JetBlue Airways recently celebrated its partnership with the New York Jets by unveiling an Airbus A320 aircraft with a special Jets-themed paint scheme at John F. Kennedy Airport. The unique aircraft features a green belly, green wing tips, a green tail, and JETS lettering across the body of the plane. Under the cockpit of the aircraft, the plane features the tagline "I LOVE NEW YORK" in place of a characteristic 'blue' name.
The Jets aircraft signifies JetBlue's commitment to the Jets organization as the two parties look for new ways to take their partnership to new heights. JetBlue invited several key stakeholders to celebrate the unveiling of the aircraft, including CEO Dave Barger, NY Jets Chairman and CEO Woody Johnson, Curtis Martin and other Jets alumni, the Jets Flight Crew, and hundreds of crewmembers. The Jets featured a number of vehicles and props on-site and all guests were treated to a first-class experience.
JetBlue also announced that if the Jets win Super Bowl XLV in Dallas, they will refund select one-way and roundtrip flight purchases as part of a pledge in partnership with Mastercard.
Check out a few pictures of the special aircraft below:
Click the following links for more photos and information:
Sports organizations looking for new ways to drive merchandise sales around the start of a new season should consider including a tab/feature in their season ticket distribution. As demonstrated below, Oklahoma State Athletics did a tremendous job highlighting their new Official Nike GameDay t-shirt in their 2010 season ticket booklet.
With augmented reality and other new advances in technology, there are numerous ways to bring the fan experience receiving their season tickets in the mail to life in new ways! Ideas can include:
Paper printout that fans can hold up to their webcam to see a personalized message from the head coach, players, mascot, or team personnel (Owner, President, GM)
QR codes on ticketbacks that allow fans to see a variety of intros (team introductions, season anthem, season music video, etc.)
Promotional codes for fans to download new team music (theme songs, custom music, etc.)
Scannable barcodes that fans can use their Stickybits app to upload a video or picture that demonstrates their affinity for the team (that other fans can see)
Twitter, Foursquare, and Facebook CTA's - Give your fanbase reasons to head to your social media platforms to "follow" and "like" your content (e.g. the first 10 fans who take a picture of their season tickets and feature it in a Twitter message with the hashtag #(team)seasontickets to win a behind-the-scenes VIP experience)
The WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks teamed up with the National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) to implement a terrific anti-tobacco campaign designed to to drive awareness and traffic around state resources to help smokers quit. The partnership leveraged the Sparks new head coach, Jennifer Gillom, as a spokesperson to effectively message to African American, Latino, and LGBT fans in attendance at Sparks games.
Activation tactics in support of the campaign included:
A PA Announcement, featuring Coach Gillom, that was promoted through the team's various media channels (in-broadcast, online, and on the scoreboard)
In-arena signage, including courtside rotational messaging and camera-visible underbelly signage prominently featured underneath the scoreboard
Select community events
Presenting sponsorship of select game nights, including the home opener and Gospel Night
On-court contests, Jumbotron messaging, interactive concourse exhibits, and more
The campaign proved to be very successful for all parties involved and the LA County Tobacco Control and Prevention Program reported a significant increase in traffic to its website, http://www.NoExcusesLA.com, and call center hotline (1-800-NO BUTTS).
Check out Coach Gillom's special anti-tobacco announcement below:
The San Diego Chargers have teamed up with Motorola to create an interesting "Tweet the Headline" promotion for fans. Motorola is giving away an H17 Bluetooth headset to the Chargers fan who tweets out the best 100-character headline using the hashtag #motoheadline following each Chargers game.
Each week, one submission will be selected to headline a story on the Chargers official website, Chargers.com, and will be featured on the Chargers' official Facebook and Twitter pages. The promotion is terrific because it is a simple, yet effective way to engage fans and incorporate partners via social media.
Sports organizations looking for new ways to address their fanbase (particularly season ticket holders) need to be very careful with their approach. With fans oftentimes paying a significant amount of discretionary income to attend games, it's crucial that all team communication materials clearly demonstrate the sports organization's goals and objectives in a manner that resonates fans.
Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards, recently posted an "open letter to Wizards fans" detailing 101 Signs of Visible Change. This communication piece is an example of an extremely well crafted message that directly portrays how the Wizards organization is taking the appropriate steps necessary to improve the Wizards' fan experience. Leonsis' strategic approach to the letter - listing out 101 things that fans asked for and addressing them directly with check boxes and clear, direct explanations - was tremendous.
Here are a few examples of other open letters of communication to fans:
Organizers of the annual Texas-Oklahoma Red River Rivalry game recently teamed up with Nike and Livestrong to execute a unique card stunt in support of Livestrong Day. The three parties collaborated to raise cancer awareness by performing a cancer-focused card stunt during the game.
The card stunt was a very exciting moment for fans in attendance as it signified how they can unite in the fight against cancer. The stunt was just one of 1,000+ events that took place across the world in celebration of Livestrong Day, the annual global day of action to celebrate survivorship and work toward a world without cancer.
Check out the Red River Rivalry Livestrong card stunt was executed below:
Sports Radio 790 The Zone, a premier sports radio station in Atlanta, recently pulled off a terrific guerrilla marketing stunt to celebrate the career of retiring Braves coach Bobby Cox and build goodwill with sports fans in the local marketplace.
Sports Radio 790 The Zone celebrated Cox's retirement and engaged with fans by setting up a mobile display just outside of Turner Field that featured an authentic painting of Bobby Cox. The station asked fans passing by to sign the commemorative piece, which the station plans to present to Cox at a later time.
To drive engagement, Sports Radio 790 The Zone also distributed a collection of "Thanks Bobby" fans to consumers passing by and asked conducted live interviews asking fans about their fondest memories of Cox as the Braves head coach.
Sports Radio 790 The Zone was able to pull off the successful guerilla stunt around the historic moment in Braves history despite Sports Radio 680 The Fan and Rock 100.5 being the official home of Braves baseball. To support the stunt, Sports Radio 790 The Zone partnered with an official "Thanks Bobby!" Facebook page and movement that was created by Braves fan and 790 listener Scott Munn. The site has amassed 20,000+ fans and has received media support from the AJC, The Regular Guys, The Braves Radio Network, and MLB.com.
Check out a few pictures of their guerrilla activation below:
The Orlando Magic recently opened the doors of their new home, the Amway Center, and the venue is already being considered one of the finest arenas in the entire world. The team broke ground on the Amway Center, a $480MM facility, in 2008 and recently celebrated its grand opening on October 1st, just in time for the 2010 NBA season.
The Amway Center features a number of world-class elements, including state-of-the-art displays, unique venue buildouts, kids play areas, unique sponsorship tactics, and more. The arena, designed and developed by Populous, is already scheduled to host the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, Monday Night Raw, the Eagles, Lady Gaga and more. Click here to see a complete gallery of all the arena's amenities, displays, and destinations, including:
The Budweiser Baseline Bar
The Gentleman Jack Terrace
Disney Atrium
The OZone Section
Stuff's Magic Castle Kids Area
Orlando Magic Team Shop
State-of-the-Art Scoreboard
AirTran Deck, Kia Automobile Displays
Amway Center Fanbulance
Murals, Concessions Areas, Concourse Displays, and More!
*Orlando Magic corporate partners include Amway, Anheuser-Busch, Geico, Harris Corp., Gentlemen Jack, Kia, AirTran, PepsiCo, Disney, Grand Bohemian Hotel, Barnie's Coffee & Tea Company, T-Mobile, MillerCoors, and more!
Sports organizations looking for new ways to attract and engage mid-sized groups of fans during games should take a close look at a program the Sacramento Kings are offering during the 2010-11 NBA season.
The Kings organization has created a special section, located just feet from the court near the baseline, that rewards fans based on how many three-pointers the team converts during games. The section, entitled the "Courtside Corner 3-Point Party", allows a group of fans seated in a 14-seat section to receive a $20 Kings Team Store Voucher (good with any $50+ purchase) for each three-pointer the team makes during a game. The group also receives a $200 food and beverage credit to be used for in-seat service thoughout the game.
The group receives a special three-point marker that will draw the attention of fans throughout the arena every time the team scores a basket from behind the arc and is guaranteed to be featured on KingsVision each game.
The best part about the section is the fact that if the Kings convert 14 or more three-point shots, everyone in the group gets their money back! One (1) group of (14) fans can sign up to sit in the Courtside Corner 3-Point Party each game by calling 1-888-91-KINGS or visit Kings.com/courtsidecorner. No information was disclosed pertaining to the actual cost of group ticket prices to "own" the section.
In case you were wondering...
The Kings averaged 5.8 3-pointers made per game in 2009
The record for most 3-point field goals during a game is 23 (set by Orlando in 2009)
(8) NBA teams have made (12) 3-point field goals in (1) half
The Boston Celtics averaged 26.28 3-point field goal attempts in 2002-03 while the Atlanta Hawks only averaged 0.91 3-point field goal attempts in 1979-1980
The sponsorship landscape is oftentimes defined by monumental agreements, economic implications, new trends, and technologies. In today's day and age, it's really easy to get lost in all the dollar signs and ignore the true reasons why partnerships happen and how different segments of people can benefit greatly as a result.
This post is designed to drive awareness for some of the good deeds taking place in our industry.
In early September, InStadium teamed up with two entities - the Flight 93 National Memorial and the Detroit Tigers - to make something truly memorable happen. Through their relationship with the Tigers organization, InStadium was able to help the Flight 93 National Memorial deliver an impactful PSA to thousands of fans attending Comerica Field on September 11th.
The Tigers organization ran the PSA scoreboard spot pro bono to demonstrate their support for the Flight 93 National Memorial and all the lives that were lost in Somerset County, PA on September 11, 2001.
Nonprofit partners and businesses with small to moderate marketing budgets that could be turned off from sponsorships simply due to dollar figures should consider reaching out to InStadium to gauge various integration opportunities. InStadium has a significant amount of relationships with sports organizations throughout the nation and can oftentimes negotiate valuable partnership/integration opportunities on behalf of their partners, as they did with the Flight 93 National Memorial. If you come up with a creative idea (regardless of your marketing budget), find partners like InStadium who can help you bring it to life!
UniCredit and UEFA have teamed up to create an incredible UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour that will span (5) European cities from September 15th through October 17th. The tour features the UEFA Trophy traveling in a glass case on a bed of a semi for all onlookers to see.
The UniCredit UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour allows fans to have their picture taken with European soccer's most prized possession, experience a meet-n-greet with famous players, and enjoy plenty of soccer activities. In 2009, the trophy tour attracted 90,000+ fans.
The 2010 UniCredit UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour will travel to Munich, Prague, Warsaw, Bratislava, and Vienna. The tour vehicle will also make stopovers in various cities en route to each of the destinations, allowing soccer enthusiasts throughout Europe to see the trophy. UEFA will use the tour to promote its services, key values, and fair play.
One of the most impressive aspects of the tour (outside of the semi display), is the tour's interactive webpage, which is definitely worth a look.
Here is a quick video of the UEFA Trophy arriving at one of its destinations in grand fashion:
In college athletics, there's no question that student sections define the overall fan experience. From traditional chants to trash talking the opposition, student sections can change the momentum of a game in a split second.
University athletic departments looking to establish an avid student fanbase should take a close look at the student experience at University of Wisconsin home football games, held at Camp Randall. While the experience is traditionally known for the "Jump Around" segment between the 3rd and 4th quarters, there is much, much more to the student experience. From traditional chants to starting different versions of the wave, the students are in control in Madison.
One of the most unique, engaging tactics the Athletic Department offers during games is a Student Section Race that is held just prior to the "Jump Around" segment between the 3rd and 4th quarter. The Student Section Race features seven letters, representing each of the different student sections, competing in a head-to-head 100-yard dash on the jumbotron. The spot electrifies all of the students in attendance and serves as the perfect precursor for "Jump Around".
The following two videos don't do the spot justice but provide a nice look at the scoreboard feature. Enjoy!
Nationwide Insurance, the Exclusive Insurance Provider of the Cincinnati Bengals, is leveraging its team partnership with an innovative promotion designed to engage the Bengals fanbase. The initiative, entitled the "World's Greatest Growl in the World", allows fans to perform a :30 karaoke version of the Bengals touchdown song for the chance to be featured on the Bengals website and an ultimate Grand Prize of $25,000.
Each week, fans who submit videos can win co-branded items, tickets, and autographed merchandise for participating and the ten (10) best entries will be featured on Bengals.com/Nationwide. Fans can then log in and vote daily for their favorite performance among the entries submitted (thus, both performers and voters become active leads for Nationwide). Fans who submit their favorite clips even have the ability to share them with family and friends via email.
Nationwide's "The World's Greatest Growl in the World" promotion has been extremely well received by Bengals fans thus far. Fans loved performing :30 karaoke versions at the Bengals home opener and traffic to the website has been very active in the early weeks of the promotion. Nationwide will also be leveraging its partnership with the Bengals by offering free ferry rides to Bengals games for all fans on a co-branded ferry (another great idea!).
The Bengals feature a collection of fan videos on Bengals.com/Nationwide. There are some classic performances that are worth checking out!
As featured on Wouter de Jonckheere's blog, Belgian soccer club Cercle Bruges is currently running a tremendous promotion that enables children from 216 participating schools to create and submit a jersey design for the team.
Cercle Bruges is offering to wear the winning jersey for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, which will draw plenty of interest and attention to the winning design. The only paramaters given to the student participants was that the submitted jersey designs must be green and black (representing the team's colors) and feature the names and team logo in a very visible fashion.
Cercle Bruges executed a similar promotional initiative in 2007 that proved to be very popular amongst the team's young fanbase and the local community. On November 15th, the team is expected to have a panel of judges, representing fashion and design, the team's outfitter, and some members of the organization choose the winning entry.
Brands looking for new ways to make an impactful impression on consumers without spending a significant amount of money on team/league partnerships should closely monitor Red Bull's activation and spending in the sports space.
The energy drink provider is leveraging core partnerships to create a collection of unbelievable, "ownable" sports, consumer facing initiatives, and activation tactics.
Red Bull recently unveiled three amazing initiatives in basketball, snowboarding, and racing. Check them out below:
Red Bull King of the Rock Finals - 1v1 Basketball Competition on Alcatrez (featuring Rondo)
Red Bull held a "King of the Rock" 1-on-1 basketball tournament in The Yard on Alcatrez on September 18th. Red Bull brought in 64 contestants to compete in the first official sporting event ever held on Alcatrez, marking the first time basketball had been played there since inmates left the island 50+ years ago. The contestants competed in an all-out competition for the right to be crowned "King of the Rock" and collect a $10,000 prize. The Red Bull King of the Rock Finals was covered on Fox Sports West, Fox Sports Arizona, and Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.
Red Bull - "Off the Planet" Snowboarding Initiative
Red Bull teamed up with ENESS, a group of Melbourne-based installation artists, to bring a new perspective to snowboarding and action sports. Red Bull called on a team of snowboarders and skiers, including Russell Henshaw and Simon Dumont, to perform stunts and tricks in the air. While the action sports enthusiasts did their thing, ENESS filmed the spectacle with an infrared camera and mapped in 3D visuals and a 21' inflatable sphere to make it appear to viewers that the snowboarders were flying sky high over the world. It's hard to explain - you just have to see it for yourself... Red Bull is leveraging interactve projection art and technology to give action sports a whole new look.
Red Bull Presents the 2010 Kimi Raikkonen Challenge
Red Bull recently allowed fans a chance to test the skills of Kimi Raikkonen, a former Formula 1 driver who is described as "the fastest driver on the planet", in a time trial racing competition through the Lera Chitose Outlet, an indoor Japanese shopping center. The event, backed by several sponsors, encouraged consumers 20+ to come out and test their go kart manuevering skills to see if they could top Raikkonen's time while traveling at speeds up to 130 kilometer per hour. Red Bull allowed 100 consumers to participate, with the top (10) performers earning a chance to compete in the finals against the former champion.
The stunt attracted thousands of onlookers and could serve as a benchmark for NASCAR and Indy Car teams looking for new ways to engage fans at retail. Check out Raikkonen's run at the indoor shopping center below:
I hope you enjoy all of the great content included in this month's issue and want to thank you for your support and willingness to help spread the word about Partnership Activation amongst your friends and colleagues in the industry.
This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:
Red Bull's NASCAR Taxi
Creative Sponsorship/Marketing Tactics from the Barclays Premier League
Old Spice's Interactive Banner Ads
Los Angeles Dodgers "My Town" Billboard Activation Tactics
The Oklahoma City Thunder's Corporate Partnerships Website
The Essential Guide to Grassroots Sports and Social Media
September 2010 Rising Stars
Official Redskins Nation Foursquare Badge
Activ8Social's Reggie Bush's #RedZones Promotion
Insights about the 2010 FIBA World Championship
A Close Look at The New Meadowlands Stadium
Southwest Airlines' Thought Starters
Fresh New, Creative Ideas from the Idea Box
Click here to check out the September 2010 Newsletter now and be sure to also join the Official Partnership Activation - Users Connect! LinkedIn Group today!
If you are interested in signing up for the newsletter, please send an email with "Subscribe" in the subject line to newsletter@partnershipactivation.com. In the body of the email, please include your name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing.
If you enjoyed the September 2010 Issue, you may also be interested in:
Brands looking for new ways to capture the attention of thousands of fans in-venue and a multitude of others watching at home should take a close look at the following video, which showcases how SL Benfica, a Portugal banking institution, leveraged fans streaking to drive awareness for their brand.
While streaking (referred to as a pitch invasion in the spot) is commonly frowned upon in the United States and abroad, SL Benfica worked with the appropriate stakeholders (Portugese Football Federation, participating teams, actors, police, etc.) to create a special on-field moment that resonated with fans. While the correlated figures seem a little extraordinary, it was a terrific concept that was well executed during the match.
The San Diego Padres are teaming up with Lucas Films this Friday, September 24th to host a truly memorable night at the ballpark for San Diego Padres fans that are Star Wars enthusiasts and many more. The team is hosting Star Wars: The Clone Wars night at the game and will be offering plenty of entertainment for fans to enjoy, including:
A sleepover for 1,000 fans following the game
A special screening of Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
A special appearance by Ashley Eckstein, who plays Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Appearances by Darth Vader, Chewbacca, and stormtroopers
A unique Padres and Star Wars themed gift
A night under the stars at Petco Park
Photo opportunities
Star Wars trivia
Special giveaways
Breakfast on Saturday morning
Thousands of fans in costumes (note: masks and lightsabers will not be permitted)
The Upper Reserved section at Petco Park will be transformed into an intergalactic experience
The event will bring Padres and Star Wars junkies together under the lights at Petco Park for a night of great entertainment. Fans interested in attending can purchase tickets online for the special night, which includes a sleepover here: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/sd/ticketing/sleepover.jsp
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Comcast has teamed up with NFL Network to offer fans nationwide a chance to win a truly unforgettable backstage experience. Comcast recently unveiled the "Ultimate NFL Network Backstage Pass" sweepstakes, which allows consumers an opportunity to win an incredible grand prize that includes:
Roundtrip airfare to Los Angeles and hotel accomodations for two (2) persons
A tour of the NFL Network Studios
A meet and greet with NFL Network talent
A front row seat in the studio during NFL RedZone and NFL GameDay shoots
Ground transportation and dinner at a local Hollywood restaurant
Fans can enter to win the sweepstakes at MostLiveSports.com/NFLBackstagePass. As part of the sweepstakes, Comcast will also be giving away autographed football jerseys, baseballs, basketballs, collectors helmets and more!
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Monday, October 18, 2010 at 09:28PM 
JetBlue Airways recently celebrated its partnership with the New York Jets by unveiling an Airbus A320 aircraft with a special Jets-themed paint scheme at John F. Kennedy Airport. The unique aircraft features a green belly, green wing tips, a green tail, and JETS lettering across the body of the plane. Under the cockpit of the aircraft, the plane features the tagline "I LOVE NEW YORK" in place of a characteristic 'blue' name.
