What are the Next Big Ideas/Brand Extensions?

What will be the next wave of brand extensions/big ideas for professional organizations? There will be more to come on this in the future, but here are a few BIG TOPICS to start thinking about:

• Fanbase Ownership (Red Sox Nation / Jr. Nation)
• Travel Programs (Red Sox Destinations)
• Building Entertainment Venues around Stadiums (NE Patriots, Miami Dolphins)
• Billion Dollar Stadiums (Dallas Cowboys, Giants/Jets Stadium)
• International Contests (NFL, NBA, Premiership)
• Outdoor Games (NHL, Phoenix Suns)
• Increased Ownership of Media (TV, Internet) Channels (Yankees - YES Network, Big 10 Network, etc.)

A Great Quote for Selling Partnerships..

I recently came across this quote that perfectly portrays the act of selling partnerships...

“People ask me what a sign on the Green Monster is worth, but I don’t need to know that,” insisted Sam Kennedy, Boston Red Sox senior vice president of sales and marketing. “I have to know what someone will pay for that sign. You need to have data, because it is part of the sale now, but there’s no way I can justify our rates purely with math or impressions. I have to show them how they can create a halo for their brand.”

NHL Goalie Billboards?

The newest buzz circulating around NHL camps?

NHL goaltenders have recently asked the NHLPA to consider starting a "Goaltender's Club", an initative that would enable them to place a corporate logo on their jerseys. While this would take away from the purity of the game, it would generate incremental revenue for the league (and possibly players). NHL goalies interested in the concept include Devils G Martin Brodeur, Stars G Marty Turco, Red Wings G Dominik Hasek and Oilers G Dwayne Roloson, who have been working with two (2) sports marketing consultants to pursue the idea.

Read more here.

FIFA 3 STREET Scores with Viral Marketing

To boost buzz around the launch of the video game FIFA Street 3, a very captive video was released on YouTube... This is a great example of using viral marketing to generate demand for a product launch:

UK Goes Barnstorming

When marketers are trying to think creatively about a way to drive awareness for their brand, they often resort to reliable brainstorming strategies. Looking to build the Wildcat brand, the University of Kentucky developed the "Barn Storming Cats" program, an outdoor viral messaging campaign. 

For more information, click here.

Strikeouts = Free Pizza?

Darryl Dionne of the Professional Hockey Players Association (PHPA) recently informed me of a creative incentive-driving promotion north of the border. Pizza Pizza, a Canadian QSR chain, offered Blue Jays fans the opportunity to redeem their ticket stubs within 24 hours for a free slice of pizza anytime the team struck out seven (7) or more batters.

Scratch and Win... Consumers?

Have you had an automobile sponsor looking to drive awareness for a new car model at your venue? Or a sponsor looking for a promotion that provides numerous impressions through an experiential means?

Chevrolet created an unconvential promotion in Great Britain to drive awareness for the Chevy Captiva. For more information, click here.

Segment Your Seating and Sell It!

Across the nation, college gameday atmospheres are defined by their students, seated in designated student sections, dressed head to toe in school spirit and jumping vibrantly to Zombie Nation. Numerous sponsors are clamoring for unique access to these passionate individuals, a segment of the population who seem to repeatedly escape marketers. Why are property representatives not taking greater advantage of having these student sections at their disposal? Read more here.

Creating Value out of Existing Inventory

With ticket prices rising annually, team ticketing representatives are continuously looking for "new ways" to generate incremental reveune. In 2007, teams reverted to enhancing their courtside/field seating and began experimenting with All-You-Can-Eat sections. As these two measures have become mainstream in the industry, what will team representatives look to next to drive the needle? Read more here.

Take a Great Promotion and Run with It

As a marketer, have you struggled to come up with promotions that stop consumers in their tracks? Have you ever considered using a Running Toilet (mirroring a streaker) to draw stadium eyeballs?

Denver Water used this strategy to come up with a creative, seamless promotion at a Colorado-Colorado State rivalry game (the company has also featured this promotion during an MLS Colorado Rapids game). To see the clip, click here.

Innovative Billboards and Signage... A Must See

I recently posted a collection of innovative billboards in the activation gallery, which is viewable by clicking here.

Marketing FREAKOUT!!!

Looking to capitalize on others' success to drive awareness for your organization?

Look no further than the Whopper "Freakout" Campaign. Most organizations could stage a similar campaign outside their ticket offices where they tell consumers that their Will Call tickets (or season tickets) are not available for the biggest game of the year... The reactions would be outrageous and would make for a great viral campaign!

See one of the Whopper "Freakout" commercials below:

Don't Strike Out with Sponsorship Opportunities

The Chicago White Sox sent the sports industry clamoring for simple, seamless sponsorship ideas when they changed their game times from 7:05 to 7:11 to ink a blockbuster deal with 7-Eleven. Why haven't any properties sold Circle K on the idea of fan strikeout signs?

Read more: http://partnershipactivation.squarespace.com/sponsorship-ideas/

An Ultimate Tailgate Weekend... In an RV?

What Do SEC Football and NASCAR Weekends Have in Common?

1. Scarcity of Premium Tickets (unless you are at Vanderbilt)
2. An Abundance of RV's
3. A Passionate, Loyal Fanbase Seeking Unique Experience 

Creating a package that capitalizes on these three (3) variables together can generate some very high returns for a property.

Read More: http://partnershipactivation.squarespace.com/marketing-tactics/

Engaging Consumers...At the Bar?

Picture yourself sitting at the bar, contemplating which beer to order next... Miller Lite? Bud Light? Coors Light? A new craft beer? How about the liquor collection perched behind the bartender, clamoring for your attention? Marketers, aware of this purchasing scenario, are realizing that simply having their product available is simply not enough. Today it was announced that Molson-Coors and Diageo have made a low-six-figure investment in The Bar Channel, a medium that provides targeted messaging to consumers through televisions at the bar. What, you say?

Read more: http://partnershipactivation.squarespace.com/capitalizing-on-technology

Rewarding Your Ticket Holders

In recent years, a number of properties have experimented with the idea of creating loyalty rewards programs for their ticket holders. Oklahoma State has taken the concept of a rewards program and run with it, creating the "O Rewards" program and setting a precedent for others to follow with a simple yet effective business model.

Driving Web Traffic Through In-Game Promotions

BusinessWeek recently featured an article called "Japan: Google's Real-Life Lab", that profiles Google's extensive product testing among Japanese consumers. The article immediately caught my attention, as it carries strong parallels for sports professionals looking to drive traffic to their organization's webpage.

Read More: http://partnershipactivation.squarespace.com/driving-web-traffic/

Sports Marketers - Dance Your Way to Being Top-of-Mind

Sports marketing professionals constantly hear about team executives who scour the stands to receive insights and feedback directly from their team's fans. Clearly, there is value in the stands... So why aren't marketers making better use of the special talents of their teams fans? Read More: http://partnershipactivation.squarespace.com/promotions/

Escaping the Clutter - Frozen Awareness

The sports marketplace is cluttered. Who are we kidding? Can consumers really differentiate among team sponsors, radio sponsors, television sponsors... the list goes on? Sponsors are continuously looking for new ways to escape the clutter but are repeatedly being sold the same, stale assets by properties. There is a unique ambush/guerilla marketing tactic that can be used to drive brand awareness among large crowds at-venue. Read More at: http://partnershipactivation.squarespace.com/billboards-and-viral/

Buzz Marketing! Is it Always Positive?

Everybody loves buzz... But is it easy to spin someone else's negative buzz into positive buzz for your organization? Well, ask the Dallas Stars, who might tell you to proceed with caution. Shortly after the NBA was bombarded with the Tom Donaghy gambling scandal, the Dallas Stars released an innovative "Come into the Cold" branding scheme, with billboard messaging used as a focal point.

Read More: http://partnershipactivation.squarespace.com/billboards-and-viral/