Alaska Air Partners With the Timbers To Create Hilarious Ads

Alaska Air is leveraging its designation as the Official Airline of the Portland Timbers with a series of hilarious commercials that incorporate team stakeholders. The airline's first commercial features Timbers head coach John Spencer giving seat belt instructions to passengers and the second spot features the team's iconic mascot, Timber Joey, helping a passenger with his luggage.

The ads have been very well received by soccer fans, especially amongst the Timbers' loyal following of fans. Check out the two (2) spots below and consider new ways that you can take team partnerships to the next level with a dose of humor. 

Alaska Air Commercial Featuring Timbers Head Coach John Spencer

Alaska Air Commercial Featuring Timber Joey

A special thanks to Alan Cassinelli of UC Santa Barbara Athletics for his insights and contributions to this column!

50 Ways Sports Teams Fans Can Engage Fans on Facebook

Sports leagues and organizations are turning to Facebook to offer fans more content, access, and interactivity than ever before. As sports entities begin to fully understand the value of social media, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have become critical channels in the marketing mix to promote messaging, drive participation and interest, and engage fans on a 24/7, 365 basis.

Teams can no longer rely on Wall posts, photos, and shareable videos to drive consumers to frequently visit their Facebook pages and stay for awhile. As a result, it's important that teams identify and share best practices in the social media space both internally and externally.  

Here are 50 creative ways that teams are engaging fans on Facebook outside the traditional elements:  

1. Fans Map - FC Barcelona (Find FC Barcelona fans across the world)

2. Real Madrid Avatars - Real Madrid (Fans can create their own virtual avatar)

3. Arsenal "Like the Players" - Arsenal FC (Fans can easily like all the players on the team)

4. Spread the Word - Manchester United (Fans can easily invite their friends to join the Manchester United Facebook Page  

5. Fountain Tire Shootout - Vancouver Canucks (Fans can play a virtual hockey game to win prizes and coupon vouchers)

6. 3-Point Play - Boston Celtics (Fans can compete in an interactive stats-related game to earn points)

7. Summer Salute - Team Lowe's Racing (Fans can post a military salute or message to troops overseas)

8. Polls / Quizzes - NASCAR (Fans can test their NASCAR IQ via a number of quizzes and polls)

9. NBA Ball of Fame - NBA (Fans can click on basketballs to relive famous moments from the NBA Finals)

10. NBA Turnstile - NBA (Fans can "check-in" to NBA games on Facebook to chat with fans, win tickets and merchandise, and earn badges)

11. Support Your Team on Facebook! - NFL (Fans can scroll through an interactive tab to see where their favorite team ranks in popularity and intensity amongst all teams and within conference/division).

12. Shopping - Liverpool FC (Fans can quickly scroll through ultimate shopping ideas and can get easy access to the team's mobile application) 

13. JetBlue FaceOff - Boston Bruins (Fans can access game information, play games, win prizes, and more)

14. Mavs Spirit Photo Upload - Dallas Mavericks (Fans can submit their best photo wearing Mavericks gear for the chance to have it featured on the team's Facebook page)

15. Fan Zone - New England Patriots (Fans can interact with polls, listen to live broadcasts, post comments, share virtual gifts, play trivia, and more)

16. Share Your Story - San Francisco 49ers (Fans can share why they are a Faithful Fan for the chance to be featured on 2011 season tickets or in a team commercial)

17. Tickets & Promotions - Philadelphia 76ers (Fans can closely follow current ticket specials and promotions using a tab integrated into the team Facebook page)

18. A Date with SFC - Seattle Sounders (Fans can watch video dating profiles of different players on Seattle Sounders FC and partake in a date auction via Ebay.

19. Guess the Kit - Tottenham Hotspur (Fans have to correctly guess what the team's new kit (uniform) will look like)

20. Broadcast Schedule - Portland Timbers (Fans can easily see which networks will be carrying the team's upcoming soccer matches)

21. Locker Room - Los Angeles Lakers (Fans can take a virtual tour of the Lakers locker room)

22. Flickr - Milwaukee Bucks (Fans can scroll through photos of the Bucks' gameday experience posted on their Official Flickr page)

23. U-Stream - Golden State Warriors (Fans can watch a live webcast with a Warriors player each day during Training Camp

24. Trailblazers.tv - Portland Trail Blazers (Fans can watch exclusive interviews, shows, highlights, pre- and post-game shows, and more)

25. AC Milan Jersey - A.C. Milan (Fans can create their own virtual A.C. Milan Jersey (with a custom name and number) and share it on their Facebook wall)

26. Fantasy Manager - A.C. Milan (Fans can create and manage a virtual team of players and compete against friends for the chance to win team prizes)

27. Ice Dancers - Florida Panthers (Fans could vote on their favorite Ice Dancers in a bracket competition that gave away a free cruise!)

28. Stars Text Alerts - Dallas Stars (Fans can easily sign up to receive basic text alerts or student rush text alerts)

29. Leafs on YouTube - Toronto Maple Leafs (Fans can watch a series of YouTube clips directly within a tab on the team's Facebook page

30. Photo Pick-Up - Phoenix Suns (Fans can have their picture taken by Suns personnel at a game and retrieve it for free on the team's Facebook page)

31. Match of the Week - Sporting KC (Fans can receive in-depth information about a premier MLS game each week)

32. Meet the Team - Denver Nuggets (Fans can vote for their favorite players on the Nuggets by "liking" them on the interactive Facebook tab)

33. Letter to Fans - Buffalo Sabres (Fans can read a letter sent from the team's owner Terrence M. Pegula thanking them for their support)

34. Which Cap Are You Like? - Washington Capitals (Fans can take a quiz to see what Washington Capitals player they are the most like and win an autographed jersey)

35. Foursquare – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Fans can view the team’s Foursquare profile and access tips and insights on whose checked-in at Raymond James Stadium)

36. Draft Party Sweepstakes - Charlotte Bobcats (Fans can sign up on Facebook to win a VIP experience at the Bobcats Draft Party courtesy of Donatos Pizza)

37. Fan Forum – Dallas Cowboys (Fans can participate in an interactive forum where they can participate in a live discussion board)

38. Showcase – Sacramento Kings (Fans can scroll through to see all of the Kings’ hottest merchandise in their online team store up close)

39. Host UpClose Contest – Indianapolis Colts (Fans can upload a video of themselves hosting a sports segment for the chance to fly to Indianapolis and host a segment on Colts UpClose)

40. Scarf Yourself! – New York Red Bulls (Fans can add an official New York Red Bulls scarf to their profile picture and feature it on the team Facebook page)

41. Support – Atlanta Falcons (Fans can post questions/ideas/problems that they have and a Falcons customer representative addresses them for all fans to see on a live discussion board)

42. Give Your All – All Blacks (Fans can watch a series of vignettes where the All Blacks players talk about giving everything they’ve got when they enter the pitch)

43. Fan of the Week – Chicago Bears (Fans can submit a message/photo detailing why they are the biggest fan for the chance to be featured online)

44. A’s Kids Club – Oakland A’s (Fans can sign up for an Oakland A’s Kids Club Membership directly through the team’s Facebook page)

45. WTA Extra – WTA (Fans can easily scroll through high-res images of the top WTA players and also see information about their world ranking and Twitter feed)

46. Giving – Tampa Bay Rays (Fans can read about the Rays Baseball Foundation and make a donation)

47. Fanographies – Cleveland Browns (Fans can submit their Browns story for the chance to win 2011 season tickets)

48. Bulldog Club – University of Georgia Athletics (Fans can read about the Bulldog Club, make donations, invest in educational opportunities, and more)

49. Charity – PGA (Fans can read about the PGA’s new partnership with Darius Rucker and download a song which benefits PGA Tour Charities, Inc.)

50. UStream Live – Colorado Avalanche (Fans can watch broadcasts throughout the season and sign up to receive email alerts every time they take place)

The Sounders Score with a Humorous Dating Campaign

The Seattle Sounders recently teamed up a local advertising firm named Wexley School for Girls to create a brilliant marketing campaign that is generating a notable amount of buzz around the team's Official Facebook page.

The campaign, entitled "Make a Date with a Sounder", serves as a humorous marketing ploy that introduces fans to the teams' players via mock dating profiles. The campaign features outdoor billboards, TV and radio spots, personal ads in newspapers (under the headline "Sounders Seeking Fans"), video dating profiles on Facebook, and more.

The heart of the "Make a Date with a Sounder" campaign will live on Facebook:

• Six (6) Sounders players feature video dating profiles where they discuss their best qualities, hometowns, pets, hobbies, appearances, and more
• Several Outtakes
• Links to an Ebay site where fans can bid on a "Date with a Sounder", with proceeds benefiting five (5) of the Sounders' charity partners
• Facebook ads will provide a list of dates and make-a-date links that drive fans directly to ticket sites

Check out an example of the Sounders players' video dating profiles below:

Check out the "Make a Date with a Sounder" campaign on the Sounders' Facebook page below:

LeBron James Takes Fans Behind-the-Scenes During the NBA Finals

Social media serves as an effective means for athletes to build their brands, provide fans with unique access points, and no longer need to rely on traditional media outlets to gain exposure and gain noteriety throughout the year.

While most athletes turn to social media periodically to engage with fans, few have leveraged the channel to provide fans with behind-the-scenes perspectives and insights throughout an entire playoff series or season. In the past few months, LeBron James has emerged as a leader in the space, providing fans with an inside look at his gear, style, and meals throughout the season and 2011 NBA Finals.

James and a collection of his personal assistants have turned to YouTube and his site, LeBronJames.com, to film a series of low-budget vignettes that share with fans what items are in his practice bag, what outfits he plans to wear during post-game press conferences, and what meals he prefers to devour to get ready for big games.

As James' off-the-court virals continue to gain noteriety online, they will serve as a perfect means to incorporate product placement and corporate partner integration (e.g. what cars LeBron drives, what electronics/technology he uses, what music/movies he enjoys, etc.), and will build new followers along the way.

Check out some recent examples of LeBron's off-the-court virals below, which were all recorded specifically for the 2011 NBA Finals:  

LeBron's Practice Bag (Finals Edition)

LeBron's Closet (2011 Finals Edition)

Cookin' with the King (Finals Edition, Game 1)

The NBA Strikes Gold with a Mini Movie Series

In recent years, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has done a remarkable job producing a series of mini movies that truly magnify the league's biggest games and events of the season. Each of the mini movies provide fans with an all-access look that creates an elevated sense of excitement, drama, and star power.

The NBA's mini movies have been very well received in the online community. The league's NBA Finals Game 1 mini movie attracted 215K+ views in just two (2) days and the 2011 NBA All-Star Game mini movie attracted nearly 750K impresssions.

It would be great to see more leagues and major events replicate the NBA's mini movie concept - notably the NCAA. There is so much drama and excitement surrounding March Madness and the BCS Bowl Games that it would be great to see more of the behind-the-scenes happenings first hand.

Check out a breakdown of some of the NBA's mini movies below:

2011 NBA FINALS MINI MOVIES

2011 NBA ALL-STAR GAME MINI MOVIES

The Cleveland Indians and BP Capitalize on Pre-Game Inventory

The Cleveland Indians recently announced a partnership with BP that is highlighted by a series of promotions in-stadium and at retail.

As the Official Fuel of the Cleveland Indians, BP receives the exclusive naming rights of Indians batting practice and the company is taking full advantage of the designation to enhance the fan experience:

• Fans can win free BP gift cards by catching specially marked balls into the outfield stands during batting practice
• The first 100 fans who arrive for pre-game batting practice receive a limited edition Indians t-shirt at Gate A
• BP will reward select fans with VIP batting practice experiences at 40 home games. The experience includes special on-field access and a gift bag of promotional items

From a retail standpoint, the Indians and BP are teaming up to execute a pretty standard fill-up and win promotion across 215 BP locations in Northeast Ohio. From June 1st to August 30th, fans who fill-up their cars with ten (10) gallons of gas can receive a scratch-off card that provides a unique code. Fans are encouraged to register five (5) unique codes on BPIndiansBaseball.com to receive two (2) free Mezzanine tickets to an Indians game online at www.indians.com/BP.

May 2011 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter

Thank you for your continued interest in Partnership Activation and taking the time to come check out the new May 2011 Issue of the Partnership Activation 2.0 newsletter.

After reviewing the newsletter, we would really appreciate it if you would be willing to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other channels of communication. To keep things simple, here is a shortened URL that you can use: http://is.gd/UssJ3S

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• Fan-Centric Signage
• The Top Sports Advertisers of 2010
• Creative Sports Business Tactics from Major League Soccer
• Navigate Marketing Spotlight: Five Questions with Matt Balvanz
• Three Things You Need to See
• The Carrier Classic
• The Heineken Star Player
• Miami Heat - Kumho Tires Partnership
• #SBChat
• Creativity in the Sports Marketplace
• May 2011 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• Manchester City FC's 'His and Hers' Suites
• Standley Systems OSU/OU Licensed Copiers
• Vineyard Vines' Activation at the Kentucky Derby
• A Close Look at the Carolina Panthers 2011 NFL Draft Party
• 5 People You Must Follow In #SportsBiz
• Creative Tactics to Leverage a Tecate Partnership
• AC Milan Uses Jersey Launch to Showcase New Technology
• The Minnesota Twins Feature Twins O-Grams
• Sports ... Like You've Never Seen It Before
• Idea Box

Click here to check out the May 2011 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter, connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the month!

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. 

Chelsea FC Showcases Its UEFA Champions League Preparations

Chelsea FC recently created a terrific video that showcases all of the work that goes in to hosting a UEFA Champions League Game at Stamford Bridge. The video takes viewers behind-the-scenes to all of the steps it takes to get their facility ready from a branding and execution standpoint.

The video shows employees bringing in field boards and related signage, hanging banners and static signage, finalizing hospitality and press displays, and ensuring that the proper jerseys, game ball, and music are used during the match.

The video is very insightful - check it out below!  

Guest Editorial - LinkedIn: How #SportsBiz Approaches the Channel

Jonathan Norman is a sports sponsorship strategist for GMR Marketing, a major U.S. sports and event marketing firm. Jonathan has been in sports marketing and media for more than 10 years, and has worked on several major corporate branding campaigns around sports. His expertise resides in how brands reach consumers through sponsorship and activation of sports properties. Follow Jonathan on Twitter at @Jonathan_Norman and his official blog here.

I’m going to start today’s blog post with a little trivia. How many LinkedIn users list the key term “sports” on their profile? Any guesses? Would you say nearly 1,000,000 of us? 924,329 to be exact (well, as of this moment). This is roughly 2% of the estimated 50,000,000 users globally.

With nearly 1MM users mentioning sports in their profile, it got me thinking. I think it’s funny just how many @sportsbiz folks I’m not linked to on the LinkedIn platform. Does it seem like a larger commitment than just a follow on Twitter? I think so. When we connect on LinkedIn, we’re looking to establish a deeper (if that can even be said) relationship with a colleague, sharing more personal information. I think that the LinkedIn search has even replaced the Google search for those we’re looking to learn more about. I know I certainly do.

The interesting thing to me about #sportsbiz on LinkedIn is just how disjointed we seem without the organizing concept of hashtags. It’s like we’re lost sheep continually looking for a shepherd! The sheer number of groups related to sports marketing is astounding. Take that key word alone, and we’re looking at 247 groups just in that universe. Expand the term to sports alone, and it’s almost 4,500. I know we’re talking in hyperbole here, but it begs the question: how do we use LinkedIn as an industry?

For me it’s all about making new connections and maximizing existing ones, all in the hopes of creating opportunities by driving value out of the relationship. Yes, that’s a mouthful, but really … it’s what it’s all about. How can what I do on a daily basis, help you and your needs, and can we find a reason to work together? The concept doesn’t seem all that much different than Twitter, and LinkedIn has taken a major step forward in the status and following additions on the site.

But I would challenge #sportsbiz to think about how we can connect on LinkedIn. How can we work together to create opportunities, bridge challenges, and build solutions? I would guess that this is a rhetorical question, but I do think there’s real application there. Here’s five ways I think we can maximize the value of our network:

1. Learn more about each other. Get to know your connections’ backgrounds. See where there are commonalities that might be able to help drive value.

2. Take advantage of longer interaction. We have more than 140 characters to communicate with each other. We need to lever this opportunity and maximize it.

3. Don’t just join a group; contribute to a community. I believe this is one of the major opportunities for us. We all have 20 to 30, perhaps even more, groups we’re a part of. Pick one or two that are particularly a good fit and make your communication useful

4. Think about the mentoring opportunities. I still believe that one of the biggest issues we have in @sportsbiz today is the development and cultivation of solid, young talent. We need to commit to doing more to develop it.

5. Lead by example. There many be other ideas you have on how to maximize your value on LinkedIn. Tell us, and then show us. It’s all about sharing and creating best practices.

One last thing. Are we connected? If not, let's get connected:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandnorman

Axe Creates a Jam Box To Engage Snowboard Enthusiasts with Music

Axe recently leveraged its designation as an Official Partner of the 10th annual Mont Saint-Sauveur Ride Shakedown by partnering with Steel Space Productions to create an innovative activation footprint driven by music. Axe and Steel Space designed an "Axe Jam Box", an exclusive deejay booth that engaged fans with hip tunes and a variety of brand-centric games and prizes. Axe generated excitement within the footprint with music and a cool "Spin the Axe Bottle" game (1:03 of video below) that allowed participants to win a variety of prizes.

The Axe Jam Box was situated at the base of a mountain where thousands of fans awaited their favorite snowboarders and amateurs upon the completion of their runs on the slopes. Steel Space Productions is a unique vendor that creates unbelievable activation displays for clients out of reusable containers that can be customized in every way possible. The company's work is innovative and definitely worth a look.

Check out the video and pictures below of Axe's Jam Box activation below as well as additional details here:

The Pistons Offer a Scavenger Hunt Offering Fans A Chance to Win Free Tickets

The Detroit Pistons kicked off the 2010-11 NBA season with a captivating "Where's Hooper" promotion designed to engage fans, generate awareness and excitement, and drive traffic to their corporate partners' retail locations.

The team created a scavenger hunt competition that tasked fans with finding Hooper, the Pistons team mascot, at various locations throughout the Detroit metro area by following a series of clues posted on the Pistons website. Fans who participated in the promotion and successfully found Hooper in the marketplace were rewarded with free and discounted tickets to the Pistons' home opener against  the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Pistons launched the promotional effort on October 10th with a series of clues posted on the Pistons website, social media channels (Twitter/Facebook), text alerts, and fan newsletters. During the month of October, Hooper appeared at 16 events and corporate partner retail locations, distributing free tickets to the first 25 people that located him. Fans who arrived after the 25 free tickets were given away were rewarded with ticket vouchers and a variety of other team prizes.

The Pistons hosted a full series of scavenger hunt searches in the days leading up to the home opener. A maximum of four (4) clues were posted for each Hooper appearance, with the final clue revealing the mascot's exact location in the marketplace. The "Where's Hooper" promotion served as an effective way to drive traffic to corporate partner retail locations, stimulate the team's online/social media fan base, and generate additional ticket sales for the team's home opener.

Corporate partners that participated in the initiative included: Retail (Best Buy), Grocery (Meijer), Casual Dining (Buffalo Wild Wings), Financial (PNC, Genesis Credit Union), QSR (Tim Horton's, Big Boy), Auto (Pontiac), Zoos, Malls, High School Football Games, Marathons, the Pistons team store, and more.

A special thanks to Katie Corbett of Paragon Marketing for her insights and contributions to this column! 

The San Francisco Giants Deliver a "Best in Class" Fan Experience at AT&T Park

Thanks to our friends at the San Francisco Giants, Partnership Activation recently had the chance to attend a game at AT&T Park, one of baseball's most beloved ballparks.

The Giants organization has created a "best in class" ballpark experience for fans at AT&T Park, delivering non-stop entertainment for fans of all ages, social media/technology enhancements, seamless corporate partner integration, and an array of destinations and unique concessions areas for fans to enjoy. Check out a complete gallery of the AT&T Park fan experience here (99 photos).

Enclosed below is a recap of some of the highlights of the fan experience and incorporation of corporate partners at AT&T Park.

Unique Elements at AT&T Park Include:

• Interactive Coca-Cola Kids Area in Left Field (Slides, Mini-Ballpark, Giant Glove, Giant Coca-Cola Bottle, Photo Station, etc.)
• Variety of Themed Food Kiosks Located Throughout the Concourse
• Levi's Landing Splash Zone
• Virgin America OF Wall Buildout
• Coors Light Silver Bullpen - An OF Destination Where Any Fan Can Watch the Game
• Unique Ghirardelli Chocolate Kiosk and Cable Car
• Elaborate AT&T Fan Zone Display
• Build-a-Bear Workshop in Left Center Field
• Clos Du Bois California Wine Bar Concourse Kiosks
• Elaborate Use of Text Messaging Campaigns via LED, Concourse Signage
• Cable Car Bars Located Throughout AT&T Park
• LED Messaging Welcoming Fans of Hispanic Descent to the Ballpark (Bienvenidos)
• Dynamic Pricing Deals
• Advertising of Upcoming Promotional Giveaways/Team Shop Offers on Television Displays Located Throughout the Concourse
• Scoreboard Twitter Integration (Team Trivia Via Twitter)
• Chevron Car (Rides Along Warning Track During Select Inning)

Non-Traditional Corporate Partners Include:

• Adobe, Salesforce.com, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Sony Playstation, Emerald Snacks, Yahoo!, Charles Schwab, RE/MAX, Genentech, See's Candies, Pop-Secret, Clos Du Bois, Box, FusionStorm, Virgin America, Kettle Chips, Guinness, Camarena

Traditional Partners Include:

• MillerCoors (Coors Light), Visa, Safeway, Chipotle, Anheuser-Busch, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, Comcast SportsNet, AT&T, StubHub, United, Corona, Lexus, Chevron, Audi, Toyota, PG&E (Utilities), CHW (Hospital),

Video Board Features Include:

I. "Guess the Actor" Jumbotron Feature Presented by Sports Authority

II. "Share the Love Kiss Cam" Presented by the Monterey Bay Aquarium

III. Fist Pump Cam Jumbotron Feature

IV. McCovey Cove Boat Race Jumbotron Feature

From a social media standpoint, Bryan Srabian of the San Francisco Giants recently sat down with the Row Show and shared some unique insights. Check out his special feature here.

Are You a Fan of Partnership Activation?

We are extremely honored and excited to have been nominated for four (4) categories in the 2011 "The Business of Sports" Awards. Thank you for your continued support and appreciation for the content featured on this site, the Partnership Activation 2.0 newsletter, and via Twitter.

Please take a second to vote for Partnership Activation in The Business of Sports Awards below (in the upper right hand corner):

http://www.thebusinessofsports.com/2011/05/02/nominees-for-2011-the-business-of-sports-awards/

While we were nominated for four (4) categories, the 2011 Sports Business and Social Media Contributor of the Year category is the only one that you can vote on. The other categories include: Best Sports Business Blog, Best Sports Business Twitter Account, and Best Sports Business Email Newsletter.

Hats off to all the other nominees... There are so many exceptional individuals and respective organizations involved in the voting!

Coca-Cola Celebrates Its 125th Anniversary with an Incredible Building Illumination

Coca-Cola recently celebrated its 125th anniversary in style at its Atlanta, GA based headquarters with a spectacular building illumination that could be seen across the city. The global bottling company partnered with Obscura Digital to illuminate its 26-story building into a giant projection screen that displayed images of the company's advertising over the years.

Coca-Cola's 125th anniversary celebration marked the largest single-building illumination ever. The illumination covered 210,000 square feet and used 45 industrial strength projectors to display one (1) million lumens of light.  

The slideshow featured images of Coca-Cola products that were submitted by consumers via Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr as well as the company's official library of photos. Coca-Cola will feature the spectacular illumination every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening during the month of May as a celebration.

Check out Coca-Cola's amazing building illumination below:

Source: Coca-Cola PR

Nike Uses a "Social" Billboard Campaign to Promote Customization in Copenhagen

Nike recently launched an innovative billboard campaign in Copenhagen, Denmark that featured a team of Nike graffiti designers customizing a Nike iD billboard in "real-time" based on Facebook community engagement.

Over a two week period, Nike graffiti artists spray painted a giant white shoe billboard to mirror the most "liked" designs in the Nike Free Run 2 iD Facebook page. On the dedicated Nike Facebook page, consumers can download a Free Run 2 iD application that allows them to customize their shoes and have the ability to purchase them directly on NikeiD.com. Fans can view a complete gallery of designs and vote on them using Facebook "like" functionality.

Check out Nike's unique social billboard campaign below:

Let Brands Use Athletes To Capitalize on Birthday Shout Outs

Brands looking for unique ways to celebrate birthdays in-venue should align with team partners to create a scoreboard vignette series that features current team players sending humorous birthday wishes to fans and other recognizable celebrities.

Teams could align with select brands whose businesses revolve around birthday celebrations (QSR's. card stores, confectioneries, ice cream and cakes, jewelry stores, party stores, kids establishments, etc.) to have a duo of players film a :30 scoreboard vignette that features a mix of recorded messages.

The vignettes can be filmed during a morning practice session and edited in time to be featured on the scoreboard that same night. Teams could charge fans for the live birthday shout out or make it available gratis with a corporate partner on board. All fans who receive a special shoutout on the scoreboard can pick up a special birthday premium at will call as a celebratory gift. Teams could ask that fans submit their birthday dates/information online, via social media channels, or via text in-arena.

As an example, check out how Dwyane Wade and LeBron James of the Miami Heat send a special brithday wish to The Rock, Dwayne Johnson:

The Dallas Mavericks Distribute Playoff Tickets with Augmented Reality Functionality

The Dallas Mavericks partnered with Qualcomm and Big Playar to distribute 2011 NBA Playoff tickets with augmented reality functionality, an extremely novel fan engagement tool.

Fans who had an Android phone were able to scan an image of a Mavericks player on their game tickets to receive immediate access to an interactive game on their phone. Fan participation was guided by a set of instructions featured on the back of the team's ticket stubs, which required fans to download the Mavs AR app in the Android market and hover their phone over their ticket to access the game. 

Mavs fans attending the game who did not have an Android phone could play the game at various phone zones situated through the American Airlines Center.  

It will be very interesting to see if more teams begin to experiment with ticketing-based augmented reality applications. As fans look to engage fans in new ways prior to games and during the offseason when season ticket mailers are distributed to fans, interactive augmented reality extensions could provide a perfect solution. While there are currently some drawbacks (fans can only use select smartphones / need to download the AR app to interact), these hurdles will soon be overcome as technology evolves and apps become even easier to access.

Check out a video detailing the Dallas Mavericks' augmented reality ticketing initiative below!

St. George Bank Uses a Vault to Engage Fans On-Site

St. George Bank recently teamed up with Traffik, Australia's leading experiential marketing agency, to create a terrific bank vault activation display in support of its official naming rights sponsorship of the St. George Bank Dragons, a professional Australian rugby team.

St. George Bank and Traffik devised a "Bolt for the Vault" halftime entertainment challenge that provides fans a chance to crack the code of a massive 2m x 2m bank vault for the chance to instantly win $5,000. Once the vault is launched at the team's Round 8 National Rugby match against the Parramatta Eels, it will remain a permanent fixture in the stadium at home Dragons games throughout the 2011 season.

St. George Bank has been a proud sponsor of the team for 30+ years and has worked with Traffik to create engaging experiential campaigns for over ten years.

The bank vault concept serves as a great way for financial partners to engage and reward fans on-site at sporting events, whether it's a part of halftime entertainment or an activation display. By creating an element of suspense along with providing a chance to win, banks can easily win over a fan base looking for additional entertainment value at live sporting events. Check out some photos of Traffik's execution below!

Red Bull Goes Extreme with Pond Skimming in Russia

As Red Bull continues to revolutionize the extreme sports space, it recently launched a tremendous event in St. Petersburg, Russia that could have some promising implications in the United States.

Red Bull unveiled a pond skimming competition that featured 120+ costumed snowboarders riding down a sloped hill and launching themselves into a pool of icy water. The contest proved to be a hit with onlookers and would likely be a great addition to an X-Games or Dew Tour event in the United States.

As brands look for new ways to activate outside the box, the opportunities are endless in the extreme sports space - a notion that Red Bull and Nike continue to prove on a regular basis.

Check out the captivating Red Bull Pond Skimming event below:

Budweiser Scores with PoolBall Concept in Nightlife Settings

Anheuser-Busch recently teamed up with Ogilvy Argentina to create a brilliant interactive game designed to engage soccer enthusiasts in nightlife settings. The collaborating parties developed an exclusive "PoolBall" event that allows teams to compete head-to-head in a game that resembles pool but is played by using soccer skills.

At several pubs throughout Buenos Aires, Anheuser-Busch set up a massive 7x3 meter pool table that served as the stage for the event. Teams were challenged with kicking 15 soccer balls, reskinned to resemble pool balls, into goals positioned in place of each of the pockets of a pool table. The interactive game was designed to drive awareness and engagement around AB's Budweiser brand.

The "PoolBall" concept has certainly generated a significant amount of buzz across the world in a matter of days/weeks and will likely surface in the United States at some point. Look for PoolBall to take place at a pub near you!

Source: Creativity-Online.com