Alaska Air Partners With the Timbers To Create Hilarious Ads

Alaska Air is leveraging its designation as the Official Airline of the Portland Timbers with a series of hilarious commercials that incorporate team stakeholders. The airline's first commercial features Timbers head coach John Spencer giving seat belt instructions to passengers and the second spot features the team's iconic mascot, Timber Joey, helping a passenger with his luggage.

The ads have been very well received by soccer fans, especially amongst the Timbers' loyal following of fans. Check out the two (2) spots below and consider new ways that you can take team partnerships to the next level with a dose of humor. 

Alaska Air Commercial Featuring Timbers Head Coach John Spencer

Alaska Air Commercial Featuring Timber Joey

A special thanks to Alan Cassinelli of UC Santa Barbara Athletics for his insights and contributions to this column!

The Sounders Score with a Humorous Dating Campaign

The Seattle Sounders recently teamed up a local advertising firm named Wexley School for Girls to create a brilliant marketing campaign that is generating a notable amount of buzz around the team's Official Facebook page.

The campaign, entitled "Make a Date with a Sounder", serves as a humorous marketing ploy that introduces fans to the teams' players via mock dating profiles. The campaign features outdoor billboards, TV and radio spots, personal ads in newspapers (under the headline "Sounders Seeking Fans"), video dating profiles on Facebook, and more.

The heart of the "Make a Date with a Sounder" campaign will live on Facebook:

• Six (6) Sounders players feature video dating profiles where they discuss their best qualities, hometowns, pets, hobbies, appearances, and more
• Several Outtakes
• Links to an Ebay site where fans can bid on a "Date with a Sounder", with proceeds benefiting five (5) of the Sounders' charity partners
• Facebook ads will provide a list of dates and make-a-date links that drive fans directly to ticket sites

Check out an example of the Sounders players' video dating profiles below:

Check out the "Make a Date with a Sounder" campaign on the Sounders' Facebook page below:

The Whitecaps Generate Fan Excitement For Their Season Launch with a 30-Day Countdown

The start of the 2011 Major League Soccer season marked a renewed rivalry series between the Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps, and the Portland Timbers. All three (3) soccer clubs have enjoyed 30+ years of history and success but haven't competed against one another since the days of the NASL... 31 years afgo.

Soccer has been a huge success for Major League Soccer in the Northwest over the past two years since the inception the Seattle Sounders FC. In 2010, the team attracted 36,173 fans on average and generated some of the league's highest television ratings. Soccer fever has surely spread to Portland and Vancouver, where both clubs are experiencing a significant amount of success selling season ticket packages as well as suites.

The Vancouver Whitecaps in particular embarked on an aggressive "30-Day Countdown" marketing initiative that featured thirty consecutive days of virals introducing the team to the city of Vancouver, decorating landmarks, interviewing celebrities, displaying 3D billboard projections, and more.

Check out the Whitecaps terrific 30-Day Countdown below ... notably videos #7, #1, $10, and #6!

• Day 30 - City Blitz
• Day 29 - Whitecaps Sushi Roll
• Day 28 - Forever Fans
• Day 27 - The Passion Fans Have for Soccer in Vancouver
• Day 26 - Freestylin' Players
• Day 25 - Just Imagine
• Day 24 - Grouse Ride
• Day 23 - Testing Fan IQ's
• Day 22 - Daniel Sedin Plays a Game of Keep-Up
• Day 21 - A Trip to Fratelli's
• Day 20 - Bryan Adams
• Day 19 - Who to Watch
• Day 18 - Lui Passaglia
• Day 17 - Umberto
• Day 16 - An Interview with Vancouver Legend Trevor Linden
• Day 15 - Ole!
• Day 14 - Office
• Day 13 - Kasey Keller
• Day 12 - Drums
• Day 11 - Show and Tell
• Day 10 - Whitecaps Kit
• Day 9 - Match Beat
• Day 8 - Les Buts
• Day 7 - Light It Up
• Day 6 - Whitecaps Idol
• Day 5 - Interview with Head Coach Teitur Thordarson
• Day 4 - EA Sports
• Day 3 - Youth Soccer
• Day 2 - Southsiders Bar Night
• Day 1 - Scarves
• Match Day

... And here's a great Sounders FC video to get you ready for the 2011 Major League Soccer season!

A special thanks to Aaron Brady for his insights and contributions to this column.

Billboard of the Week - Lotto (Soccer)

Are you looking for new, creative ways to promote the game of soccer? Are you looking to feature a non-traditional outdoor campaign in select markets?

Soccer properties looking for new ways to market their organization should consider benchmarking an outdoor marketing tactic Lotto used around the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The company creatively branded the side of an overpass to resemble a soccer goal that fans walked under towards one of the site locations where a World Cup match was being played.

Check it out below: