Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 09:36AM Metallica's hit song, "Sandman" electrified the crowd of Virginia Tech fans in attendance for the team's game against Georgia Tech on Thursday night. It clearly signifies what college football is all about!
Check it out below:
Thursday, November 4, 2010 at 08:20AM During the month of October, Puma supported Breast Cancer Awareness Month by leveraging its sports affiliations to drive awareness and donations for breast cancer research. Puma created a Project Pink campaign, supported by its partnership with Women's Professional Soccer, that raised $62K+ funds and generated awareness via 17K+ tweets.
Puma highlighted the efforts of campaign through a tremendous digital recap that should serve as a benchmark for any brand/organization looking to highlight the results of their campaign in an impactful, shareable way.
Check it out below:
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at 06:56AM 
Sports organizations looking for new ways to drive merchandise sales should benchmark a recent tactic that major retailers across the nation are adopting. Realizing the success of the Groupon model, Walmart and other retailers are launching special offers that are determined by the number of "likes" they receive via social media.
Walmart recently unveiled a Crowdsaver app on their Facebook page that unlocks a discount price when enough consumers opt in to "like" a product. The promotional offer encourages consumers to share the deal with their friends, family, and colleagues, in an effort to eventually benefit from purchasing said product at a lower price if enough people "like" it.
Walmart tested the promotional pricing model by offering a $500 plasma television at a discount rate of 18% if 5,000 consumers "liked" the product on Facebook and the company received an overwhelming response in less than 24 hours.
Sports organizations can consider creating a similar application/pricing model on their Facebook pages and team websites to drive merchandise sales, ticket sales (if they are in control of inventory), and concessions items. While the model would need to be tested, teams could offer "Deals of the Day" and "Deals of the Week" and where fans can purchase apparel and other merchandise items at a discount price if "X" number of people "like" the item. This promotional model could serve as a great way to drive repeat traffic to social media sites, new interest in apparel and promotional items, drive group ticket sales, and provide new means of value for consumers.
Consider implementing a similar "If the deal gets enough likes, the price drops for everyone" model within your organization!
Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 12:33PM 
The Boston College Athletic Department recently teamed up with the Undergraduate Student Government of Boston College (UGBC) to create an unforgettable Ice Jam Event designed to drive interest in the University's basketball and hockey programs.
Boston College students, alumni, and fans were treated to a free unique sports experience that featured the Conte Forum arena transformed into a half sheet of ice and a half parquet. The BC-style Midnight Madness event allowed fans to enjoy a plethora of entertainment provided by the men's and women's basketball teams and the men's and women's hockey teams.
To make the event truly something special, Boston College Athletics called on legendary sports commentator Bob Costas to serve as celebrity emcee and Vanilla Ice to provide some relevant music entertainment. The Boston College Ice Jam event served as a terrific way to bring the University's college basketball and hockey fans together and build excitement for the four (4) programs' upcoming seasons, especially the defending national champion men's hockey team. Check out some great photos of the event here.
BC student athletes created a humorous viral to drive excitement for the Ice Jam Event:
The BC Athletic Department created a great promotional spot of their own to drive interest in the event:
The Boston College Ice Jam lived up to all expectations, with slam dunk competitions and special guest appearances:
Marketing Tactics, bob costas boston college, boston college basketball, boston college hockey, boston college ice jam, boston college viral, college basketball promotion, college football promotion, hockey basketball promotion, ice jam, ice jam event, ice jam viral, vanilla ice boston college in Promotions / In-Venue Activation Permalink Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 10:34AM The Miami Heat recently unveiled a new player introduction video for the 2010-11 season that has become an instant hit with fans. The vignette, to the tune of Phil Collins' hit song "In the Air Tonight", showcases the team's players in a new, stylish light off the court. The video is non-traditional, yet directly coincides with the Miami lifestyle and culture.
Check it out below:
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 06:42AM Sports organizations looking for new ways to address their fanbase (particularly season ticket holders) need to be very careful with their approach. With fans oftentimes paying a significant amount of discretionary income to attend games, it's crucial that all team communication materials clearly demonstrate the sports organization's goals and objectives in a manner that resonates fans.
Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards, recently posted an "open letter to Wizards fans" detailing 101 Signs of Visible Change. This communication piece is an example of an extremely well crafted message that directly portrays how the Wizards organization is taking the appropriate steps necessary to improve the Wizards' fan experience. Leonsis' strategic approach to the letter - listing out 101 things that fans asked for and addressing them directly with check boxes and clear, direct explanations - was tremendous.
Here are a few examples of other open letters of communication to fans:
Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 11:29PM Organizers of the annual Texas-Oklahoma Red River Rivalry game recently teamed up with Nike and Livestrong to execute a unique card stunt in support of Livestrong Day. The three parties collaborated to raise cancer awareness by performing a cancer-focused card stunt during the game.
The card stunt was a very exciting moment for fans in attendance as it signified how they can unite in the fight against cancer. The stunt was just one of 1,000+ events that took place across the world in celebration of Livestrong Day, the annual global day of action to celebrate survivorship and work toward a world without cancer.
Check out the Red River Rivalry Livestrong card stunt was executed below:
Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 10:49PM 
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:
Sunday, September 19, 2010 at 10:20AM Each and every football weekend, sports marketers need to consider ways that they can recreate the stadium experience for thousands of viewers at home. With social media, marketers have a very cost-effective platform to bring stadium entertainment to life for fans to watch during the week, before games, and after huge victories.
Quality content that can be captured and rebroadcasted via social media can include:
As an example of capturing quality game day footage, enclosed is a great video that lets fans experience the thrills of a skydiver gliding into a stadium packed with 80,000+ screaming fans before a rivalry game. Capture these special moments for your fan base!
Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 08:10AM Nike does a terrific job demonstrating the life cycle of its brand in a recent piece created for the Czech football club AC Sparta Praha. In the spot, Nike demonstrates how an athlete matures with the brand throughout the various stages in his/her life. From birth to adolescence to playing professionally, there is one constant in sports - wearing the same brand of apparel because you believe in it.
The low-budget spot is extremely well done and serves as a great benchmark for any brand looking to showcase how consumers use their brand throughout the various stages of their lives.
Friday, September 3, 2010 at 07:47AM Sports organizations looking to create new, compelling content during the offseason should consider creating pieces that speak directly to their fanbase. As members of a fan base, individual fans regularly conform to the attitudes, behaviors, and values of their fellow peers. That is why Eagles, Raiders, and Cowboys fans love being who they are. As a result, it's important for teams and brands to understand the attitudes and behaviors of their avid fanbase and speak directly to them with compelling story telling.
Nike recently produced a terrific piece about the fans of the historic Brazilian soccer club Corinthians, entitled "30 Million Strong", that serves as a benchmark for brands and organizations looking to demonstrate how well they truly understand and value their fanbase. In the piece, Nike showcases how Corinthians is more than just a soccer club, it's "the people's team", a republic and lifestyle for fans.
Nike is using the viral piece to drive membership of its Corinthians Facebook Fan Page - a great idea!
Check it out below:
Monday, August 30, 2010 at 08:44PM Dana White, the current President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and social media extraordinaire, recently teamed up with Digital Royalty to provide the sport's fans with unprecedented access.
Prior to the UFC 118 Event in Boston on Saturday Night, Dana White tweeted out a phone number to his 4.5MM Twitter followers that allowed UFC fans to call him directly and share their predictions for the fights on tap that night. Within seconds, White received a call from a loyal UFC fan and shortly thereafter heard from a number of other fans from across the world.
Amy Martin of Digital Royalty documented White's "Fan Phone" strategy and created a video case study that she recently posted online to help bridge the gap that exists between the virtual and physical worlds. Check it out below!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 07:57AM Sports organizations looking to post unique content on their websites, social media channels, and related pages should consider creating a "Day in the Life" series that provides fans with an inside glimpse of the lives of their players.
Chicago Blackhawks RW Patrick Kane, a Buffalo native, recently began his day with the Stanley Cup trophy by bringing it to Niagara Falls for an iconic photo shoot. Kane, sporting a red Blackhawks jersey, was greeted by a pack of fans as he arranged to bring the Stanley Cup to the Hurricane Deck at Bridal Veil Falls. Kane posed for several photos holding the Stanley Cup up high while getting soaked by water falling down on him from the Falls.
The moment was truly memorable and was a spectacle that hockey fans around the globe would love to see. A number of fans on-site captured raw footage of the action, which serves as great viral pieces for teams to promote on their site, blogs, and social media channels - especially in a day and age where teams are looking to provide exclusive content to fans 365 days per year.
Check out some videos of the action below:
Source: NHL.com
Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 06:41AM Sports organizations looking for new, creative ways to drive sales of tickets and select merchandise should consider modeling a tactic recently implemented by the San Francisco Giants. The Major League Baseball Club's marketing department created a terrific infomercial spot to promote Tim Lincecumb wigs (called Timmy Wigs) the team is selling for $10 at the ballpark. Lincecumb, the team's ace who has won the last two NL Cy Young Awards is a fan favorite in the Bay Area and one of the league's shining stars.
Since the team created the infomercial spot, Timmy Wig sales have skyrocketed and the video is on its way to becoming a huge viral hit.
Informercials are becoming a relatively mainstream practice in the sports business space as teams and athletes have used them to drive buzz in the social media marketplace. As you will note, the Minnesota Timberwolves created a Mr. Love Miracle Glass Cleaner spot in 2009 to promote Kevin Love as ROY and Vitaminwater has used Steve Nash, 50 cent, and Kobe Bryant in several infomercial spots.
Hats off to the San Francisco Giants on a well executed merchandise campaign! Check it out below:
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 10:21PM The University of South Carolina Athletics Department recently launched a terrific new promotional microsite to drive fan excitement for the upcoming 2010 football season. The site features a number of interactive elements that have generated a significant amount of interest amongst the University's avid fanbase following USC Athletics across the nation.
The site's unique features include:
The site's interactive elements have delivered immediate results. In just two weeks, the USC football microsite generated 45,000 hits, 1,700 registrations, and 300+ photo uploads. These figures will only continue to rise as football season draws near. Check back to learn about additional ways the University of South Carolina Athletics Department is engaging fans on-site and online!
Sunday, August 1, 2010 at 10:44PM Are you looking for new ways to drive consumer interest and awareness at retail? Are you looking for new ways to bring window displays to life?
Nike recently celebrated the completion of the World Cup at its Nike Stadium retail location in London by adorning 17 5m x 3m window panels with portraits of Nike's key athlete endorsers in the soccer space. Nike turned to London-based artist HelloVon to create the spectacular mural display, which spanned the length of Oxford St. in London.
Check it out below:
Source: ItsNiceThat.com
Friday, July 30, 2010 at 12:41AM As Gatorade begins to experience an early pickup in sales after taking a drastic blow during the recession, it would be very refreshing to see the brand breathe new life by releasing a set of viral videos that feature professional football players giving Gatorade showers to unsuspecting consumers in public settings.
The company is currently dedicating a significant amount of attention to its varieties brands, "Prime" and "Recover" and educating consumers about the benefits of drinking Gatorade before and after workouts. To help drive home this message, it would be terrific to see the company release a set of virals that feature ordinary gym-goers getting drenched with a Gatorade shower by a group of professional athletes after finishing an arduous workout.
Where did this thinking originate from?
The Chicago Bears recently teamed up with Gatorade to film a terrific commercial that supports the team's marketing strategy of "One City, One Team". In the spot, Bears linemen Tommie Harris and Anthony Adams gave a Gatorade shower to an unsuspecting reporter who acted as a good samaritan earlier by picking up a piece of trash. The spots are humorous, effectively tie a natural element from football sidelines across the nation to every day settings, and could definitely be a huge hit in the social media marketplace.
Check out two videos below that capture the photo shoot that the Chicago Bears recently shot with Gatorade at Chase Plaza.
Source: ABC7Chicago.com
Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at 09:46PM Are you looking for new ways to promote team/player affiliations in high-traffic outdoor settings? Are you looking for new ways to "own" subway and train stations?
Nike leveraged is "Write the Future" World Cup campaign in Denmark by giving a subway station in Norreport a complete makeover. The campaign was designed to demonstrate Nike's support for Denmark footballer Nicklas Bendtner, with the hope that he could guide his team to the promise land and become a leading scorer in the World Cup.
Check out Nike's terrific metro station branding initiative in the video and photos enclosed below:
Monday, July 5, 2010 at 11:15AM As sports properties look for new ways to engage fans through non-traditional channels, they should take a close look at how Dana White and UFC are utilizing Twitter to reward their followers.
White is using the official Twitter account of UFC and his own personal Twitter profile to host a #Hunt4UFC scavenger hunt that rewards UFC fans with a variety of prizes. To drive awareness for upcoming fights, White provides a call-to-action to fans via Twitter, posting his location and offering up a prize to the first person who can meet him at that location and repeat a message, etc.
White recently posted a viral piece that shows a fan tracking him down to win free UFC gloves within just 3 minutes and 33 seconds of his post... a pretty remarkable feat! UFC's originality and authentic approach to using Twitter has driven an avid fan following online (White has 1,115,000+ followers; UFC has 139K followers).
Check out the video below and consider new ways that your organization can use Twitter and various other channels to reward fans through non-trational means!
A special thanks to Chris Boggs of GMR Marketing for his insights and contributions to this column.
Monday, July 5, 2010 at 10:19AM Brands and retail partners looking for new ways to impact consumers in a retail setting should take a close look at a recent strategy implemented by Centauro, Brazil's largest sporting goods chain. Just prior to the World Cup, Centauro impacted thousands of consumers shopping for Brazilian soccer apparel across the country with the use of a simple, weighted hanger.
There is a common expression in Brazil that every time a player sports the country's distinct yellow soccer jersey, they are wearing the weight of Five World Titles on their shoulders. That is because Brazil has won more championships (5) than any other team in World Cup history.
Centauro capitalized on this expression by hanging all of the Brazil World Cup jerseys in its stores on a special 2kg hanger that sported a branded tag, "Feel the Weight of Five World Titles". The simple, weighted hanger became an unexpected and impacting communication platform, driving curiosity and buzz amongst consumers at retail. The campaign, implemented across 120 retail locations, served as an effective way for Centauro to drive awareness for its Brazilian jersey offerings in-store.
Check out a viral piece that captured consumer reactions in-store below:
Source: AdsoftheWorld.com