Follow Pete Carroll's Lead and Start a Twitter Campaign...

Are you looking for new ways to utilize Twitter and YouTube to your organization's benefit? Are you looking for new ways to leverage athletes and high profile personnel?

Pete Carroll, the University of Southern California's head football coach, recently created a campaign to convince Will Ferrell to join him in the social networking world. In recent days, Carroll has used his Twitter profile and a YouTube viral piece (as shown below) to get others involved in his crusade. The USC football coach (with 6,000+ followers) even reached out to Suns C Shaquille O'Neal (who has 493,000+ followers) to help him encourage others to send notes of encouragement to wewantwillferrellontwitter@gmail.com.

Over the past few years, Pete Carroll and Will Ferrell, a USC alum and die-hard Trojan fan, have become good friends. Their friendship has led to several Ferrell cameo appearances at Trojan camp, sparking a handful of viral pieces that have generated waves of attention online.  

Why is Carroll so actively involved in the social networking space? That question remains to be seen. But Carroll's social networking campaign is an extremely smart move because it demonstrates to young HS football stars how well he relates to the younger generation. After all, which 17-year-old wouldn't want to go play for a coach with National Championship wins under his belt and two good friends in Will Ferrell and Shaquille O'Neal?

Check out Carroll's recent YouTube campaign below:

Stadium Spotlight: A Look at Citi Field

Are you looking to add non-traditional elements to your venue? Are you looking to offer fans a traditional game atmosphere with modern venue fixtures?

Citi Field, the new home of the New York Mets, is an incredible stadium facility that features a mix of traditional and modern elements. With a number of unique elements, the ballpark will soon become one of the MLB's jewel facilities. Check out some of these features in the Citi Field Photo Gallery.

The stadium's signature features include:

• A Jackie Robinson Rotunda that offers fans some historical insights as they enter the stadium facility
• A wiffle ball park for kids and their families to enjoy
• A sophisticated ticketing system that enables consumers that reduces staffing needs on-site
• An exclusive Home Run Apple display in deep center field
• A signature Citi Field bridge and party porch in left field
• A Pepsi Porch
• Touch by Alyssa Milano - A boutique for female NY Mets fans 
• A Citi Field Fan Walk (featuring customized bricks purchased by NY Mets fans)

Check back for more details as the MLB season begins. But definitely take a minute to check out the Citi Field Photo Gallery, detailing the venue's unique elements, signage inventory, and traditional appearance!

Source: Flickr Photos - Gary Dunaier

Is Your Organization Calorie-Conscious?

Are you looking for new ways to enhance your concessions stands? Are you looking to provide fans with healthier food/drink items at the ballpark?

When Yankees fans head to the new Yankee Stadium for the first time in 2010 they will notice a variety of changes at the concessions stands. In addition to the standard ballpark fare (hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, etc.) the Yankees organization will now sell a variety of new offerings at its 137 concession stands, including:

• Cuban Sandwiches (sold at the Latin Corner)
• Nachos and Burritos
• Noodle Bowls
• Sushi and Salads
• Barbeque

But one of the biggest changes that fans will notice is that concessions stands around the new Yankee Stadium will post information detailing the amount of calories that are in the food available for sale. With consumers thinking more consciously about their health and eating, and exercising habits, industry personnel can expect to see more teams follow in suit with similar calorie insights at the concessions stand.

Check out some examples below of the calorie information posted at concessions stands around the new Yankee Stadium:

Golfsmith Offers Free Drivers if Sergio Wins the Masters...

Are you looking to create a captivating golf promotion? Are you searching for new ways to drive product sales?

With sports enthusiasts eagerly anticipating the 2009 Masters, Golfsmith recently announced a captivating promotion that is sure to drive a lot of attention. The golf retailer is offering all consumers who purchase a new Taylormade R9, r7 Limited, or '09 Burner driver through April 11th a chance to receive a free refund of their purchase if Sergio Garcia wins the Masters.

After purchasing one of the three (3) aforementioned clubs either in-store or online at Golfsmith.com, consumers are asked to send in a refund promotion form that they receive with their purchase. If Sergio Garcia wins the Masters, Golfsmith will refund consumers' full Taylormade driver purchase. 

Golfsmith is taking a huge risk with the promotion (the clubs retail between $299-$399), but with Sergio's 0-41 record in the majors, it is a risk they are willing to take. Advertising Age states that for every 3,000 drivers it sells through the promotion, it stands at the risk of having to shell out $1MM.

Nike Shines with "Show Your Five" Campaign...

Are you looking to promote a grassroots soccer tournament? Are you looking for a unique way to relate professional sports to the games played by everyday children on the streets?

In February, Nike released a tremendous online campaign designed to peak consumer interest in their  "Show Your Five" soccer tournament being hosted across Europe. The tournament, marking Nike's largest brand push in Europe in the past decade, features teams of the best footballers in Europe competing against one another in a 5v5 match.

Nike's Show Your Five tournament website features an array of interactive features for soccer enthusiasts to enjoy, including:

• Mash Up Your Game - A feature that lets consumers create their own highlight videos
• Show Your Music - A feature that lets consumers check out the official bands of the tournament
• The New Zoom CT - Shows product attributes of the brand's new footwear
• A variety of videos stemming
• Event / Venue details

To drive buzz for the tournament, Nike featured Wayne Rooney and Joe Cole competing alongside skilled amateur footballers in an urban-style match. Check out the clip below:

Is Your Venue Bluetooth Ready?

Are you looking for new ways to engage with consumers attending events at your venue? Are you searching for ways that technology is continuing to have an impact on the sports industry?

Everton FC of the English Premier League recently outfitted its home pitch, Goodison Park, with the largest Bluetooth installation of any stadium facility in the world. Everton FC's new Bluetooth infrastructure enables it to create extra value and strengthen club loyalty for the 42,000 fans in attendance at their venue. The team collaborated with More Mobile Relations to install 89 Bluetooth nodes in 58 zones equipped with flat screen televisions to demonstrate the technology's advantages to fans.

Everton FC's bluetooth technology enables the team to offer news, exclusive offers, free downloads, footage of classic goals, and exciting applications on an exclusive game day mobile site to all fans who link to the wireless connection while attending games at Goodison Park.

The Bluetooth technology has proven to be very popular with fans in attendance. For every campaign promoted at the stadium, 1,000 fans have chosen to download the content and application - a number rising each match.

How does it work?

Everton FC's bluetooth technology sets up a wireless connection with all fans who have Bluetooth technology on their phones. As fans enter the venue, they are sent an automatic message asking them if they would like to connect to the service. If they accept the offer, they are sent exclusive news and offers as long as they are within the stadium confines or in the team store.

With the technology still in its early existence, Everton is reaching out to its fanbase and asking for instant feedback. The team set up an email address (bluetooth@evertonfc.com) for all fans to provide their thoughts on the content they are receiving through the technology, etc.

A special thanks to Steen Leth-jorg of Sport One Danmark A/S for his insights and contributions to this column... Best Wishes Steen!

Teams Find Social Networking Solutions at the Watercooler...

Are you looking for new ways to tap into the social networking space? Is your organization looking for new ways to use social networking platforms to drive ticket sales?

Sports properties are turning to Watercooler Inc. for social networking solutions. Watercooler Inc. provides the most extensive network of online fan communities around sports and TV entertainment, presenting sports organizations an opportunity to target (and offer select promotions to) a niche group of avid fans. Founded in 2006, Watercooler has emerged as a leader in creating fan group applications (e.g. Florida Football Fans app on Facebook).

Sports properties leveraging Facebook groups to promote their brand will find that their options are pretty limited to walls, discussion boards, and building an online user list. With Watercooler’s 800+ online fan group applications, teams can do much more, including:

• Drive ticket sales (through an online ticket promotion targeting a niche group of fans that can span in number from a few hundred to 500,000)
  • Note: To run an effective promotional ticket offer, Watercooler normally requests 7-10 business days for proper execution
• Cross-promote through other the fan group applications of other organizations in the local marketplace (e.g. the LA Clippers could cross-promote on the LA Dodgers page/notifications during the off-season)
• Offer select value packages/VIP experiences (receive a free hot dog and beverage with the purchase of a $10 ticket)
• Trivia
• Game Day Forums
• Discussion Forums
• Customized Walls / Photos
• Online Polls

Watercooler has already helped execute ticket promotions for a handful of professional teams, including the Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, NY Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, Los Angeles Clippers, and New York Rangers. The company has the infrastructure to help teams host third party social communities on their team pages and can help deliver promotions to a new, untapped online fan base.

Look for new efforts by Watercooler in the sports marketplace! Check out a clip that details their services below:

See this video on Vator.tv »

Boston Celtics Fans Love Their Gino...

Are you looking for a new way to entertain your fans during games? Are you looking for unique ways to leverage video board content during timeouts?

During the Boston Celtics' 2008 NBA Championship Title run, the city of Boston became infatuated with a phenomenon involving "Gino", a character from the 1970's show American Bandstand.

Each time the Celtics were in a position to win, the team would play a clip on the video board of Gino dancing his tail off in classic attire with the name Gino emblazoned across the front of his shirt. Gino quickly became an instant hit in Boston, with some even referring to him as the team's unofficial mascot.

Gino fever led the Wall Street Journal to begin an investigation in 2008 to track down who the mysterious Boston legend actually was.  Unfortunately for Celtics fans everywhere, the Wall Street Journal's investigation found that Joseph R. Massoni aka "Gino" passed away at the age of 34 in Fontana, California. But in Boston, the Gino legend will always live on.

Check out a clip of Gino in action celebrating a Celtics victory below:

Venus Plays Tennis in Traffic to Drive Buzz for Sony Ericsson Open...

Are you looking to stimulate buzz in the local marketplace for an upcoming event? Are you looking to create a new guerrilla marketing campaign leveraging athletes?

Representatives at the Sony Ericsson Open recently called on Venus Williams and Andy Murrary to stop traffic and play a game of tennis atop cars in Miami to promote their 2009 tournament. The guerrilla marketing stunt served as a great way to drive awareness and buzz for the tournament amidst the clutter of events taking place on any given weekend in Miami.

Williams and Murray played an impromptu game of car-roof tennis on Ocean Drive in Miami, drawing a crowd of onlookers and media personnel (making it a hit in the viral world).

Check out a clip of the action below:

Billboard of the Week - Manny's Back!

Are you looking to welcome a high profile athlete back to your organization? Are you looking to create a brand building billboard campaign?

The Los Angeles Dodgers organization celebrated the return of star LF Manny Ramirez during the offseason by featuring a "Manny's Back" billboard campaign along major roadways across the city. The billboards served as an effective reminder of team's commitment to winning and stimulated buzz and interest for the upcoming season.

Check out the billboards below that capture Manny Fever in LA:

 

The Australian Football League Releases a Captivating Ad Campaign...

Are you looking for new ways to make your sport/organization resonate with a new fan base? Are you looking to create a captivating advertising campaign that is relevant across the globe?

The Australian Football League (AFL) recently kicked off the start of Aussie football season with an epic advertising campaign entitled "League of its Own" that features 19 AFL stars competing in different stadium environments around the world (boxing rings, soccer fields, etc.). The 60-second clip concludes with Hawthorn's Buddy Frankling kicking a goal.  

The spot, created by George Patterson Y&R and produced by Revolver Film, will be supported by a season-long campaign featuring online, viral, radio, outdoor, and print elements. Check it out below:

Chivas USA Sells Tickets With Interactive Online Campaign...

Are you looking for a unique way to drive ticket sales? Are you looking to create an engaging online marketing tactic?

Naveed Siddiqui of Pinnacle Athletes recently passed on a tremendous interactive campaign that Chivas USA recently implemented to drive ticket sales. Chivas collaborated with Siddiqui's group at Pinnacle Athletes to create the "Chivas Keys to the Game", an engaging online campaign that mirrors the online viral campaign created by the University of Gonzaga athletics department. Chivas created incremental value out of the campaign by tying in one of its official partners, Frazee Paint.

To partake in the interactive viral piece, users are first asked to provide their name and telephone number (which is essential for the engagement part of the piece but might deter some people from choosing to participate).

Once the user information is submitted, viewers are shown a captivating clip of "keys to the game" which touches on everything from the team's performance to the fans to the ChivaGirls. The clip thenleads into a feature where the crew of announcers personally give users a call on their cell phone to pitch them a ticket package - it is definitely worth the time to watch and experience!

From a branding standpoint, the clip serves as a nice brand awareness play for Frazee Paint (although it doesn't do much from a sales driving/product attribute education standpoint). But overall, the feature is terrific and is one of the most captivating campaigns created in the MLS space to date.

For more information on the campaign , please reach out to Alex Gallegos, Director of Marketing for Chivas USA at AGallegos@cdchivasusa.com.

Check back for more creative campaigns!

Are You Looking to Hire an Account Coordinator / Account Executive?

Are you looking to hire a proactive, hard working account coordinator or account executive that will serve as a valuable asset for your organization? 

If so, please send me an email at bgainor@partnershipactivation.net. I would love to help connect you with someone who would be a terrific hire for your organization.

Best Wishes,

Brian

Brian Gainor, PartnershipActivation.net

5 "Must-See" NBA Team Features

Are you looking for new ways to stimulate fan interest? Are you looking for new elements to offer as an organization?

As consumers continue to feel pressures from the state of the economy, NBA teams are becoming more aggressive with their sales pitches, web content, and interactive experiences. Teams and their corporate partners are coming up with more creative sales pitches, promotions, and ideas than ever before. Here is a glimpse at five (5) of the latest and greatest ideas floating around the NBA:

1. The Indiana Pacers and adidas present the "Pacers Player Match Up Quiz"

The Pacers and adidas collaborated to create an interactive feature on the team's website designed to drive sales of select Pacers gear. On the Pacers home page, consumers are drawn to the "Pacers Player Match Up Quiz" with a web button that looks like a chalkboard. Upon clicking the button, consumers are taken through a series of seven (7) questions that asks them a variety of questions.

After the quiz is completed, the feature calculates the answers and tells the user what Pacer player he/she matches up with (based on the answers to the questions). The feature then provides the user with a variety of options, including: purchase the jersey of the player he/shematches up with, send the feature to a friend, embed the results on their social networking page, or purchase tickets to an upcoming Pacers game.

 

 

2. The San Antonio Spurs and  AT&T present the AT&T Virtual T-Shirt Toss

The San Antonio Spurs and AT&T teamed up to create an in-game promotion for Spurs fans to enjoy while watching their favorite team battle it out on the road. The collaborating parties created the "AT&T Virtual T-Shirt Toss", a promotion that rewards select fans who text in a special keyword aired during a Spurs TV / radio broadcast with a free t-shirt.

3. The Sacramento Kings and Folsom Lake Ford present "Can You Find Vlade?"

The Sacramento Kings recently teamed up with Folsom Lake Ford to offer an engaging "Can You Find Vlade" promotion for Kings fans. From March 17-26, Kings fans are asked to look for Vlade Divac driving a Ford Edge (courtesy of Folsom Lake Ford) around town.

When consumers do find him, they are asked to text the word FORD to 69866 along with Vlade's location for the chance to win a VIP experience to the Vlade Timeless Game on March 31, 2009 (or via the Kings Twitter page). Fans searching Vlade can text the word CLUE to 69866 for special hints of his whereabouts around town.   

4. The Charlotte Bobcats and Hooters Offer a "Wing It Deal 

The Charlotte Bobcats have teamed up with Hooters to offer the "Wing It Deal", an intriguing ticket offer that rewards consumers with a free $25 Hooters gift card with the purchase of any lower-level, non-premium Bobcats ticket ($35-$52.50) online for select games throughout the remainder of the season. 

 

5. The Washington Wizards feature NCAA Tournament Brackets filled out by Their Stars

The Washington Wizards are capitalizing on March Madness by featuring NCAA tournament brackets completed by some of their star players (Brendan Haywood, Juan Dixon, and Darius Songaila) and a breakdown of how the team's players fared in the NCAA tournament.

The online feature does a great job engaging any site visitors that are caught up in March Madness. The team even enables visitors to post comments about the tournament (and different team performances) on the official team blog.

Shaq and LeBron Post New Pre-Game Intros...

Are you looking for new ways to entertain fans during pre-game festivities? Are you looking for ways that athletes and teams can leverage their corporate partners in new situations?

In recent weeks, Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James have called on their teammates to help them create some captivating pre-game introductions. The pre-game features are beginning to draw a significant amount of buzz as they help show the true personalities of the players.

There hasn't been any word on whether the NBA approves/disapproves of the pre-game features (as they creep close to touchdown celebrations) but it could open up the door for many teams and athletes to consider new ways to leverage corporate partners.

For instance, in the videos of Shaq and LeBron's pre-game intros displayed below, both could have easily tied in a corporate partner (if there was an opportunity to do so) by simply displaying a sign at the end of the feature that promoted a camera/film company (e.g. Kodak, Olympus, etc.) or a bowling alley (mirroring an improv skit).

Consider new ways that you can bring your corporate partners to the forefront on game day!

The Brewers Look to the Dollar Menu to Deliver Value...

Are you looking to make your events more affordable for fans? Are you looking for new ways to spike concessions sales?

The Milwaukee Brewers are responding to the concerns of their cash-strapped fans by recently announcing that they will offer a $1 menu concession stand at Miller Park during the 2009 season. The stand, which will not be open for every game during the season (including the team's season opener against the Chicago Cubs), will offer hot dogs, a 12-ounce soda, a 24-ounce tub of popcorn, a small ice cream cone, and a large cookie all for $1 apiece.

The Brewers can afford to offer such a deal because the team's ticket sales initiative has been so strong heading into 2009 - the team reached one (1) million tickets sold faster than at any other time in team history (despite the current economic decisions).

The dollar menu initiative is a great way for the team to sincerely demonstrate its appreciation of the commitment the team's fans have shown in the past few months despite all of the economic hardships. However, Brewers fans looking to capitalize on this great value can expect long lines throughout the season with the team slated to only offer one (1) stand for consumers to take advantage of at Miller Park.

With the 2009 baseball season set to begin in just a few days, expect the Brewers' dollar menu initiative to be modeled throughout the industry. The San Diego Padres recently announced that they will be offering a "Five for $5" concessions initiative in 2009 where consumers can receive a regular hot dog, a 22-ounce soda, a medium bag of popcorn, a small bag of peanuts, and a large cookie for just $5 (providing $8-$10 in savings for consumers). Check back for more price point promotions being implemented by MLB teams at the concessions stand!

The Rockets Elevate Their Concourse Branding...

Are you looking to give your stadium concourse a new look and feel? Are you looking to drive awareness for a new branding initiative amongst fans attending games at your venue?

The Houston Rockets organization has done a tremendous job branding the concourse level at the Toyota Center. The concourse looks fresh, conveys team basketball, and leverages the team's biggest asset in a unique way. Check out some pictures below that detail the team's creative branding tactics:

Mercedes-Benz Makes Racing a State of Mind...

Are you looking to create a humorous advertising campaign that leverages athlete endorsers? Are you looking to portray the personalities of rising stars in your league/organization?

Mercedes-Benz did a tremendous job playing up the personalities of Formula 1 stars Lewis Hamilton (representing England) and Fernando Alonso (representing Spain) in its 2007 viral hit, "Racing is a State of Mind". The humorous clip, portraying how Hamilton and Alonso's lives on and off the track are driven by their competitive nature, generated over 1 million impressions in the online space.

Organizations and leagues in the United States with duos/trios of rising stars should consider creating similar humorous campaigns to help position them in a positive light in the minds of consumers: 

• NHL (Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin)
• NBA (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade
• NFL (Matt Ryan, Matt Cassel)
• MLB (David Price, Joba Chamberlain)
• NASCAR (Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin)
• Tennis (Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic)
• PGA (Camilo Villegas, Anthony Kim)

The Indianapolis Colts Help a Hoosier...

Is your organization looking to make a difference in your local community? Are you looking to align your organization with an important cause?

The Indianapolis Colts have recently become a leader in the sports cause marketing scene with their organization's "Help a Hoosier - Spark Random Acts of Kindness" initiative. The team has made it their personal mission to help others living in the state of Indiana through random acts of kindness, goodwill, and monetary support.

To drive support for the campaign, the Indianapolis Colts released a captivating viral campaign (shown below) and are hosting a Help a Hoosier Canned Food Drive on March 20th at Monument Circle from 11am-1pm. On their team website, the Colts feature a list of suggested simple acts of kindness that people can consider doing to help friends, strangers, and family living in the state of Indiana:

• Have a clothing drive at work donate to a homeless shelter, pay for a kid to play in a sports league, visit a nursing home, donate your child's toys to charity, buy lunch for an intern, share your umbrella, volunteer at a local elementary school, take a homeless person out for lunch, write a supportive letter for a friend, etc. 

Take a moment to watch the Colts' captivating viral campaign for the Help a Hoosier initiative and pass it along to five (5) friends. The video features a collection of Colts team employees asking YOU to join them in the movement:

A special thanks to Bryan Kryder for his contributions and insights to this column.

NIKEiD Taps Into March Madness with Coach K...

Are you looking for unique ways to leverage collegiate personalities in your commercial messaging? Are you looking for new ways to incorporate humor in an effort to drive product sales?

With March Madness right around the corner, NIKEiD recently released a tremendous clip (Duke NIKEiD Madness) leveraging Coach K in a non-traditional, humorous setting. The clip, designed to drive awareness and sales of NIKEiD's customized Duke footwear and apparel, features Coach K in his office having a candid discussion with the Duke Blue Devil Mascot about what gear the team will be sporting in the tournament.

The humorous ad is guaranteed to drive some chatter during the tournament. Check it out below: