The Walleye Create Compelling Awareness Strategies for their Corporate Partners

In today's economy, it's essential that sports properties get aggressive with developing creative marketing and sales strategies to attract partners from non-traditional categories. A great example of this is the Toledo Walleye, who recently attracted a regional company called Cleaner & Dryer Restoration to come on board as a corporate partner after pitching them on a unique awareness driver in-arena.

The Walleye created an eye-catching visual at several water fountain stations located throughout the team's arena that made it appear that there was a bad spill. As event attendees passed by, many tried to avoid the "spill", only to realize that it was a creative branding tactic designed to promote Cleaner & Dryer Restoration's flood and fire cleanup and repair services. The awareness tactic has been very well received by the client, the team, and fans, and hopefully will just be the launching pad for more creative marketing ideas to come.

Check it out below and consider new ways that your organization can help brands think out-of-the-box within the stadium/arena setting!

A special thanks to Megan Hunyor of the Toledo Walleye for her insights and contributions to this column!

Sports Radio 790 Uses Guerrilla Tactics to Thank Bobby Cox

Sports Radio 790 The Zone, a premier sports radio station in Atlanta, recently pulled off a terrific guerrilla marketing stunt to celebrate the career of retiring Braves coach Bobby Cox and build goodwill with sports fans in the local marketplace.

Sports Radio 790 The Zone celebrated Cox's retirement and engaged with fans by setting up a mobile display just outside of Turner Field that featured an authentic painting of Bobby Cox. The station asked fans passing by to sign the commemorative piece, which the station plans to present to Cox at a later time.

To drive engagement, Sports Radio 790 The Zone also distributed a collection of "Thanks Bobby" fans to consumers passing by and asked conducted live interviews asking fans about their fondest memories of Cox as the Braves head coach.

Sports Radio 790 The Zone was able to pull off the successful guerilla stunt around the historic moment in Braves history despite Sports Radio 680 The Fan and Rock 100.5 being the official home of Braves baseball. To support the stunt, Sports Radio 790 The Zone partnered with an official "Thanks Bobby!" Facebook page and movement that was created by Braves fan and 790 listener Scott Munn. The site has amassed 20,000+  fans and has received media support from the AJC, The Regular Guys, The Braves Radio Network, and MLB.com.

Check out a few pictures of their guerrilla activation below: