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: 

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 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.

TrendHunter Unveils 20 Marketing Trends to Watch in 2011

TrendHunter recently released a terrific list of the Top 20 Marketing/Advertising/Fashion Trends to Watch in 2011. The list includes some great insights that marketers need to be aware of.

The five (5) trends most relevant to sports marketers include projected publicity, wearable tech, tweetonomics, democratic selling, and real timing, but make sure that you read through all twenty trends to develop a better understanding for new opportunities in the marketing landscape.

Check out a breakdown of TrendHunter's Top 20 Trends below as well as their video feature: 

Top 20 Trends to Watch in 2011

1. Discrete Consumerism - Whether it's Starbucks disguising one of its chains as an India espresso bar or Absolut going label-less, consumers are shying away from traditional brands and labels in favor of creativity and differentiation. To thrive in a creative world, brands need to stop generic marketing and create experiences that are irresistible to a specific group of people
2. Tweetonomics - From hashtag-powered sites to Twittering shoes to social networking stockings, as long as Twitter continues to flourish so will all of the businesses smart enough to use social media for their own success. 2011 is the year that competitors will use social media to steal away your best customers 
3. Perpetual Adaptation - There is an ongoing demand for ever-evolving aesthetics. The world is changing so rapidly that consumers are now in love with change itself
4. Geriatric Couture - Embroidery and vintage fabrics are being resurrected from our grandparents' generation as styles continue to revolutionize
5. Luxury Lives On - Even though the markets may be down, indulgent consumers still crave luxury. The financial crisis caused many businesses to scale back but wealthy needs still exist
6. Modern Kidvertising - Marketers are focusing their efforts to where the money is - parents. Childrens campaigns are appealing to adult interests using eco-friendly textiles and Midwest decor. We are seeing a new era of sophisticated children's products
7. Rockstar Self-Expressionism - Rock'n'Roll culture still has a significant influence in a number of industries (Hard-edge hotel designs, rockstar fashion, rebellious product design)
8. Democratic Selling - Consumer votes, tweets, and Facebook likes are used to determine what retailers actually sell. The voice of the consumer has never been louder
9. Toddler Touchscreens - Using touchscreen platforms like the iPad and Android, developes are producing games and experiences that appeal to next generation parents and their tech savvy kids (Interactive film maps, recordable storybooks, pillow technology and interactive fairy tales)
10. Hyperrealism - Artists are striving to create their own accurate depictions of reality using their raw talent (outside of Photoshop)
11. Tangible Printing - Smaller businesses are using 3D printing to create fast, rapid prototypes of body armor, shoes, and clothing
12. Next Besting - Brand name products are taking a backseat to budget-friendly and more personalized alternatives; consumers are still buying things but they are becoming more conscious of what they actually need and why (and are in turn, seeking out the next best alternative)
13. Modern Cubism - In a cluttered world, people seek refuge in simplified design (cube lighting, square architecture, and cubic technology)
14. Real Timing - Businesses are incorporating Foursquare, Twitter, and live streaming to provide participants with instant gratification; social media has become the medium of choice for consumers
15. On the Spot Style - Established brands are satisfying consumer demand for real style; street style fashion is being amplified by a surge in unique niche fashion blogs  
16. Brand Reversion - Consumers are on a quest to satisfy their nostalgia (Princess phones, etc.); brands are going retro for revenue
17. Wearable Tech - How fashion and technology are converging to produce unique products (Earring telephones, holographic wristwear, and visual hearing aides)
18. Charitable Deviance - Using shock tactics in charitable marketing campaigns
19. Interactive Retail - Interactive shopping bags, iPad menus (how retail is differentiating is a social media savvy world)
20. Projected Publicity - Large scale, low-cost ultra viral mediums like projected billboards

Check out their 2011 Trends to Watch Video below:

Old Hat Creative Delivers a Terrific Recap of The Big Chill at the Big House

Sports properties looking to give their marketing materials, recaps, and videoboard vignettes some flair should take a close look at some of the work that Old Hat Creative is doing on behalf of their partners.

Old Hat did a tremendous job creating a collection of marketing materials for The Big Chill at the Big House, an outdoor hockey game between the University of Michigan and Michigan State that was played in front of an announced crowd of 104,000+ at Michigan Stadium in December.

To drive buzz around the event, Old Hat developed:

• The Big Chill at the Big House Microsite
• An Intro Video - Click Here to View               
• A Historical Tribute - Click Here to View
• A "Pump Up" Video - Click Here to View
• A Prelude - Click Here to View
• A Michigan 3D Video - Click Here to View

But Old Hat's finest work was their recap of The Big Chill at the Big House, which is one of the most original recaps that we have seen in some time! Check it out below:

NBA Teams Get Creative With Their All-Star Game Campaigns

The 2011 NBA All-Star Game is right around the corner and NBA teams are doing everything in their power to persuade fans to vote for their star players. As seen in past years, NBA teams have begun to take a very creative approach to their campaigns, as demonstrated with the two "best in class" examples featured below:

New York Knicks - "#1 Reason to Vote Knicks" Remix

The Knicks took a creative approach with their All-Star campaign, putting their celebrity fans in control.

The spot features Donald Trump, Tracy Morgan, cast members from the Jersey Shore, Fabolous, The Miz, Drake, Entourage cast members, Whoopi Goldberg, and fans among others encouraging viewers to get out and vote for Amar'e Stoudemire, Raymond Felton, and Danilo Gallinari into the 2011 NBA All-Star Game. Check out the terrific clip, which has generated 46K+ views, below:

Memphis Grizzlies - "The Most Interesting Man in the NBA"

The Memphis Grizzlies created a spoof of Dos Equis' ever-popular commercial campaign featuring "The Most Interesting Man in the World" in an effort to tout Rudy Gay as a deserving candidate for a 2011 NBA All-Star Game nomination. The humorous clip, which includes the tagline "Keep Voting, my friends", uses creativity to effectively escape the clutter of standard All-Star Game campaigns, giving casual basketball fans a reason to vote. Check it out below (30K+ views thus far):

Look for more creative NBA All-Star campaigns to come!

Nike Uses Laser Projections to Support Oregon in BCS Title Game

Nike created a splash on the eve of the 2011 BCS National Championship game by projecting a laser image of the University of Oregon logo onto the side of Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Nike teamed up with Wieden + Kennedy, SportsOne, Inc., Lightwave International, and MacDonald Media to project a giant Oregon logo and the slogan "Just Do It" onto the side of Camelback Mountain for approximately five (5) hours on Sunday night. On the day of the game, Nike was planning on projecting the laser image on the Jobing.com Arena, located across the street from the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.

Interesting enough, the distance between the light projection (located at the Bud Light Fiesta Grounds in Scottsdale) and the mountain was a full two (2) miles. The direct diode lasers used were four (4) times the power of typical lasers seen at concerts and large events and were considered the most powerful lasers that Lightwave International had ever projected to date.

Check out a video detailing the amazing visual illustration below:

Source: The Oregonian

Leverage Spin & Win Animations to Engage Sections of Fans

Sports organizations looking to create new scoreboard entertainment features should take a close look at the "Spin & Win" slot machine animation created by the Austin Toros of the NBA D-League.

Teams can create similar, engaging animations to serve several purposes:

• Create a "chance to win" / "scoreboard surprise" moment in-game that (from a perception standpoint) fairly selects and rewards one (1) lucky section in arena 
• Effectively leverage a casino partner (in countries/markets where gambling activity can be actively promoted in-arena) with an engaging scoreboard promotion that serves as a great engagement and affiliation awareness play
• Promote a team/corporate partner donation to a select charity on behalf of a designated section
• Actively promote a section in the stadium/arena receiving a special discount on concessions during the game (or a select period of time during the game)

Check it out below:

Federer and Nadal Kick off the 2011 ATP Tour on Water Court

The ATP kicked off its 2011 World Tour by creating a memorable PR event that will generate millions of impressions. The ATP called on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to play a game of tennis on a water court in the Doha Bay (Doha is the capital city of Qatar).  

The PR event featured the world's two (2) highest ranked players playing a game of tennis while the sun set over the city of Doha. The event kicked off the 2011 ATP World Tour, which began this weekend with the Qatar ExxonMobil Open.

The stunt showcases how sports properties can leverage out-of-the-box locales to drive a significant amount of media impressions around premier events, key athletes, and season/product launches.

Check out some amazing pictures of the event that were posted on Roger Federer's Official Website (copyright of the ATP):

More Sports Marketing Trends to Follow in 2011

Thomas Janca of Proximity Prague recently posted a terrific Powerpoint presentation on SportsMarketing20.com that details emerging trends in the global sports marketing landscape. The presentation featured some great insights that I wanted to share as key discussion points to monitor.

Ten (10) sports marketing trends highlighted in the deck for 2011 included:

1. Digital In-Game Experience
   1. YinzCam, FanVision
2. Social Gaming
   1. adidas' UEFA Champions game, FIFA Superstars, Nike's I AM PLAYR
3. Content Marketing
   1. Viral videos, digital program ads
4. Grassroots Marketing
   1. NJ Nets' Hoops and Pancakes, Sigma Olomouc's community efforts
5. Crowdsourcing
   1. St. Louis Cardinals' fan scouting reports, Boston Globe WC fan perspectives
6. Local-Based Networking
   1. Washington Redskins and Manchester City's Foursquare efforts
7. Group Buying
   1. Univ. of Colorado and Washington Wizards Groupon promos
8. Virtual Goods
   1. The Golf Warehouse's Facebook credits, Virtual appearances by pro players
9. Ambush Marketing
   1. Bavaria - World Cup, Nike - Berlin Marathon, Hugo Boss - 09 British Open
10. QR Codes
    1. Detroit Red Wings and Sacramento Kings' QR Code efforts

Check out Thomas' insightful document below:

Game, Set, Fans: 10 Sports Marketing Trends for 2011

View more presentations from Tomas Janca.

"Must-See" Site of the Day: KnicksNow.com

A few days ago, the New York Knicks officially launched an innovative social media oriented site that has become a hot topic of conversation in the digital sports space. The site, KnicksNow.com, is a team-operated community that provides real-time social media insights and nuggets of information in a concise, digestible format.

KnicksNow.com offers a tremendous amount of high-quality content in a simple format - two aspects of digital media that fans are looking for. The site features a plethora of videos, high-res images, post-game interviews, blog posts, relevant tweets, live Facebook integration, content sharing features, headlines, quotes, daily photo uploads, and caption contests. Fans can feature @thenyknicks in their Tweets throughout Knicks games for the chance to be featured on KnicksNow.com.

Per Howard Jacobs, EVP of Marketing and Sales for MSG Sports, "KnicksNow.com is the next digital step in our total fan engagement strategy. It's the ultimate destination for our most passionate and loyal fans to access exclusive, behind-the-scenes content on the team and fully engage with other Knicks fans and our players in the dynamic, ever-changing conversation that's taking place across the social media landscape."

The interactive site could soon become a benchmark for organizations across all sports looking to host their social media initiatives all in one hub. Check out some screen shots of the site below:

The Thrashers Look to Sell Tickets By Putting Their Mascot In Jail

Sports organizations are certainly going the extra distance to sell tickets these days.

On Wednesday, the Atlanta Thrashers launched a "Free Thrash!" viral campaign on their team website encouraging fans to purchase ticket packages around the holidays to free their mascot from jail.

While some may question the morality of a campaign, it seems to be paying off. The Thrashers have generated nationwide attention via major media outlets and have generated 14,000+ likes on Facebook. The marketing campaign is very unique but it will be interesting to see if the team is able to hit their ticket goals with such an indirect call-to-action...

But is it worth young fans potentially seeing their favorite team mascot in handcuffs and behind bars, especially in a day and age where sports organizations have a tough time keeping their players, mascots, and personnel out of legal troubles? Only time will tell. This campaign is very risky and could be very fruitful or might backfire in a big way.

Here's how they did it:

8:05am (Wednesday, Dec. 15th): The Thrashers released a staged news report (viral piece) that featured the team's mascot, Thrash, getting arrested and placed in the back of a police car after stealing a zamboni and leading Gwinnett County police on a slow-speed interstate chase. Thrash was apparently frustrated that the team wasn't getting the attention it deserved after moving into fifth place in the Eastern Conference and decided to steal a zamboni from the team's practice facility in Duluth, GA and drive it 25 miles down the interstate to Philips Arena  

11:05am (Wednesday, Dec. 15th): The Thrashers released a second viral piece from the Gwinnett County Courthouse that featured a judge offering an ultimatum that the Thrashers must sell 5,000 additional tickets to the remaining December home games to get Thrash released from jail. Fans have an option of choosing (1) of (2) options to help Thrash out:

• Purchase tickets to any of the team's five remaining games in December
• Share the holiday spirit and make a $50, $100, or $250 ticket package donation to a local charity

The Thrashers are continuing to drive momentum around the Free Thrash! campaign with Facebook and updates and the release of a few special videos, like the one enclosed below:

The Suns Sell Social Media Services In A Suite Way

Sports organizations looking for new ways to leverage social media to drive ticket sales should take a close look at a terrific new package the Phoenix Suns are offering local businesses.

Per Darren Rovell of CNBC.com, the Phoenix Suns recently unveiled a Suite and Social Night package that allows companies who opt to host their Holiday Party in a Suns suite to derive incremental value through the team's social media channels. The team's pitch is, Host your holiday party in a Suns Suite and become a digital marketing partner at the same time. Choose a package, pick a night, leave the rest of us."

The Suite and Social Night Package costs $7,000 but delivers a tremendous amount of value for companies, including:

• (20) tickets in a one party suite
• (6) parking passes
• A catering package
• Suns hats and foam fingers
• (1) authentic Steve Nash jersey
• (2) Facebook status updates from the Phoenix Suns (reaching 225K+ potential customers through their Facebook channel)
• (3) Twitter mentions from @PhoenixSuns, delivering a direct message to the Suns' $45,000 Twitter followers
• A mention in the Suns' Post E-Newsletter, a periodical that is sent to 55,000 avid fans

The Suite and Social night package really serves as a terrific way for teams to leverage and derive value from their social media channels during a time when there is some speculation about their true worth. It will be interesting to see if fans are receptive to the sponsored gameday messages, but if the Suns position them the right way, there shouldn't be any backlash... and it serves as a great way to drive additional value for team partners on gamedays!

Nike Unveils the 2011 Pro Combat Uniforms for Oregon, Florida, TCU, and Boise State

Nike unveiled four (4) exclusive editions of its Pro Combat Uniforms at the 2010 Nike Football Media Summit. The apparel was specifically designed for Oregon, Florida, TCU, and Boise State football programs. Here is a quick look at the composition of each of the designs:

Oregon

The new Oregon uniforms focus on the feet of one of the fastest teams in the country. Color and graphics are concentrated on the lower leg and feed, creating a blur of Volt as the Ducks sprint down the field. The eye-grabbing Volt represents a burst of electricity and introduces a new color to the Ducks’ uniform, evolving Oregon’s traditional palette of Thunder Green and Lighting Yellow. Numbers on the base layer sleeve give a personalized finish to the look.

Florida

Traditional collegiate sport aesthetic meets state-of-the-art innovation in the updated Florida uniform. Classic jersey numbers and horizontal shoulder stripes evoke a retro look and speak to Florida’s proud heritage as a perennial football powerhouse. The geometric fade pattern of the Nike Air Zoom Alpha Talon cleat is mirrored by the base layer sleeve graphic.

TCU

The striking TCU uniform draws inspiration from the horned frog, the school’s fearsome mascot, notorious for assaulting predators with a stream of blood shot straight from its eyes. Horned frog symbolism is seen in a pair of red lines on the helmet and the distinctive lizard-skin print on the uniform paint. Eye-popping flashes of purple appear throughout the uniform and are concentrated at the lower leg and feet to emphasize speed.

Boise State

Boise State’s vivid uniform channels the bravado of a team that has charted a meteoric rise to prominence. Saturated in Game Royal, the home uniform echoes the iconic blue turf of Bronco Stadium and is accented by pops of Team Orange. The white away design is charged with bright blue and orange accents throughout. Boise State’s aggressive bronco-head logo appears at the shoulder and on the left side of the helmet. “Broncos” is emblazoned on the side of the right leg in reflective block lettering.

Kulula Air Goes with the Moustache to Promote Movember

Kulula Air, a low-fare airline, recently drew waves of attention in South Africa when it branded one of its aircraft in support of a good cause - Movember. Kulula rallied behind Movember, a charity event held in November where men grow moustaches to raise funds and awareness for men's health, by painting a mustache on the nose of one of its planes.

Kulula also encouraged its staff members, entitled Movember ambassadors, to post pictures of their moustaches on the airline's Official Facebook Page in aid of the cause. Passengers could vote online for their favorite look.  

The airline, established by British Airways in 2001, also generated attention in 2010 when it launched a campaign describing itself as the "Unofficial National Carrier of the You-Know-What", an ambush marketing stunt around the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The campaign was instantly shut down by FIFA but Kulula developed a creative follow up tactic, offering affordable flights for everyone except for FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who was offered a free seat for the duration of the World Cup.

Check out the branding stunt below:

Source: CherryFlava.com 

Maximize the Value and Purpose of Railing Signage at Your Venue

Sports organizations looking for new ways to utilize railing signage at their stadium venues should take a close look at a recent marketing tactic implemented by Mentalgassi, a collective team of three German street artists. Mentalgassi teamed up with Amnesty International to create and feature a series of unique lenticular fence posters on railings across London that helped plead an inmate's innocence.

Lenticular printing is a technology in which a lenticular lens is used to produce images with an illusion of depth, or the ability to change or move as the image is viewed from different angles. The technology was created in the 1940's but has evolved within marketing campaigns in recent years to demonstrate speed and increased depth.

Mentalgassi's tremendous lenticular tactics demonstrate how sports organizations can create unsuspecting illusions that grab the attention of fans in-venue and can act as some terrific new inventory to promote team the products and services of partners. We see a slightly different version of messaging in the sports marketplace with stair signage, but nothing to the effect of the lenticular messaging that Mentalgassi demonstrated with the Amnesty International campaign.

Check out the intriguing tactic below:

Troy Davis: Making the invisible visible from Amnesty International on Vimeo.

Gonzaga Unveils New Microsite for Women's Basketball Program

Gonzaga University celebrated the start of the 2010 women's basketball season by unveiling a new, interactive microsite that serves as an ultimate destination for fans to get all of the content they need. The site, ZagsLocker.com, provides a means for the athletic department to highlight the women's basketball program in a simple yet comprehensive manner and engage with current and prospective fans.

The framework of the site was built with six (6) strategic objectives in mind:

1. Enhance fan engagement throughout the season

a. Fans can upload their personal photos to the site in an effort to win tickets and see their picture featured on the scoreboard, accompanied by a PA mention, at a live game

b. When submitting photos, fans are required to provide their email address, allowing the athletic department to message to them throughout the season

2. Strengthen fan affinity and goodwill via interactive contests and in-game engagement

a. ZagsLocker.com features an "Interact to Win" section that allows fans to reply to specific questions via tweets/Facebook posts to win select prizes. Fan comments made via social media (posts about Gonzaga athletics on Facebook walls; direct messages to/from Gonzaga Athletics on Twitter) provide additional exposure to fans that may not have been communicated to via traditional marketing efforts

3. Provide fans with an inside look at Gonzaga's women's basketball via "Zags TV"

a. ZagsLocker.com features a link to the Official Gonzaga Athletics YouTube page where fans can check out new weekly content of Gonzaga WBB on Zags TV

4. Data mining for future marketing campaigns

a. Gonzaga Athletics is giving away commemorative Sweet Sixteen mini-banners to all fans that register on ZagsLocker.com with their full information. This strategy allows the athletic department to collect useful information for database/marketing purposes and drives additional awareness amongst fans and alumni of the WBB team's past Sweet Sixteen run.

5. Drive season and NCAA tournament ticket sales

a. ZagsLocker.com features a direct link (Buy Tickets button) for fans to purchase season, group, individual, and NCAA tournament tickets throughout the 2010 WBB season

6. Generate merchandise sales

a. Fans have the ability to link to the official online merchandise store to purchase goos by hitting the “Buy Gear” portion in the locker on ZagsLocker.com

Projection Mapping Helps New Balance Make a Splash

The greatest ideas are oftentimes the simplest - especially in the digital age that we live in.

While Nike and adidas spend hundreds of millions of dollars marketing their products, New Balance is benefiting from the insightful work of an artist named Hayoung Jung. Jung created a captivating viral piece promoting the New Balance 1300 shoe using projection mapping that is destined to attract a multitude of views.

The 1:36 viral piece is a simple, yet extremely effective piece as it uses a variety of colors, illuminations, and designs to draw the attention of viewers to the shoe. Check out the amazing video below:

New balance sneaker Projection mapping_01 from Hayoung Jung on Vimeo.

Let Fans Go In-Depth with Facebook Spotlight Features

Sports organizations looking for ways to promote their players (e.g. rookies, free agent signees, veterans) and give fans new, in-depth insights should consider creating a series of Facebook Spotlight Features.

The NBA Summer League did a tremendous job sitting down with NBA prospects Eric Bledsoe and Wesley Johnson to give fans a personal tour of their Facebook accounts and personal life. The video series allowed fans to learn more about their personal experiences and relationships off the court. The players talked about their Draft Day experiences, their birthdays, friends, graduation day, and family. The excercise may be fun to also do with the dance team, mascot, coaches, and fans.

Teams interested in the concept (and can find players willing to share their personal Facebook account) should model the Eric Bledsoe feature (1st video enclosed below) that has a nice, clean picture-in-picture format. Check out the NBA Summer League Facebook video tours below: