The Bucks Need to Partner with an Online Dating Service...

The Milwaukee Bucks need to partner with an online dating service (Match.com, EHarmony.com, etc.) to find Andrew Bogut a soulmate... The following footage would be a great way to incorporate an in-game video board clip that promotes the service (with a PA message that reads: "Looking for a Friend/Soulmate?" Insert Video Board Clip "Find one at EHarmony.com...") 

It is only a matter of time before we start to see more online dating service companies emerge as team corporate partners (with sports arenas filled with consumers who enjoy entertainment with others and have the disposable income to spend)... Get creative with your branding tactics to integrate these partners!

Guinness, We Have Found Your Hockey Endorser!

In a post a few months ago, I mentioned the incredible experience I had attending an Atlanta Thrashers game at Phillips Arena... The team does a great job bringing the game of hockey to fans in a non-traditional hockey market... The highlight? A Guinness-chugging fan who gets the crowd going crazy during the 3rd period of every game... Well, to share this "experience" with you, I was able to find a clip online... Featured on the video board nearly every game, this fan normally will chug the full glass of Guinness and then go up and bang the boards - it makes the arena go electric!

Now, the next goal is to get Guinness to activate across the NHL (or another sport) by hiring a guy in every stadium to do this! When I attended the Thrashers game this past Fall, I was amazed to see that the team had four (4) alcoholic beverage sponsors, yet all four (4) failed to activate around this "in-arena" legend. Let's make this guy famous!

Chick-Fil-A Does the Chop, Braves Fans Eat the Chicken...

On Friday night the Braves introduced their newest part of their fan experience - the 40ft. Chick-Fil-A Tomahawk Chop Cow. The cow marks a new breakthrough in creative stadium branding, as it justifies how teams and brands alike are working towards creating initiatives that enhance the overall game experience for fans. With the introduction of the 40-foot cow, which features a "Du The Chop Eat The Chikin" sign, Chick-Fil-A continues to serve as "creative branding" leader in the sports landscape, after introducing the "Eat Mor Fowl Poles" in Houston in 2006.

If corporate partners always remember that their end goal should be to "enhance" rather than "interrupt" consumers when implementing ideas, they will receive similar positive fan acceptance and buzz as the Chick-Fil-A cow has received at Turner Field in Atlanta.

MLS - Hire This Guy!

As the MLS continues to drive awareness for its new campaign, "Football. Futbol. Soccer.", the league needs to track down the guy who created the video enclosed below. This would be a GREAT way to drive online buzz for the game of soccer in the United States (performing related soccer stunts at monuments/involving celebrities across the nation)... Check it out!

FOOT 2008 (REMI GAILLARD)
Uploaded by nqtv

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!

Sonic Branding: What is the Sound of Your Brand?

Sit back and take a quick moment to think, what is the sound of your brand? How does the "sound" of the Dallas Cowboys differ from that of the Miami Dolphins? How does Miller Lite differ from Heineken?

From classical to country to hip-hop, brands across the globe connect with consumers with different sounds. What I am talking about is Sonic Branding, the use of a special sound to identify and advertise products associated with a particular manufacturer. Sonic branding is becoming an increasingly powerful tool for brands to convey memorable messages to consumers... Why? Marketers are now starting to combine music and sports to hit their target consumer base's multiple passion points...

How are professional organizations starting to capitalize on this phenomenon? They are starting to take ownership of their music by integrating corporate partners more heavily in their online content/in-game music (i.e. offering team/player music via iTunes integration online) and are taking greater strides to understand how they can win over more consumers by creating products/events that incorpoate both music and sports (i.e. Nike Plus).

From an outsiders view, which teams have done a great job capitalizing on the passion that fans have for both music and sports? Consider the ways that Celtic Glasow, Liverpool FC, the Boston Red Sox, and the New York Yankees incorporate music into their game experience. Can these organizations do a much better job leveraging these sounds as assets? Of course... Which is definitely something that we will start to see all teams expound upon in the near future as consumers take greater control of their music and sports... 

Check out three (3) videos that detail how these four (4) teams have incorporated music into their in-game entertainment...

When it Comes to Corporate Partnerships, FC Barcelona is "Best in Class"

If you are looking to make a case for which organization is "Best in Class" when it comes to corporate partnerships, look no further than Barcelona FC. The football club does an incredible job detailing the assets/rights, opportunities, and events that are available to corporate partners looking to align their brand with the organization.

The club also does a great job incorporating corporate partnership content into their website (through a visible tab on the homepage that offers additional details on supplies, events, clinics, meetings, VIP tickets, image rights, and sponsorship opportunities)... Why don't we see more teams/athletic departments do this in the United States? (on many sites, information pertaining to corporate partners (who are said to be valued so highly) is often hidden/ignored).

As sports marketers, we should be devoting ample time to analyze the practices of our counterparts overseas, especially in European Football.  The breadth of U.S. sports owners and businessmen investing in soccer overseas should serve as a strong signal of the quality of sports business and growth potential that exists... Collectively, we need to open up our horizons to gain a better understanding for what principles are being implemented overseas. Hopefully these two (2) Barcelona FC tactics will peak your interest:

Creative In-Venue Branding

Barcelona FC took its Nike partnership to the next level by branding three (3) seated sections of its Camp Nou stadium with the Nike symbol... a great tactic that demonstrates to the media and fans around the world about how highly they value Nike as a partner. This innovative branding piece offers Nike incremental in-venue brand visibility and media coverage, demonstrating the power of the Nike brand with relation to Barcelona FC football. Also, make note of the Nike video board signage - have we seen this anywhere in the United States? Nike traditionally focuses on being engrained at the performance level... a very interesting piece. 

FC Barcelona does a great job engraining its corporate partners in all of the team's branding and corporate events. The team picture below demonstrates that the club values its supporting corporate partners so much that they incorporate their brands in the team photo... Where have we seen this done in the United States?

In closing, FC Barcelona does a great job detailing the commitment levels of its partners on its team webpage. Too often, we see teams/organizations just clump all of their corporate partners together on one (1) main page or charge their "supporting partners" for a presence on the website. We need to take greater efforts to due the diligence of distinguishing sponsors based on their spend levels and clean up our corporate partnership programs overall. Less is More!

Give Your Signage a "Call to Action"...

Are you looking to drive the effectiveness of your in-venue signage? Are you looking to further your level of consumer engagement at sporting events?

Consider a branding strategy that Dubai Duty Free implemented at the Dubai Tennis Championships (WTA) to promote its Millenium Millionaire promotion (as shown below). Dubai Duty Free leveraged its near-court signage presence to draw awareness and interest of the promotion among both venue attendees and television viewers (who see the perfectly placed promotional signage when the camera zooms in to focus on the player)... Dubai Duty Free also used the signage to promote the chance for viewers/attendees to win a free luxury car by logging into the promotional website (although the picture fails to demonstrate this).

Wouldn't you think that most brands who can afford to pay for premium courtside/field level signage already have a high level of consumer awareness? Why not utilize this asset, when consumers are at their peak levels of avidity in-arena, to: 

• Promote Sweepstakes/Promotional Offers (i.e. airline uses signage to drive signups for "Free Trip with Dance Team" to Destination XXX on website)
• Driving In-Store Traffic (i.e. Signage that promotes, "Free Player Bobblehead with Purchase of Combo Meal/Washer at XXX Locations)
• Driving Online Buzz (i.e. Partner touting viral content / social networking opportunities on their webpage)
• Drive Fan Loyalty/Rewards (Use video board/staticsignage to post a code/message that all fans in attendance can use to redeem a % off rebate/coupon online within 24 hours after a victory) 
• Drive Product Awareness (Use signage to promote the availability of licensed products in-store (i.e. team branded chair))

Who does a great job of this? The Lottery. They utilize courtside signage to promote the current jackpot figures (as opposed to just promoting the brand)... Who sees this signage and doesn't then consider going to buy a ticket?

Drive Eyeballs Towards Your Signage by Activating It!

Are you looking to draw attention to your billboards and messaging? Are you looking to captivate the interests of fans, passerby consumers and likewise draw media attention? Activate it. Make it come to life. How? Check out the two (2) following examples:

Toyota performed an interesting stunt to draw attention to a billboard promoting its Toyota Rav4 and "Serious Fun" messaging in Brussels... The automobile manufacturer enabled street pedestrians to jump on a trampoline in front of the billboard to grab an information packet sitting on top of the outdoor signage... an interactive experience that drew significant attention from consumers passing by in their cars...

Why couldn't a sports organization/brand implement a similar branding initiative to promote an upcoming basketball season? (i.e. persons in team jerseys bouncing on a trampoline and making baskets in front of a team billboard, etc.) Or tennis tournament? (players bouncing in the air swinging rackets) Or an airline partner signaling a tie-in between their services and the flight time players have while dunking? There are many correlations here for sports professionals...

Looking for a more simplistic idea?

The Dubai Tennis Championship creatively used its messaging as a backdrop for a performing artist at a local venue... This practice can be implemented by brands and organizations everywhere; placing the messaging in a locale where consumer's eyes are fixated for long periods at a time... Why don't we see more of this? This is such a cost-effective promotional practice to implement... Develop similar techniques to activate at your local QSR and casual dining partners' locations! Use promotional backdrops for concerts that take place in your venue!

Drive Partnership Value Out of Your Mascot...

Is your team/organization currently maximizing your mascot to the fullest potential? If you answered "Yes" to this question, how have you determined what the maximum potential is?

Have you considered incorporating the services of your team/organization's mascot to sell a partnership? Have you considered creating a partnership that is centered solely around the team's mascot?

I recently created a "Mascot Capabilities" deck to demonstrate the level of value and engagement that mascots offer teams, fans, and sponsors alike. Marketers are continuously chasing the engagement medium - finding new ways to connect with fans and consumers on a 1-to-1 basis. What better way than finding some key initiatives that incorporate the team's mascot - a character who has face-to-face interaction with thousands of consumers on game day and serves as a key element of the overall game experience?

As I previously mentioned in a partnership evaluation of the Charlotte Bobcats' game experience, the Dallas Mavericks sold Elliott's Hardware on a partnership that incorporated the team's mascot, Champ. Many opportunities exist for your team/organization to also sell this asset, if the right benefits are presented through a tactical approach. The "Mascot Capabilities" Deck should help provide some understanding on ways that your mascot can benefit potential corporations - please feel free to share this deck with colleagues, etc.

Some potential mascot corporate partnership categories include:

• Retail (and Grocery Retail) - Toys (Toys-R-Us), Best Buy/Fry's, Pet Smart
• In-store appearances and meet-n-greets, on-field promotions (shopping cart, Guitar Hero, Kids Club tie-in (healthy eating/living), community initiatives (hospital visits giving televisions/grocery), unique in-store promotions (mascot bobblehead sold/distributed with purchase), family nights (with the mascot as the focal point), t-shirt gun (distributing shirts with project starters/coupons, etc.), on-field product placement (La-Z-Boy chair, etc.)
• QSR's - Hot dog gun, t-shirt gun (distributing shirts with coupons, etc.), Kids Club tie-ins, in-store appearances, unique in-store promotions (mascot bobblehead sold/distributed with purchase), In-Game delivery (pizzas, donuts, combo meals), pre-game tailgate festivites with mascot as focal point, leveraging QSR mascot in dance-offs (Ronald McDonald (CIAA) and Chick-Fil-A cow, on-field promotions (hamburger relay), mascot races (representing different products/meals), video board vignettes (featured on-site at QSR), promotions/sweepstakes with ties to retail traffic

• Auto / Motorcycle - Presenting sponsorship of the truck t-shirt giveaway, motorcycle ride, four-wheeler appearances), go-carts

• Local Community Initiatives/Entertainment
• Marathons (Appearances), Bowling Alleys (Mascot Bowling, Appearances), Librarys (Kids Club tie-in, Appearances), YMCA Centers (Appearances, Meet-n-Greets), Hospitals (Visits, Stretcher Stunts), Little Leagues (On-Field Competitions, Appearances)

McDonalds Grows Its Billboard Awareness...

"It's hard for corporations to understand that creativity is not just about succeeding. It's about experimenting and discovering." - Gordon Mackenzie

A hot topic in the sports industry today is "going green". McDonalds took this strategy to heart and used it to develop an innovative strategy to drive awareness for its salad offerings outside Wrigley Field. The QSR leader developed an innovative billboard campaign that "grew" over the timespan of a few weeks, serving as a great way to capture the attention and interests of consumers mingling outside the ballpark and on their way home after the game.

The billboard also provided some imagery for Cubs fans, who are passionate about the ivy that grows on the brick outfield walls of Wrigley field... Check out the clip below.

AVP Partnership Analysis...

This afternoon I took a deep dive look at the AVP tour to gain a better understanding for the sponsorship landscape (who was partnering with the AVP tour and how they were activating). I was very impressed by the overall layout of the AVP tour and its solid support of corporate partnerships. From an outsider's view, the tour looks to have a solid foundation in place (growing from six (6) events to twenty (20) and zero (0) sponors to twenty (20) under the helm of Gabby Roe) with a good grasp of the sponsorship realm (a very cluttered environment but in a homogeneous yellow fashion).

The AVP recently shifted from a centralized ownership model to one in which local promoters take on event ownership and risk. That business model has attracted the likes of the San Francisco Giants, Hicks Sports Marketing, the Miami Heat, and Nets Sports and Entertainment as local promoters (Sports Business Journal 3.3.2008).

Who is the AVP fan? (Source: AVP.com)

(Source: AVP.com)

• 71% of AVP Fans 18-34 Years Old (median age 28)
• 51% Male / 49% Female
• 84% attended or attend college
• 70% make more than $50,000 per year

The AVP's corporate partnerships include (listed in order of overall presence):

• Crocs (Title Sponsor of the Tour) - Net Signage (rotated in and out), Co-Branded Leaderboard, Tunnel Signage, Entrance Inflatable, Retail Display, Video Board Branding (Banners), Hospitality, Venue Flags, Sand Court Signage (both Crocs logo and actual footwear), Thundersticks, Interactive Volleyball Court, and Clinics
• Cuervo - Net Signage (rotated in and out), In-Game Promotions, Inflatable Beach Ball, "Vive Responsible" Sand Court Signage, Cuervo Girls, Score Tracker Booth, Inflatable Liquor Bottle, In-Venue Margarita Stands, Hospitality, A Vertical Jump Test, and Featured a Cuervo Cabana with Two Bars, a Dance Area, and a Platform to Take Pictures with the Cuervo Girls, "Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy" Competition
• Bud Light - Net Signage (rotated in and out), Signage (Banner, Sand Court Signage), "Endless Refreshment, Superior Drinkability" Inflatable, Co-Branded Leaderboard, Tunnel Signage, Yellow Umbrella Tents, Bud Light Oasis Zone
• Paul Mitchell - Net Signage (rotated in and out), Display with Sylists Giving $10 Haircuts, Sand Court Signage
• Gatorade - Net Signage (rotated in and out) Sand Court Signage, Inflatable Gatorade Bottle, Tent Umbrellas Situated at Playing Level
• McDonalds - Sand Court Signage (I'm Loving It / Southern Style Chicken Sandwich / Iced Coffee), Presenting Sponsor of the Beach Girlz musical performance
• Nautica - Sand Court Signage (The Deck Shirt), Referee Stand Branding, Electronic Board Branding, Swimsuit Branding, Bleacher Flags
• Wilson - Official Game Ball of the AVP, Huge Inflatable Ball, Sand Court Signage, Display with a Radar Gun for Fans to Test Their Service Speed, Tickets and Hospitality
• Hilton - Hospitality, Hospitality Tent Branding, Sand Court Signage, Tented Umbrella
• Naked Juice - Sand Court Signage, Sampling
• Barefoot Wine - Sand Court Signage, Display that Distributed Prizes to Persons Who Could Serve Volleyballs into one (1) of three (3) baskets, Distributed Free Samples
• Herbalife - Sand Court Signage, Display Distributed Liftoff Energy Drink
• Nature Valley - Sand Court Signage, Distributed Energy Bars
• PNY (PC Flash Drives) - Sand Court Signage, Product Demos
• Chevy - Sand Court Signage, Bleacher Flags
• Banana Boat - Display, Sand Court Signage, Distributed Free Samples
• XBox 360 - Sand Court Signage, Display Offering Game Console Trial
• Real Water - Sand Court Signage
• American Laser Centers - Sand Court Signage
• Gogie Girl - Signage
• Sand Socks - Temporary Arm Tattoo on Player
• Speedo - Swimsuit Apparel

Other local partnerships have included: Georgia Power, Time Warner Cable, Ocean Minded, Game Stop, Cushman Wakefield, and Bally Fitness

For a collection of pictures from the 2008 AVP tour, check out the Activation Gallery.

Let Me Introduce... The Adidas Eyeball...

If you have a moment, check out the few clips below that detail the "Adidas Eyeball", an interactive project that Adidas took on to activate around the 2006 World Cup. Adidas put sensors into the soccer ball display that detected volume levels as well as speed and motion... This is pretty incredible!

That same year, Adidas also let PEOPLE be the ball...

A 40-Foot Chick-Fil-A Cow Is Coming... To Turner Field

Chick-Fil-A recently announced that on June 20th, the company will be unveiling a 40-foot tall, 15,000 pound "tomahawk chopping mechanical cow" at Turner Field... The Best Part? The 40-foot cow will be adorned with an Atlanta Braves Hat and a board that reads "Du Tha Chop. Eat Tha Chikin." The cow will lead the chop at every game with a extendable arm that bends 90 degrees in the motion of the chop.

The massive cow will be situated between the stadium's infamous Coke Bottle and the out-of-town scoreboard in left field and will serve as a great consumer engagement piece in-venue. The giant cow ties into Chick-fil-A's "Eat More Chikin" campaign and was designed to enhance the fan experience at Turner Field, which I am definitely sure it will... And the cow will be leading fan interaction for years - Chick-Fil-A signed a five (5) year agreement to feature the cow inside Turner Field...

Note: Chick-Fil-A utilized the services of Kern Studios, a New Orleans company best known for making Mardi Gras floats, to make the towering interactive cow.

More to come on this great example of unique in-venue branding...

Taco Bell Freezes Phillies Fans in Their Steps...

From a sponsor perspective, are you looking to capture the attention of fans entering the stadium? Are you looking to leave a lasting impression on passerby consumers?

From a team perspective, are you looking for innovative ways to integrate sponsors outside your venue at minimal cost?

Taco Bell utilized the services of cannibalized flash mobs to promote its new Fruitista Freeze product offering recently at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Taco Bell enlisted LevLane to hire actors costumed in iced-over beachwear with blue tinted skin to stand in a frozen position for hours as fans walked past to enter the stadium. Alongside these "frozen humans", a support team handed out coupons for the new, frozen tropical beverage and circulated further awareness in the parking lot.

This is an incredible idea, at minimal cost (labor expense), to leave a lasting impression on consumers... It directly translates back to a Escaping the Clutter - Frozen Awareness post I made in February on using persons "frozen in time" to generate awareness for your brand at stadium venues...

Nike Goes Interactive With Its Street Signage...

Have you ever brainstormed ways to make your street signage interactive outside the use of technology? Have you considered using street signage as a means to distribute premium items to passerby traffic?

If not, check out the clip below that details an innovative idea that Nike recently implemented in-market... Nike created an outdoor billboard that dispenses posters at the click of a button... A very interesting technique that can provide teams with an additional way to distribute posters and messaging to fans to promote the upcoming season/playoffs and/or generate team interest. This could also serve as a means for organizations to provide premiums to consumers who do not have the resources to attend games (a way of reaching out to the community).

On the flipside, sponsors could also consider utilizing similar co-branded posters that print coupons that consumers can redeem at partnering retail/QSR chains...

adidas goes BIG with activation for UEFA Euro 2008...

Right when you think you have seen it all, adidas has taken off-site branding to another level with their new activation tactics for UEFA Euro 2008.

Adidas created a 17-meter-high huddle of eleven players inside the Zurich train station. Weighing over seven (7) tons, the display is a self-supporting, interactive display. Each of the players cheer for each other in their own language twice per day during rush hour. The concept was created by TBWA Berlin. I posted some a collection of pictures detailing UEFA Euro 2008 activation in the Global Activation Gallery and enclosed a sample picture of the display below (notice the size of the figures in comparison to consumers passing by).

Adidas also demonstrated its tremendous branding creativity by mounting a likeness of Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech with eight (8) arms onto the Giant Ferris Wheel in Vienna... These are some incredible branding tactics!

Put Your Brand... In The Mouths of Consumers?

Are you looking for new ways that consumers can consume your brand? Have you considered ways to ensure that this happens, literally?

Nate Demercurio featured a great piece on Running the Best Races, a website that details best practices in the running community, on Saturn's new promotional platform for running events. The automotive company found a creative way to brand a premium that event attendees/participants can't resist: apples.

By distributing branded apples on-site, Saturn (a company known for test drives, show cars, and cheer signs) found an innovative way to put their brand in the hands and mouths of consumers on-site. If this tactic doesn't spur Word of Mouth communication, I don't know what will!

To execute the promotion, Saturn called on Fruit Deco, a company that specializes in branding fruit for sales and premium distribution. Fruit Deco sells Seahawks branded apples on their corporate website and offers additional branded items for golf courses, corporate events, and special events... This is definitely a premium item to consider, especially for outdoor events during the summer/spring seasons (MLB, Golf Courses, Running Events, Cycling Events, NASCAR Races, Tennis, Outdoor Activation).

On a side note, Nate has some really great content on Running the Best Races, and I encourage you to check back to his site for more innovative ideas and best practices being implemented in the running community!

Amp Energizes Their On-Site Efforts...

Interested to see on-site activation taken to a whole new level? Check out the clips below, which details how Amp creatively activated around the 2008 Super Bowl. Amp created an on-site display that fueled the Fox pre-game broadcast using human energy... a historic feat as teams, broadcasts, and leagues take greater strides towards "green efforts". Even HOF QB Joe Montana joined in on the action...

If Fans Want Hits... Show Them Hits!

Are you looking for ways to turn casual fans into avid fans? Are you looking for ways to capitalize on the exciting moments of your team's games and/or leverage 2.0 applications?

The Dallas Stars currently feature a "Dropping the Gloves" feature on their team's Myspace page; an innovative strategy that drives incremental traffic and interest to the team's social networking platform. By offering "semi-controversial" content (what the fans really want to see but can prove difficult sometimes to actively promote), the Stars' Myspace page provides a way for the team to leverage thrilling hits, fights, and plays and convert casual fans into avid, supporting fanbase.

In addition to the "Dropping the Gloves" feature, the Stars' organization offers a number of other unique elements on their Myspace page:

• A variety of unique team videos
• Team banner ads (for users to copy and paste into their webpages, etc.)
• Sounds of the Game
• Custom Myspace graphics
• Dallas Stars Ice Girls (leveraging the team's partnership with Planet Tan)
• Approved team links

Check back for more information on unique online initiatives by the Stars organization!