Check Out the Galleries - New Updates!

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Over the past few months, PartnershipActivation.com has built the world's largest database of photos that capture sports activation, branding, and ideation from across the globe.

If you haven't done so, you NEED to check out the Activation Galleries.

A collection of photos have recently been added to each of the following galleries:

• Sports Billboards and Innovative Signage (534 Total Pictures)
• Stadium Signage and Inventory (141 Pictures)
• International Stadium Signage (83 Pictures)
• Sports Guerrilla Marketing Tactics (81 Pictures)
• Unique Stadium Elements (47 Pictures)
• European Soccer Activation Tactics (49 Pictures)
• South American Sports Activation Tactics (15 Pictures) 
• Sports Inflatables (48 Pictures)
• Global In-Game Entertainment (31 Pictures)

The Activation Galleries also provide an in-depth perspective of:

• Nike's Far East Activation and Branding (226 Pictures)
• Adidas' Far East Activation and Branding (97 Pictures)
• Sports Activation in Dubai (45 Pictures)
• Yao Ming's Global Presence (44 Pictures)
• Great Banner Ads (43 Pictures)

Simply click on each of the photos within the galleries to see enlarged versions. Take a moment to check out the galleries - it will be worth your time and efforts!

Targeting Young Consumers?

Are your corporate partners targeting teens, young adults, and college consumers? Are you looking to provide your partners with vital consumer behavior information on young consumers that will help guide their sports strategy?

Here are a few interesting nuggets of information on young adults:

Video Game Purchases/Activity (Source: Brands Increasingly View Videogame Placement as Viable Ad Platform. Youth Markets Alert, 7.15.08)

• 75% of teens own at least one console or portable gaming system and intend to purchase 3.1 games in 2008 (up from 2.5 games in 2007)
• Teens want video games to mirror their real world environment, so they expect to see brand placement 

• Note: The cost of entry for Videogame integration can range from a couple hundred thousand dollars (i.e. billboard ads in-game) to $3-$4MM (customized games, static immersion)       

Translation: Video gaming is a booming industry that provides marketers with an engagement medium where consumers are receptive to advertising. Marketers must get in early before demand drives prices high. 

Mobile Marketing (Source: Mobile Marketing Partnership Targets Urban Multicultural Youth. Youth Markets Alert, 7.15.08)

• 20% of young urban multiculturals say they contact 50 people by text message every day, compared to 1% of non-urban Americans
• African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian consumers are more likely than Caucasians to buy products using mobile texting (e.g. text "food" to 1234 to order pizza). Caucasian consumers tend to purchase either by visiting a company's website via their mobile phone or by using a traditional computer
• 56% of teens are receptive to cell phone advertising if they get something in return (in comparison to 37% of adults)
• Cash is the most preferred incentive among teens (70%), entertainment-related downloads ranks second (61%), free music ranks third (57%), and complimentary minutes ranks fourth (53%)  
• Teens prefer to receive ads via text messaging (64%) or picture images (47%)
• 70% of teens are interested in receiving sports, entertainment, and travel mobile ads (in comparison to 46% of adults) - this is the highest category among teens

Translation: Mobile advertising is an extremely effective medium for engaging young adults; however, marketers must be aware of the cultural differences (target text redemption at minorities; target online/mobile redemption at Caucasian young adults). Marketers can develop highly effective programs by offering reimbursement for the time and attention of our targeted consumers.

Financial Interests / Payment Processes (Source: College Kids Most Likely to Buy Products Using Debit Cards. Youth Markets Alert, 7.15.08)

• 72% of college students say they are "likely or very likely" to use a debit card while making a purchase, according to a study conducted by online bank Higher One (In comparison, just 16% use credit cards)
• 70% of college students go online to check account balances at least once per week; 33% check daily
• 22% of college students own stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or money market accounts
• Students take charge of their own finances at an average age of 18.8 years

Translation: Gear financial programs targeting college students are debit card usage and create unique ways to integrate offerings into online banking

Gift Cards (Source: Teens Not As Eager to Use Gift Cards. Youth Markets Alert, 6.1.08)

• 52% of teens redeemed a gift card within one (1) month of receipt in Spring 2008, representing a decline from 2007 (Fall 2007 - 58%, Spring 2007 - 59%)
• 89% of teens redeem their gift cards within nine (9) months (87% within six (6) months, 77% within three (3) months)
• The top gift cards that teens prefer to get in Spring 2008 are: Mall gift card (10%), Hollister (8%), Best Buy (7%), Nordstrom (6%), Abercrombie & Fitch (4%), Target (4%), Forever 21 (4%), Wal-Mart (4%)

Translation: While demand for gift cards has shown a relative dropoff, the industry overall is still strong. Count on young adults redeeming gift cards in their possession, just not within the first six (6) months. Align gift card initiatives with brands that young adults perceive to be "cool" and "fashionable".

Travel (Source: College Kids Flee the Country. Youth Markets Alert, 6.1.08)

• 64% of college students have a valid passport (Note: College students are nearly twice as likely as the general population to have a passport)
• 89% of college students have traveled internationally at least once in the past five (5) years (24% have traveled internationally four (4) times or more in the past give (5) years)

Translation: Creating promotions that offer college students an international excursion or international trip with friends may not be a bad idea... They are more well-traveled than you might expect. Consider this when aligning with corporate partners like Orbitz, Expedia, and STA Travel.

Car Purchasing Decisions (Source: Factors in Car Purchasing Decisions, Then and Now. Youth Markets Alert, 7.1.08)

• Fuel efficiency and reliability are the two (2) factors that young adults aged 18-23 are most interested in when purchasing cars (Note: adults say that car appearance and style mattered most to them when purchasing their first car)
• Only four (4) percent of young adults say they care about the look and style for their first car
• The largest number of young adults (37%) plan to pay $10-25K for their first vehicle

Translation: Car makers know their brand and target market better than anyone. When you pitch a proposal or piece of signage, make sure that you realize the exact purchasing interests of consumers. Gear automobile promotions targeting young adults/college consumers around fuel efficiency and reliability; once the economy changes, these interests may also change.

 Print Interests While in College (Source: Print Still Rules on College Campuses. Youth Markets Alert, 7.1.08)

• 76% of students read their college newspaper at least once per month; only 20% have accessed their campus newspaper online during the same timeframe
• 50% of college students read at least three (3) issues per week; 30% read their college newspaper daily
• 53% of college students read their school's paper while on campus (just 29% read at home)
• 61% of college students tell friends about articles or promotions they see
• 78% of college students use coupons or promotional codes featured in their newspapers

Translation: Print remains an effective way to reach the college populous, especially if you can find creative ways to target this demographic through promotional offers, coupons, and promotional codes. There may not be a need to advertise daily, but it may be wise to invest enough to capture the attention of the "3-times-per-week" crowd.

Gas Purchases (Source: Teens are Charging Gas. Youth Markets Alert, 7.1.08)

• 69% of teens use credit cards to purchase gas (in comparison to 52% in 2007) - gas is the item most likely to be charged by teens
• 10% of teens use credit cards (approximately 15% say that their parents pay the bill)

Translation: Targeting teens at the pump is probably not a wise idea for sports marketers (since their parents foot the bill anyway), but if it is done, gear it around a credit card promotional program.

Are You Thinking Guerrilla?

Are you looking for innovative ways to capture the attention of fans? Are you looking for a unique way to leverage a corporate partner? Have you recently considered utilizing guerrilla marketing tactics to give your program some legs?

To provide a jump-start for your "guerrilla brainstorming", we recently posted a collection of unique guerrilla tactics in the Activation Gallery, including:

Give Your Program a Face - Is Your Brand Visible In-Market?

Find Unique Ways to Capture Attention in Local Neighborhoods

Take Your Sport to the Consumer

 Find Non-Traditional Ways To Go "Green"

The Sky's The Limit For Activation!

Capitalize on High Gas Prices...

Are you looking to create an effective promotion that capitalizes on high gas prices? The Milwaukee Brewers have been running a promotion in 2007-08 that has proved... Too Successful.

The Milwaukee Brewers collaborated with team partner BP to create a "C'Mon Back Card" promotion. The team offered one (1) free Terrace Level ticket at select Brewers home games during the season for consumers who made six (6) purchases of eight (8) gallons of gas or more at participating BP Gas Stations. Consumers are given a card that they get stamped as validation of their purchase each time they fill up. Fans have the option of using the $13 voucher towards a ticket in an upgraded seating section should they want a better view of the field.

The problem? Too many fans have decided to partake in the promotion. The Brewers had to deny some fans trying to receive free tickets for the team's home games on August 8th and August 19th. The Brewers are offering four (4) more "C'Mon Back Card" promotional nights for the rest of the season. If the team is unlikely to fulfill consumer demand, it will likely issue free tickets to a game next season/

Note: Fans have the option of either mailing in their completed gift cards (with receipts) to the Milwaukee Brewers Ticket office or presenting them on-site. However, the team encourages fans to place their request well in advance of the day of the desired game due to high demand for the promotion.

This promotion is great because it is so simple, yet so effective! Find a way to benchmark it for your organization!

Complement Your Online Product Sales...

Have your online sales efforts proved successful? Are you looking for a new item to feature on your team site or include as a value-add?

Consider selling team boxes and packaging for items that consumers purchase of your website. During the World Cup, these items were especially popular across Germany (as shown in the window display to the right).

These colored/branded items could serve as a perfect complement for consumers looking to purchase an item for their significant other that do not have relevant packaging.

Teams can ever consider distributing promotional items in similar boxes and/or incorporate supporting partners.

The Brewers Hit the Jackpot with Powerball...

Are you looking for an effective way to leverage a lottery partner?

The Milwaukee Brewers currently feature "The Powerball Home Run Leaderboard" on their team website. The interactive web feature enables Brewers fans to see the top five (5) home runs of the week and provides detailed information on the team's home run totals. The feature is unique in the way that it is presented (click through the link to see) to users on the Brewers' site. The team supports the online initiative with an effective banner ad campaign.

Are you looking to implement a similar tactic? Organizations in other sports leagues can consider pitching similar "Powerball" web tactics:

• Basketball Organization - Element displaying the top three (3) pointers of the week
• Tennis Organization - Element displaying the top five (5) serves/aces of the week
• Golf - Element displaying the top five (5) drives of the week
• Football - Element displaying the top five (5) field goals of the week

Can we please see a team install a large lotto element (lotto machine filled with balls) in-venue that posts HR totals/distance (similar to the C-IT-GO feature at Miller Park?). The element could be called "The Powerball Tracker". This would be an extremely popular feature that would resonate highly with consumers and would carry higher consumer recall than traditional wall signage.

The Bills Drive Interest For Training Camp...

Are you looking for new ways to drive interest around your training camp events? Are you searching for ways to provide corporate partners with year-round activation? Are you looking to provide fans with alternative reasons to come out to training camp?

The Buffalo Bills feature a tremendous "Training Camp Promotions" page that alerts their fans of contests, sweepstakes, and sampling events that take place during the team's training camp at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY. The team's signature training camp offer is a "Jet Blue Land Your Destination" contest that provides five (5) lucky fans with the chance to attend practice and participate in an on-field kick promotion to potentially win two (2) flight vouchers.

The site also details some other happenings at camp:

• Tim Horton's Coffee Sampling - July 29th
• Geico Gecko Appearance - August 2nd
• Perry's Ice Cream Sampling - August 5, 11, and 19
• Upstate Farms Bison Dip Sampling
• Gatorade's Beat the Heat Safety Awareness Program

The Buffalo Bills have done a tremendous job marketing their training camp events. As a sports marketer, consider alternative ideas for driving fan traffic to your preseason events. From sampling programs, to mascot appearances, to on-field promotions, the opportunities are endless to deliver value for fans who might just need an extra incentive to encourage them to attend.

Penske Offers Video Board Promotion for Fans...

Are you looking for a unique way to promote your brand in-venue? Are you searching for a way to incorporate fans into your messaging?

Penske Trucking is teaming up with the Green Bay Packers to offer the "Go Pack! Go Penske! Commercial Contest", a promotion that offers Packer fans the chance to win a suite experience with seventeen (17) of their frends...

Penske is asking all Packers fans to create a 22-second commecial that encompasses the following elements: 

• Describes the benefits of renting a truck with Penske Truck Rental
• Depicts a Penske rental truck (in any way, shape, or form)
• Depicts the wonder of living in Wisconsin & being a packer fan

Penske will select the seven (7) best commercials as semi-finalists for fans to judge on Packers.com. All video submissions are to be sent to Penske's Marketing Department (the address is included on the promotional page) for review.

One (1) lucky fan will win a suite experience at the Packers' December 28th home contest against the Detroit Lions with seventeen (17) of his/her friends. At the game, the winner will be recognized and the winning promotional spot will be featured during the game. The six (6) remaining semi-finalists will receive a $250 Packer Pro Shop gift certificate.

The Maple Leafs and Coke Offer a Game for FREE

Are you looking to attract new fans to your games? Are you searching for a unique way to reach out to the consumers in the local marketplace?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have teamed up with Coca-Cola to offer an extra pre-season game in 2008... for FREE. The free "Coca Cola Zero Fans First Game" exhibition will take place on September 22nd when the team plays the Buffalo Sabres. With Coca-cola picking up the tab on all the tickets for the game, Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment is hoping to attract a different audience to the game and create a lively atmosphere.

The Maple Leafs are distributing two (2) free tickets to all fans who attend the team's off-season pep rally and the rest will be given out through online registration and promotional contests. With the majority of seats at Leafs games controlled by season ticket holders, the free exhibition game will give consumers in the local marketplace a chance to experience their first Leafs game live. The promotion signals the Leafs efforts to target a new fan base and connect with the 50% of Toronto residents that were born elsewhere. 

Drive Team Interest at Retail...

Are you looking for a unique way to drive interest for your organization at retail? Are you looking for new ways to integrate QSR and casual dining partners?

During the early part of the 2008 MLB season, Norm's Eatery and Ale House in Seattle created a unique promotion to drive sales for their featured brew. The team created "Cheap Sex Monday", a promotion that bases the price of their brew on the batting average of Richie Sexson. The restaurant began the offer when Sexson's batting average dipped to .167 (offering the featured beer for $1.67). The promotion proved to be extremely popular among consumers and will continue as Sexson gets a fresh look as a new member of the New York Yankees (his batting average is now up to .219).

With alcohol regulations varying from state to state, organizations should consider developing similar promotions with their retail partners (Casual dining, QSR, wholesale retailers, electronic retailers, etc.). Teams and partnering retailers can base product offers on:

• Batting Average (as seen below)
• ERA (team, player, closer, etc.)
• Home Runs per game
• Goals
• Number of three-point field goals
• Free throw percentage
• Number of goals scored
• Penalties
• Laps

... and plenty of more... It just takes a little bit of creativity!

Scent Marketing in Sports... It Just Smells Right

Are you looking for new ways to engage consumers seated in your suites? Are you searching for new ways to deliver on consumer recognition/recall outside of visual awareness?

In the coming years, professional and collegiate organizations will begin considering the thought of using scent marketing to promote the products of their corporate partners to fans in-venue. But how?

Recently, a company called Cinescent has begun pumping out scents of products in European movie theaters. In the theater, consumers are shown a :60 clip of a typical beach scene with people lying in chairs, waves crashing onto the beaches and sea gulls flying above in the sky. While consumers watch and wonder what the ad is for, the scent of Nivea sun cream circulates through air conditioning vents within the venue, preceding an advertisement on the screen that features a Nivea logo alongside the words, "Nivea. The Scent of Summer."

What was the response and consumer recall?

Exit polls have revealed a 515% rise in consumer recall in comparison to moviegoers who were shown the same advertisement without the scent. The same ad, when combined with only a subliminal whiff of a scent, scored a 25% lift (What's That Smell in the Movie Theater? It's an Ad - Ad Age).

Does scent marketing pose a risk to consumers?

No. The scent is designed to cover other smells without being overpowering. By distributing smells through air vents, consumers are exposed to much finer molecules than methods where smells were distributed via boxes located amongst consumers.

What is the translation for sports marketers?

In the coming years, professional and collegiate organizations will begin entertaining the thought of using scent marketing to promote concessions and product offerings of their corporate partners to fans in-venue. But how?

Sports marketers can begin researching and considering implementing similar tactics throughout suite levels of stadiums and arenas. If air conditioning vents are connected and televisions are synched in each of the suites, sports marketers have the capability at their fingertips to provide their corporate partners with a new way to engage consumers seated in these areas. As more companies trial new scent technologies, sports marketers can begin discovering new ways to deliver value for partners across a number of categories:

• Automakers (i.e. featuring a silent ad of a car touring throughout the city and/or testing high speeds with the scent of a new car smell filtering in)
• Sun care providers (as shown above)
• Perfume/cologne providers
• Air freshener / detergent companies 
• Coffee blends
• Bread / Pastry / Donut companies
• Chocolate/confectionary companies
• Home Improvement companies (filtering in the smell of fresh cut grass)
• Restaurants (Upscale, casual dining, QSR chains)
• Concessions Items

There should be more to come on this topic in the near future. Stay tuned!

Arizona State Goes Guerrilla to Promote Their Upcoming Season...

Are you looking for some unique ways to drive home your messaging with consumers? Are you looking for alternative ways to drive interest and buzz for your upcoming season?

The Arizona State University Athletics Department and Blind Society have teamed up on a tremendous guerrilla marketing campaign to promote the Sun Devils' upcoming football season. The two (2) collaborative parties are marketing Sun Devils football (and low ticket prices) through non-traditional means throughout the city of Tempe, as demonstrated below:

Branded Pool Tables - Located in Dave & Busters and other bars in the local marketplace

Unique Parking Lot Branding Tactics

Innovative 3D Mobile Billboard Campaign

Wall Murals at Outdoor Malls

Unique Dry Cleaning Branding (For the 2008 season, the number on the jersey will be changed to #99 to represent the $99 season ticket package that the athletics department is marketing)

Sidewalk Graphics

 

A special thanks to Kennedy Turner of CBS Collegiate Sports Properties at Arizona State for his contributions to this column.

Are You Looking to Activate Within the Running Space?

Are you looking to activate within the running space? Are you looking to gain a better understanding for different ways that sponsors are leveraging their marathon, triathalon, and 5K assets? Are you looking to enhance your knowledge of running events from the ground up?

Look no further than Nate Demercurio's website, Running the Best Races.

Nate does a tremendous job providing an in-depth perspective of activation tactics, technology, and sponsor involvement in the running space. In the past few weeks, Nate has posted some great articles on:

• Leveraging Cheer Boards
• Maximizing Venue Setup Space
• Investing in Mobile Billboards
• Creating Video and Mobile Vehicle Displays
• The Impact Technology has had on the Running Industry
• Audio Entertainment
• Sponsorship Integration Ideas
• Maximizing Retail Displays
• Parking Strategies

Continue to expect some great content from Nate's website. If you are looking for some insiders knowledge on activation tactics, best practices, and quality events in the running world, he is an ideal contact. Check out his site here!

Partnership Review: Lord's Cricket Ground

The Wall Street Journal recently featured an interesting editorial piece by Tunku Varadarajan on the aura and nostalgia of the Lord's Cricket Ground, located in St. John's Wood, London. In the article, Varadarajan referred the facility as the Mecca of cricket and spoke highly of the stadium's affluent culture and pleasant experience.

But what exactly is the Lord's Cricket Ground? It is the Wrigley Field of cricket - a facility built in 1814 that is revered as one of the most famous stadiums in the world. Like Wrigley Field, operators of Lord's Cricket Ground have battled with incorporating corporate presence ($$$) into the facility's historical setting.

While the facility is considered traditional, it features a number of non-traditional elements, including the Investec Media Centre (as displayed on the right). Investec signed a three-year deal in 2006 to become the title sponsor of the facility; a deal that also provides the company with widespread attention throughout the venue.

Take a moment to check out the facilities amenities and corporate signage here.

From an outsider's perspective, there are a few interesting things to note about the Lord's Cricket Ground:

1. All event attendees are allowed to bring in one (1) bottle of wine or two (2) pints of beer
2. All stadium signage is static - a very conservative, traditional setting
3. Concessions within the venue offer a variety of offerings, including True Indian food, The Great Australian Pie company, and FBC Fine Barbeque
4. The stadium is host to the oldest sporting museum in the world
5. Lord's Cricket Ground recently launched their own clothing line
6. The venue features a "Father Time Weathervane" that symbolizes the venue's history
7. The stadium features an outfield bar that enables its alcoholic sponsors to hand banners as backdrops

Over the past few years (since 2004), a number of companies have taken advantage of promoting their brand within the confines of the Lord's Cricket Ground, including:

• Vodafone
• Toyota (promoting the Avensis)
• Friends Provident
• Ask.com
• Betfair.com
• Qatar Airways
• nPower
• Deutsche Bank
• Red Stripe
• Nat West
• Hewitt
• Volkswagen
• Adidas
• Marston's Smooth Beer
• Predigree
• Icon
• Barclays
• Frizzell Insurance
• Fuller's London Pride
• Wold Blass Wines
• ebookers.com
• ToteSport.com
• The Daily Telegraph
• Ecb.co.uk
• sky Sports
• Airmiles.co.uk
• Invesco Perpetual

Hopefully this article will provide you with a greater understanding for the sponsorship landscape in England (players, branding) and the Lord's Cricket Ground approach to sponsorship integration in a historical setting. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to learn more. Again, be sure to check out the gallery!

Welcoming Your Star Signees in Style...

AC Milan recently faced a difficult task... How do you celebrate your team's signing of the best football player in the world?

The team recently welcomed Ronaldinho in a stadium filled with thousands of spectators and streaming confetti. The celebration was pretty spectacular and could provide some answers for franchises looking for ways to introduce signature signees!

Check out the video below:

Update on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 09:30PM by Brian Gainor

Take Control of Your Parking Lots...

Are you looking for new ways to generate revenue from your parking lots? Are you searching for innovative ways to streamline your parking operations? Are you looking to show fans incremental value before they enter the stadium?

Click and Park recently formed a partnership with Standard Parking, Soldier Field's parking operator, to provide Chicagoans with special parking services when attending games and events at the stadium. Click and Park recently launched a website to support the initiative and provide fans with a way to pre-pay for guaranteed spaces... Click and Park is implementing its pre-pay parking service by offering a limited number of pre-paid "print at home" parking passes for select lots, which the company can designate and block off ahead of time.

Click and Park's pre-pay parking service is the perfect way to create artificial demand for parking (and hopefully in turn, drive incremental revenue and/or ease the consumers experience on-site). Sports marketers all understand the demand for premium parking near the stadium and should begin to investigate similar methods to create artificial demand.

Once more organizations pursue similar pre-pay methods, will we see teams offer exclusive benefits for certain parking sections? For instance, if the Miami Dolphins implement a pre-pay process, they can market different "exclusive benefits" opportunities to fans who are willing to pay a slight premium. The team can offer Lot D parking for $35 (as opposed to $20 regular parking), but provide season ticket holders with two (2) vouchers that print out on the pre-paid parking sheet for an exclusive pre-game autograph signing in the parking lot (leveraging team alumni, cheerleaders, mascot, coaches, personnel, personalities, etc.).

To fill stadium lots (as opposed to neighborhood lots), teams can also begin incorporating food concessionaires couponing with these parking passes (attached coupons that consumers can tear off) to demonstrate incremental value to fans.

Teams can also consider integrating/selling a corporate partner on an opportunity to brand pre-paid parking lot passes. Automobile companies and car part manufacturers can brand utilize such opportunities to drive consumers to retail (feature a "bobblehead offer with purchase/test drive" on the parking pass that catches consumers when they are open to engagement. With pre-pay parking methods, the opportunities are endless for sports marketers... Now take advantage of it!

Expanding Your Fanbase in Foreign Markets...

Are you implementing any initiatives to capture fans overseas? Have you realized the star power of professional athletes in foreign markets?

Raphael Bartholomew recently featured a great piece in the NY Times on Gilbert Arenas’ trip to the Philippines as part of his global Agent Zero tour. Arenas was taken back by the affinity and support of young Filipino consumers, a demographic with an extreme interest in the game of basketball. Arenas’ reaction to the reception he received in Manila was,

“It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and I’ve seen crazy fans all over the world”.

As a sports marketer (especially those working in the NBA), what does this mean for you? Re-focus your efforts on targeting fans in foreign markets and consider ways to expand your players’ marketability.

Red Bull's Team MascotThe practice of corporate sponsorships has risen in the Philippines with the induction and popularity of the game of basketball. Filipinos are more advanced within the sponsorship aspect than one might first expect, shown their implementation of a number of creative ideas:

• Branded seats on team benches (Gold’s Gym)
• Branded mats on the poles of basketball nets (Samsung)
• Corporate mascots (Red Bull)
• Multiple jersey placements for sponsors
• Krispy Kreme offers a retail promotion where it creates a signature donut for each of the four (4) teams in the Final Four

A number of American companies (or well known in the United States) currently sponsor basketball initiatives in the Philippines, including:

Technological/Photography

1. Canon – Courtside rotational
2. Samsung – Foam Fingers, Basketball hoop branding

QSR’s / Casual Dining

1. Dairy Queen* – In-Venue Signage
2. Taco Bell* – In-Venue Signage/Video Board Signage
3. Pizza Hut* – In-Venue Signage / Court Branding
4. Burger King – Courtside Rotational
5. Krispy Kreme - Retail Promotion

Apparel Companies

1. Nike – Apparel, Athlete Appearances, Marketing, Signage, Equipment
2. Adidas – Apparel, Athlete Appearances, Marketing, Signage, Equipment

Performance/Energy Drinks

1. Gatorade – Retail Activation
2. Red Bull – Title Sponsorship of a Team, Mascot Integration, Jersey Sponsorships

Other

1. Lee - Signage
2. Mentos - Signage
3. Petron - Signage
4. Gold’s Gym – Bench Signage

* Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell are all owned by the Araneta Group, who also own the Araneta Coliseum (a major arena landmark in the Philippines)

Understanding the aura of NBA players in the Philippines, Nike has brought Kobe Bryant to the region twice (Supernatural Tour), while Adidas has introduced Gilbert Arenas (Agent Zero Tour) and Tracy McGrady (T-MAC Asia Tour) through in-market appearances. All signage and corporate marketing materials are displayed in English in the Philippines (English is considered the official language). For a better perspective of corporate partnership activation in the Philippines, please take a moment to check out a gallery that details “Basketball in the Philippines”. 

Check out some clips of Kobe Bryant and Gilbert Arenas' trips to the Philippines (Manila) below...

Update on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 08:55PM by Brian Gainor

Offer Consumers An Incentive To Tune In...

Are you looking for innovative ways to get fans to tune into your broadcasts? Are you looking for new ways to leverage media for promotional purposes?

The Golf Channel recently teamed up with Callaway and FedEx to offer a rewards program for all consumers tuning in to the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Each Thursday and Friday of PGA Tour Coverage on the Golf Channel, consumers can pick up a code that they can redeem online for the chance to win weekly prize offerings and one (1) of two (2) grand prizes:

• Grand Prize Packages Include: 
• A trip to the 2009 Buick Invitational, offering exclusive FedEx hospitality, Callaway golf equipment, and an insiders look at the Golf Channel's production of the tournament    

• Weekly Prizes Include:
• Callaway golf balls and branded golf merchandise  

Fans can also receive codes by purchasing Callaway equipment, visiting FedEx stores, watching "The Approach with Callaway Golf" on the Golf Channel, and frequenting FedExCup.com, CallawayGolf.com,  PGATour.com, and Golf Channel.com. The promotion is being supported by the four (4) aforementioned parties through on-air, print, and retail measures.

This promotion serves as a benchmark for corporate partners looking to find ways to leverage and align their media spend. With the rising increase in email and text messaging redemption, look for other companies in the future to implement similar promotional offerings (this is unusual in the fact that so many parties have collaborated on the rewards efforts).

Are Your Promotions Socially Responsible?

Have you considered tying your partnership around a "socially responsible" campaign? Have you considered new, unique ways to bring athletes that represent your brand to the people? Are you looking to create a promotion that saves consumers some cash, especially when they travel long distances to your events?

Crown Royal is offering a promotion where Jamie McMurray, driver of the #26 Crown Royal Ford Fusion, will pick up several lucky fans in Indianapolis from their favorite bar or restaurant and give them a free safe ride home on July 24th... The initiative, part of Crown Royal's 'Safe Rides Home' program. McMurray will moonlight as a taxi cab driver as he leads a fleet of eight (8) replica No. 26 Ford Fusion cars around downtown Indianapolis to provide late-night transportation and spread the message about the importance of designated drivers.

Crown Royal's 'Safe Rides Home' initiative is in its fourth year of existence and has proved to be a very successful program supporting the company's 'Be a Champion. Drink Responsibly.' campaign. In the past three (3) years, the program has saved bar patrons nearly $15,000 in taxi fees!

This promotion is a tremendous idea that all brands and organizations can consider implementing to promote responsible drinking... Possibly create a promotional extension where a player/team personnel drives select fans to or from a game?

Here is a clip of Crown Royal's messaging efforts around the campaign in 2007:

Special thanks to Zach Nobinger of Taylor PR for his contributions to this column. 

Are You Utilizing All Ad Revenue Channels?

How often does your organization re-analyze its ad revenue channels and look for new opportunties? What efforts has your brand/organization taken to understand new ways to build ad revenue programs into ticketing services?

With the advent of the paper ticket (where consumers print off tickets/vouchers, etc.) all teams and ticket service providers should be looking to maximize the use of this channel from an ad revenue-generation standpoint. Are there ways to fill the white space on printed tickets/vouchers with ads promoting upcoming games? Upcoming offers (i.e. bobbleheads, etc.)? Ways to promote your corporate partners and/or cross promotions that they are implementing? By demonstrating value to fans through printed ticket advertising (awareness of offers, etc.) teams will at the very least be providing fans with something to look at while they wait in lines at the ticket gates an/or waiting in their car to park.

Sojern, an Omaha-based company recently announced that it would begin selling the white space on airline boarding passes for American, Continetal, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways. Sojern's core service will be to fill the white space on printed tickets with targeted coupons, ads, dining recommendations, and weather information. With our ticketing service providers' state-of-the-art technology, why can we not push them to enact similar offerings?

In the case of Delta Airlines, which will expand its program services to 300 cities nationwide today, consumers will have the option of printing a boarding pass with or without ads and will soon be able to save their preferences for future trips (options that your organization may also look to implement with a similar service). Thus far, Bahama Breeze, NBC Universal, Crocs, Cirque du Soleil, Omaha Steaks, and Borders have signed on to partake in the unique advertising opportunity with airlines.

A total of five (5) ads can be placed on a boarding pass, with airlines being given subsequent space to promote their frequent flyer programs and credit card offerings. Each of the six (6) aforementioned airlines bought a minority stake in Sojern and will be sharing the advertising revenue with the start-up company. With ticket service providers (Ticketmaster, Flashseats, etc.) this becomes a little more difficult to enact, but a healthy balance between corporate partner advertising and upcoming team ticket offers/promotions/food coupons would provide fans with an added-value piece even before they step into the stadium gates.

 Source: Advertising Age, Airlines Stamping Ads Onto Boarding Passes, 7.16.2008