Puma Feeds the Frenzy at the 16th Hole of the WM Phoenix Open

Budding golf superstar and Rickie Fowler and his Puma Golf, his title sponsor, are surely making a splash in the golf world. Fowler has already recorded three (3) 2nd place finishes on the PGA Tour this year and brings an edgy persona to the golf course that has already won over fans.

At the recent Waste Management Phoenix Open, Fowler and Puma Golf took their partnership to the next level by feeding off the frenzy of racous fans located at the 16th hole. After nearly acing the Par-3 shot, Fowler delighted the crowd by throwing out a stack of 15 autographed Puma Monoline hats into the stands ... before he even attempted his putt to birdie the hole. In addition, Fowler supported Waste Management's "green-out" and eco-friendly tournament initiatives by sporting an outfit that was green from head to toe.

Here is a quick video of Fowler's PR stunt at the 16th hole after nearly sinking a perfect shot:

Here is a quick video that demonstrates how young golf fans are quickly embracing Fowler on the Tour:

After being named 2010 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, Fowler has quickly made a name for himself with his fashionable style and hip personality. Puma celebrated Fowler's 2010 ROY nomination by releasing a "Moto-Golf" viral that combines his two passions in life - golf and motocross. It's refreshing to see a brand like Puma take such a non-traditional approach to its golf business. Check out the spot below:

The "Human Billboard" Campaign Has Sports Implications

Sports organizations looking for new ways to make a huge splash in the offseason with a nominal marketing budget should consider benchmarking a terrific campaign recently implemented by ING Direct in Italy.

ING Direct had discovered that word-of-mouth referrals by existing customers served as a key driver for bringing in new business. ING looked to bring this notion to life by teaming up with Leo Burnett Milan to create a "Human Billboard" campaign that featured real customers sitting and standing atop billboards, strapped onto the side of city buses, and positioned on elevated displays in high-traffic areas inside a city setting.

The campaign proved to be tremendously popular, as consumers passing by the displays interacted with the brand activists, creating banter that was filmed and featured in an effective advertising campaign. 

The concept of the "Human Billboard" could have a number of implications in the sports space. Minor league teams looking to drive interest and awareness in the local marketplace could leverage season ticket holders and enthusiastic supporters in a similar fan-centric campaign. Marathons, triathlons and other major events could also implement a similar promotional concept to show how "real" participants are. Apparel companies and other manufacturers of products endemic to sports could also consider benchmarking the ING Direct campaign to bring product launches to life, etc.

Check out the terrific campaign below!

Nike "Throws Down" a New Spot to Promote Its Nike Free Shoes

Nike recently released a pretty catchy "Throwdown" advert that demonstrates what happens when athletes from a variety of sports challenge the skills and technique of one another. The spot serves as a great lifestyle play that is designed to promote Nike's "Free" shoes.

It is always interesting to see brands like Nike and Gatorade capture and profile athletes competing in a variety of sports in their campaigns. While it is easier for these brands to do so because they offer products that are so endemic to sport, it would be interesting to see non-traditional sponsors take a similar approach with their campaigns, highlighting a variety of their sponsorships in their campaigns.  

Check out the new Nike "Throwdown" spot below and be sure to follow the campaign on Twitter by using the hashtag #NikeFree:

Nike also created a Throwdown spot that specifically targets female athletes:

UFC Unveils Live Facebook Broadcast and Interactive UFC.TV Viewing Portal

UFC recently made two groundbreaking announcements that will surely enhance the at-home viewing experience for fans. UFC announced that it will host a landmark broadcast of the Yamamoto vs. Johnson fight at UFC 126 live on Facebook tonight (February 5th) and it also unveiled a new UFC.tv interactive portal that allows UFC fans to have complete control of their viewing experience.

Check out how UFC is revolutionizing the fan viewing experience below:

LIVE UFC FIGHT FACEBOOK BROADCAST

Tonight (February 5th), UFC is set to stream a live broadcast of the Kid Yamamoto vs. Demetrious Johnson fight at UFC 126 live on Facebook.com/UFC at 8:25pm EST.

THE LAUNCH OF UFC.TV, AN INTERACTIVE FAN VIEWING PORTAL

UFC launched an online interactive portal, UFC.tv, that allows viewers to have complete control of their viewing experience. UFC.tv offers:

• Six (6) live video feeds
• Multiple simultaneous feeds through Picture-in-Picture and Quad View
• Built-in DVR controls (to pause, rewind, and fast-forward fights with a click of a mouse)
• Live Audio controls (to hear the live broadcast or audio from the coaches corner)
• Live chat and Twitter integration
• Interactive scoring module that allows fans to judge the fight live   

Johnsonville Gives Away Free Music Downloads For "The Big Game"

With 9 out of 10 Super Bowl viewers watching "The Big Game" with family and friends at home, Johnsonville has teamed up with Banshee Music to create a terrific promotion designed to enhance their party experience.

Johnsonville is running a "Superville" initiative that allows all consumers who sign up for the free "Johnsonville Enthusiast Club" newsletter to receive ten (10) free music downloads, specifically created in support of the Green Bay Packers and the Super Bowl. The newsletter signup process is simple and there aren't any gimmicks involved - after inputting their contact information, consumers can immediately download ten (10) great tracks, including:

• Five (5) Super Bowl Tracks
  • This is Where the Party's At
  • Get Ready for the Big Game
  • Welcome to the Show
  • Heart of a Champion
  • Crank it Up
• Five (5) Green Bay Packers Tracks*
  • We Love the Green and Gold
  • G-Force
  • Packers Tailgate
  • Let's Go Green Bay
  • Making History Roll

* Johnsonville is an Official Partner of the Green Bay Packers

The Making of a University Athletics Team Poster

Have you ever wondered how Athletics team posters are made? Or how many hours of labor goes into designing an appropriate look and feel that coincides with the team's brand DNA and team slogan?

Team posters take hours of expertise and a nice creative touch to produce an outstanding product. Geoffrey Rogers of Old Hat Creative recently created an outstanding five (5) minute time lapse that showcases the eight (8) hours of Photoshop expertise that went in to designing the 2011 Stanford Lacrosse Team Poster. Check it out below:

And here's another video detailing the creation of the 2010 Florida State football team poster:

Old Hat Creative is on fire right now with their creative services and out-of-the-box marketing tactics. I would encourage you to check out their site and sign up for their newsletter.

Red Bull F1 Hits the Streets of Dubai

Red Bull shocked the city of Dubai in November when it featured a Formula One race car soaring along Shaikh Zayed Road during the early morning hours. Red Bull teamed up with city officials to pull off the stunt, which featured an F1 car reaching speeds of over 297 kph, to the surprise of many consumers who were traveling out and about.

The PR stunt served as a terrific way for Red Bull to drive buzz in the city of Dubai prior to the Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit. F1 driver Neel Jani put on quite a show for one of the world's fastest growing cities. Check it out below: 

Red Bull Crashes the Streets to Crown the Best Uphill Biker

Red Bull recently held a "Red Bull Hill Chasers" challenge to see which BMX, Mountain Bike, Road Cycling, and Fixed Gear riders in the UK were the fastest uphill riders. The event, held in Bristol, featured 16 of the top bike athletes in the UK and 16 top local heroes battling head-to-head to settle a long standing dispute between bike disciplines.

The event was absolutely tremendous. Hundreds of fans were lined alongside the iconic Park Street in Bristol, cheering on the riders as they raced furiously under the city lights. Winners of the different heats received charge bikes as compensation.

Check out photos of the event and the highlights below, especially the first video which shows a BMX rider taking out a bystander on the street. The event just goes to show how Red Bull continues to evolve sport - and in this case, find a way to combine all bike disciplines in a manner that is very entertaining for casual fans:

The Entertainment Value of The Green Man - A Sports Icon

In October 2009, Toby Mergler of ESPN wrote a terrific piece entitled "How The Sporting World Has Gone Green Man". Since then, the Green Man has emerged as an iconic figure in the sports space, popping up at professional, college, and high school sporting events across the nation.

As noted in Mergler's piece, the origins of the Green Man began when a friend of Rob McElhenney, the star and creator of the hit TV show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" decided to celebrate a memorable Philadelphia Eagles victory over the Dallas Cowboys in 2006 by stripping off his clothes to donn a full-body green spandex leotard. McElhenney loved the idea so much that he encouraged producers of the show to include it in an episode the next season and it happened... and the rest is history.

While the Green Man has traditionally served as a great representation for fans at sporting events, sports marketers are beginning to fully comprehend the value of the Green Man as an iconic figure who can deliver pure entertainment gameday value.

Check out some unique ways that sports organizations are leveraging the Green Man across the country:

ON-FIELD PROMOTIONS

CROWD/SCOREBOARD ENTERTAINMENT

GAME INTEGRATION

CONCOURSE ACTIVATION/ENTERTAINMENT

"GREEN" INITIATIVES

MASCOT BATTLES

But while the Green Man may receive many fan-friendly perks on game day, he/she has to be ready to handle pain, rejection, and ejection. Check out three (3) of the lowest moments in Green Man history:

PAIN

REJECTION

EJECTION

The Wizards Score a Slam Dunk with Fans...

The Washington Wizards entertained fans at a recent home game by allowing a few select fans a chance to attempt dunks off a trampoline (standard intermission entertainment). However, the team did a terrific job staging the event to the enjoyment of fans.

Check out how they did it below:

Which leads one to question... Dunkin' Donuts does so many great things to leverage their sports partnerships, particularly in Boston, but why have they not sponsored the "Dunkin' Donuts" ... a group of regular fans, out-of-shape fans, or acrobatics dressed in donut costumes (or as munchkins) dunking off branded trampolines at halftime? It seems like a no-brainer that plenty of fans would enjoy. Teams could find ways to drive traffic to retail based on the number of dunk conversions.. Just a thought!

Alaska Airlines Lets Portland Timbers Fans Design The Team Plane

Alaska Airlines is celebrating its new partnership with the Portland Timbers by running a "Paint the Plane" contest that allows fans an opportunity to have a say in the design of the team's branded plane.

From February 1st through February 15th, fans can submit their own, unique Timbers centric airplane designs using a PDF template of a 737 Alaska Airlines plane that is available to be downloaded on the Timbers' official website. Fans can submit their artwork either by email or by mail, per directions on the website.  

Each of the submissions will be judged based on originality, creativity, and team personification, with the Grand Prize Winner receiving two (2) complimentary first class roundtrip tickets to anywhere that Alaska Airlines flies, two (2) club seats to the Timbers' inaugural home game, and a team autographed jersey... in addition to seeing their sketch design brought to life on an actual Alaska Airlines aircraft. In addition, Alaska Airlines is also awarding 2nd Place, 3rd Place, and (7) Honorable Mention prizes for additional noteworthy submissions.

The promotion serves as a great way for organizations to leverage airline partnerships, especially in a day and age where airlines are investing more dollars and demonstrating a willingness to brand aircraft. Look for more organizations and their airline sponsors to enact similar initiatives in the near future! 

The Greatest Super Bowl Grocery Retail Displays of 2011

Here are some of the best grocery retail displays that we have seen constructed to peak shopper interest and drive sales around the upcoming Super Bowl in Dallas. PepsiCo has done a tremendous job working with retailers across the nation to build impressive displays that will undoubtedly drive additional sales (and buzz) at retail.

The Huge Impact of the Super Bowl at Retail

While the Super Bowl has traditionally been viewed as the biggest event of the year for advertisers on a global scale, it's a huge business for grocery retailers as well. Over 7.5 million consumers across the nation host Super Bowl parties for friends and family, generating millions of dollars for retailers.

In 2010, Nielsen released some pretty startling statistics pertaining to the impact that the Super Bowl has on retail channels. Here are a few interesting facts:

• The great majority of US households (9 of 10) watch the Super Bowl at home or at a friend's or relative's house instead of watching it at a bar or restaurant ... this is an astonding figure when you consider that 106.5MM people watched the Super Bowl in 2010 (note: per Nielsen, 12% of these consumers also used the web while watching the game)
• The Super Bowl continues to be a bigger and bigger event in Q1 where consumers drink billions of servings of beer at home. From a beer sales standpoint, the Super Bowl (49.2MM units) trails only the 4th of July (63.5MM), Memorial Day (61.0MM), Labor Day (60.2MM), Thanksgiving (52.8MM), Christmas (52.8MM), and Halloween (50.7MM). Grocery retailers alone sell approximately 17MM cases in the two weeks surrounding the Super Bowl.
• Super Bowl viewers purchase $644MM of snacks for the Super Bowl, a figure that is equivalent to 166 million pounds of food.

Grocery - Retail Sales (Per Nielsen)

Grocery - Viewing Statistics (Per Nielsen)