More on Sonic Branding...

I have received numerous emails since writing a feature on the impact that Sonic Branding is having on the sports landscape. But the most interesting note I received came from Noel Franus of Sonic ID, a sonic branding and identity firm based in Portland, Oregon, who reflected on the controversy surrounding CBC after it recently lost the rights to its Hockey Night in Canada theme song.

Noel forwarded along a great article written by Mark Sutcliffe of the Ottawa Citizen that is a "must-read" for all sports professionals looking to learn more about the impact that sonic branding is having on the industry. Check out the article here!

Here is a clip of the Hockey Night in Canada that has caused a stir among Canadian hockey fans:

For additional information on sonic branding, check out Noel's informative blog on sonic branding and identity.  

Introducing a Revenue Generating Widget...

Are you looking for ways to penetrate the social networking space? Or better yet, derive revenue from this channel?

I recently had a great conversation with Ed Trost of Real Time Matrix about a widget his company created that serves as a great forefront for teams/organizations looking to enter the social networking space. Real Time Matrix's new widget, the Vortex, allows teams/organizations to deliver video, ticketing, and news feeds (personalized content) directly into users' online social networking spaces.

The widget technology offers teams/organizations a new media channel to sell advertising inventory, integrate corporate partners into video clips, and drive awareness for corporate promotions/events through news feeds. The Vortex technology is a relatively inexpensive upfront cost that is structured as a revenue sharing model based on CPM's. 

Which organizations are using the Vortex technology?

• The Vortex widget is currently being implemented by Major League Soccer and each of its member organizations.

How do consumers use the Vortex technology?

• All consumers have to do is click the "copy me" link on the Vortex application and fill out some requested information. Once this step is completed, users are given an HTML code which thay can then embed in their desired social networking location. Users can find different "shareable" Vortex downloads on NetVibes, Real Time Matrix's website, and each of the MLS' respective sites.
• Real Time Matrix now offers a "Find us on Facebook" button that enables users to directly feature the widget technology in their Facebook pages.

How do you make effective use of this technology?

• Prominent website placement (if you are trying to drive this virally, you cannot hide it on your team website. Feature the Vortex widget technology on a sidebar of the main homepage or on a Downloads Tab that is directly accessible by fans)
• Devote adequate time and resources (Users are looking for unique content - find ways to deliver this through the Vortex widget (i.e. Dallas Stars' "Dropping Gloves" feature; behind-the-scenes video, etc.)

How Do Fans Capture Your Events?

Have you ever considered how many fans capture in-game entertainment at your events on their phones, cameras, and video cameras? Have you considered different ways to leverage this footage?

Brands and organizations need to begin scouring YouTube and Flickr.com to gain a better understanding of their game experience "from a fan perspective", find ways to leverage amateur photography and footage, and do a more effective job of controlling their own messaging. What am I getting at?

Take a look at the four (4) clips below which provide four (4) different angles of "Crazy Dave", a drunk Boston Celtics fan, running onto the field at Fenway Park after making a $100 bet with some LA Lakers fans that he could slide into second base. It turns out that "Crazy Dave" had alerted numerous fans that he was going to attempt this "feat" and even had a friend capture the escapade for his own personal collection... Fans across the stadium captured the event on video, providing different perspectives for how the event was perceived...

Hopefully these clips will spur you to search online for different ways that fans are capturing their time spent at your events... Consider hosting a fan video/photography feature (sponsored by Canon, Sony, Kodak, FujiiFilm, etc.) on your website and/or utilizing these search processes as a way to control your organization's brand image!

Miller Hits a Grand Slam with its New Promotion...

Are you looking to create a unique promotion that rewards fans and creates significant industry buzz?

Miller Lite recently launched an innovative "Grand Slam Giveaway" promotion that rewards each fans who catches a grand slam during the second half of the 2008 MLB season with free Miller Lite for a year... The promotion will surely become a popular topic among the MLB fanbase, serving as an extra incentive for many to chase after balls that are hit over the fence.. Free Miller Lite for a year is essentially three (3) cases per month (72 beers isn't bad!), a prize pack worth $550 (but in many consumers minds, much more).

To redeem their prize, lucky fans will be required to submit a picture of their ticket stub, a picture of the ball they caught showcasing MLB's insignia, and proof that they are 21+ years of age to UltimateHR@mbco.com within ten (10) days of the day they caught a grand slam baseball. If more then one (1) claim is received for a single grand slam home run baseball, all valid and eligible entries received within 10 days of the Grand Slam will be entered into a random drawing.

But there has to be a catch, right? Yes, of course. Consumers that live in AL, AR, CA, CT, KS, ME, MA, MI, MO, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, and VA are not eligible to win due to state legalities, meaning that all fans attending Angels, Dodgers, Red Sox, Tigers, Royals, Cardinals, Mets, Padres, Yankees, Indians, and Reds games cannot take advantage of the promotion...

What are the chances of catching a grand slam ball? In 2007, there were 136 grand slams (approx. one GS every 18 games). The best grand slam hitters in the game today are Manny Ramirez (21 - 2nd all-time), Alex Rodriguez (16), Ken Griffey Jr. (16), Richie Sexson (14), Jeff Kent (13), Jason Giambi (12), Gary Sheffield (12), Carlos Delgado (11), and Carlos Lee (11). So good luck to all those fans seated in the bleacher seats!

MLS - Hire These Guys Too!

A few weeks ago I posted a video of a guy that the MLS needs to hire to drive some buzz around the game of soccer in the United States, especially as we head into the World Cup qualifying stage... Well, I found a video that details a few more exceptional ballhandlers from Poland, who have the finesse and "streetball feel" that could help the MLS fuel a captivating viral marketing campaign across the United States...

Stick each of these guys in a different MLS jersey and have them perform some amazing tricks outside major sporting events in their respective cities to drive some buzz during the off-season! Americans just need to see the ballhandling and finesse that makes the game of soccer so popular across the pond...

M&M's Scores With Its Airport Displays...

MARS recently devised an innovative strategy to activate around the European Football Championships at retail that proved to be widely successful. Mars International Travel Retail (MITR) created engaging in-store M&M's displays at airports across the Europe that captured the interest of traveling soccer fans.

 Promotions varied region by region, but most displays featured a "3 for 2" offer and provided M&M's branded foosball tables for consumers to play while waiting for their flights. Promotional vehicles catered to each market (i.e. distributing orange soccer balls at Schipol airport to align with the colors of the Netherlands team)

The promotion resulted in sales increases of 40-200% across a number of major retail locations in airports across Europe: Paris, Schipol, Lyon, Marseille, and Antalya Turkey)

Roger Federer... Has Personality? New Nike Ad..

Nike recently released its newest 1:30 ad promoting Roger Federer and they did an excellent job finding a way to build Roger Federer's character and integrating the game of tennis in a non-traditional play... Check out the clip below, this is more of a humorous clip than what we are used to seeing from Nike!

Here is one more unusual "to-be-released" Roger Federer clip from Nike...

Looking to Draw Butts in the Seats? Try Free Prostate Screening Night...

The Brewers have done it again. The team recently conducted the second annual "Free Prostate Cancer Screening" night at the ballpark - an effort that resulted in 480 people getting screened, a 25% higher turnout than the team's 2007 event.

How did they do it? The Brewers teamed up with local television station WITI Milwaukee, the National Coalition Against Prostate Cancer, a Milwaukee-area hospital, and Froedert & the Medical College of Wisconsin to run the promotion... The collaborating parties targeted their messaging at men 40+ and their wives and required participants to only have to fill out minimal paperwork and take a quick blood test on-site. Oh yea, the team also offered each participating individual two (2)free tickets to a future Milwaukee Brewers home game... Now the general rule of thumb is that you should never give away tickets to the general public, but this case is definitely a true exception (tying in quality partners to collaborate on a worthy cause and driving media attention).

There were rumors that men even began arriving at 4:30am for their checkups, which took place from 7:00am-3:00pm in a mobile unit parked adjacent to the ballpark. Check out the clip below for more details!

Pushing a Promotional Item at Retail?

Are you looking to drive value out of your QSR partnerships? Are you looking for a great way to push promotional products that are sold at retail locations?

Consider taking a quick look at the :30 commercial enclosed below that McDonalds created to promote the sale of mini hockey sticks sold at retail locations across Canada. The clip does a great job driving interest in the product (which is 1/12 the size of actual sticks used in the NHL) and would be a great clip to promote in-game/pre-game for all fans in-arena because it directly speaks to their interests...

Why don't we see more QSR partners promote similar :30 video clip offers offerings in-arena? (showing consumers a product of perceived value in a way that doesn't interfere with their game experience)?

Looking to Target C-Store Partners?

Are you looking for new ways to derive value out of a c-store partner? During troubling economic times, are you looking for new "consumer-facing" ways to demonstrate incremental value at lesser costs?

Consider a strategy that the Sprint Center and QuikTrip recently collaborated on as part of a multi-year partnership. The Sprint Center provided QuickTrip the opportunity to become the first c-store to ever open up a retail location inside an actual arena. The QuikTrip offers a unique selection of sandwiches, cookies/pastries, slurpees, and energy drinks at costs less than nearby Levy Restaurant concessions.

How did the Sprint Center pull this off with having a concessionaire in-house? QuikTrip, as one of the arena's ten (10) founding partners, has a separate deal with arena concessionaire Levy Restaurants. QuikTrip uses Levy’s point-of-sale system and shares a portion of store revenue with Levy. None of QuikTrip's items directly compete with Levy offerings and all perishable items that go unsold on game night are given to consumers as they leave the Sprint Center...

This is a great example of a way that the Sprint Center discovered they can show direct, measurable value back to QuikTrip and also provide a unique stadium element that demonstrates value to consumers...

The results? On many game nights, fans line up and wait for up to twenty (20) minutes to purchase items in the QuikTrip retail location. QuickTrip is now considering the thoughts of opening a similar location within the BOK Center, Tulsa's 18,000 seat arena set to open in September.

Check out a quick tour of the Sprint Center's QuikTrip below:

Nike Taps Into Consumer Emotion...

Nike effectively tapped into the emotion of consumers across the globe on Fathers Day with a memorable commercial that featured Earl Woods touching on his son Tiger's success. The commercial demonstrates Nike's candid ability to create the perfect piece for the moment... I would imagine that 99.9% of people have seen this classic commercial since it aired, but if you haven't, this is a must-see...

Next time you are looking to activate around sporting events that occur during/around the holidays, consider taking extra effort to tap into the emotion felt during this time... I hopefully will have some best practices to share on this in the near future (i.e. Pink Bats, etc.)...

If You Haven't Joined Linked In Yet, It's Time...

Are you looking to expand your network in the sports business industry? As marketers, we should be looking to expand our knowledge and network of contacts each day...

Looking for a simple goal? Try to establish 52 new contacts each year year (one (1) per week) and begin to identify five (5) individuals that you can consider your "Personal Advisory Board" (per Jim Kahler, Executive Director of the Ohio University Center for Sports Administration). Luckily, we now have social networking platforms (Linked In / www.SportsMarketing20.com) that enable us to reach out and connect with industry leaders.

If you aren't a member of Linked In yet, it's time to join. Specifically, there are two (2) groups that you should consider joining because of their expansive network, newsletters, and career development offerings:

• Sponsorship Insights (created by Dan Beeman, Beeman Sponsorship Consulting)
• Sports Marketing and PR Pros (created by Joe Favorito, IFL)

I am also looking to connect with all PartnershipActivation.com readers/users before launching a social networking component that aligns with the site. Please sign up for the Linked In "Partnership Activation Group"  and/or add me as a contact through the link on the left column of this site ... I would love to connect with you and learn ways that I can assist you and your business.

What is Linked In? LinkedIn is an online network of more than 20 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries. The social networking platform includes thousands of sports professionals, marketers, and industry leaders. It's time to join if you haven't done so!