad, a group that has been around since 2004, can be hired to do autograph sessions, photograph sessions, and dance performances at parties and corporate events.

    The Manatees

    • The Marlins created the Manatees squad in 2008 after putting out an open casting call for fans who have bellies with the biggest jiggle, big feet with the best dance moves, and enthusiasm that will rock Marlins fans out of their seats
    • The group performs at all Marlins home games played on Friday and Saturday night

    Wednesday
    Aug272008

    Are You Living in the Moment of Exclusivity?

    Is your brand living in the "moment of exclusivity" in-venue? Are you selling the "moment of exclusivity" to your corporate partners?

    MediaPost Publications recently featured an interesting article on how "the moment of exclusivity" has quickly become the newest buzz word in the sports biz. What is it exactly? When teams convert every piece of digital signage in-venue to display a select brand's messaging at a given moment during a game. For example, teams can control the in-venue signage so that if a fan leaves his seat to go to the bathroom and misses the massive Sprite ad on the center-hung LED scoreboard, he/she will see the same branding on the LCD monitors mounted outside the restrooms.

    Who is doing it? Currently, only a handful of powerful brands (e.g. Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, etc.) have invested in the opportunity to own a given moment in-game. As properties update their signage, eliminating static panels, the industry will see more and more brands investing in "the moment".

    Stay tuned for more information on strategic plans that brands are implementing to differentiate themselves in-venue...

    Sunday
    Aug242008

    Incorporate Olympics Entertainment While It's Hot...

    Over the past two (2) weeks, have you considered incorporate Olympics entertainment into your game nights? Have you considered finding unique ways to capitalize on the buzz surrounding the 2008 Beijing Olympics?

    The Washington Nationals recently staged an Olympics-inspired Presidents Race during the 4th inning of their game on Sunday at Nationals Park. The team tasked its 10-foot President mascots with jumping over hurdles during the team's traditional in-game Racing Presidents feature. The team even outfitted Abe Lincoln with gold running shoes (ala Michael Johnson) during the contest.

    The Baltimore Ravens aired Michael Phelps' final race at the Beijing Olympics after the team's home preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on August 16th as a salute to their hometown hero. The team received permission from NBC to broadcast the event on the stadium SmartVision scoreboards and promoted the coverage by sending out press releases prior to the game and encouraging fans throughout the game to stay for the entertainment. 

    The Ravens supported the event by sending Phelps an autographed No. 08 jersey, distributing "Ravens for Phelps" posters to all fans in attendance, and providing fans the opportunity to record video messages wishing the Olympian good luck in his quest for gold.

    Here is a clip of the excitement at M&T Bank Stadium surrounding Phelps's victory:

    Find unique ways to capitalize on the affinity that consumers have for the Olympic games... There are some quality ways here to connect brands with fans!

    Sunday
    Aug242008

    Are You Integrating Fans Into the Action?

    Are you looking for a new promotional concept that engages fans? Are you interested in an idea that provides fans a way to have a direct impact on the game they are watching/attending?

    Consider developing a "You Call the Play" promotion, where fans can call/text in a play that they would like to see their home team execute during the game. To execute such a promotion, team representatives would need to work directly with the coaching/team personnel. While such an idea may seem difficult, such an idea has been executed in the past (e.g. Charlie Weiss ran a play to kick off a Notre Dame game that was selected by a fan with a terminal illness).

    Teams and supporting partners can execute fan polling through a variety of means:

    • Poll fans prior to the game through print-text message/call-in/online poll (the team can openly ask fans to submit what play they would like to see on the first offensive/defensive play of the game, provide multiple choice options, etc.). In this scenario, once the play happens in-venue, the team can announce the fan play-call support via videoboard, LED, and on-air mentions
    • Poll fans during the game through a video board display (provide fans with five (5) multiple choice options of plays that they would like the team to execute coming out of a timeout). With teams in college basketball knowing when certain timeouts will take place (e.g. 16:00, 12:00, 8:00, and 4:00 marks), this is easier to execute than in other sports
    • Poll fans via LED in-between innings (providing fans the opportunity to select relief pitchers, pinch hitters, etc. via text messaging to a computer that calculates the final tally in the dugout) 
    • Enable fans to vote on a variety of happenings in-game (touchdown dances, halftime performers, dance team music/performances, pre-game music, and player autographs after the game)

    While such a promotion, which provides fans with a way to directly impact the outcome of the game, requires cooperation from many parties (the hardest of which is team/coaching personnel), it shouldn't be deemed unrealistic. Properties are inching closer towards creating in-venue promotions that offer said fan involvement. This promotion would be a great way to incorporate telecommunications partners.

    Check out the video below, which provides a benchmark for executing such a promotion:

    Sunday
    Aug242008

    The Race That Will Change The World...

    Nike will forever change the running landscape when it hosts the Nike+ Human Race 10K next Sunday, August 31st. The event, expected to attract millions of participants, will be the largest one-day running event in the world. The race is open to anyone, anywhere (have we ever seen an event that was open to the entire global population?) The Nike+ Human Race is set to take place in 25 cities around the world, including:

    • Austin, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Vancouver, London, Madrid, Paris, Istanbul, Melbourne, Shanghai, and Sao Paulo

    The Nike+ Human Race serves as Nike's way to celebrate runners and their sport. All consumers interested in partaking in the event can log in to www.nikeplus.com. Consumers who sign up for the Nike Human Race event online can have their results officially counted as part of the race by tracking their miles on their  Nike + iPod or Nike+ SportBand device and downloading the information to NikePlus.com.

    Nike will complement the running events in each of the 25 cities with a live concert on race day that features some of the world's top musical artists.

    To drive awareness and buzz for the event, Nike has created a great viral campaign that leverages its sports personalities. Check out the clip below: