Tourism New Zealand Uses a Giant Rugby Ball Experience to Generate Buzz

Over the past four years, Tourism New Zealand has set the bar extremely high for "Official Tourism Partners" looking to maximize their partnership affiliations around jewel events. In 2007, Tourism New Zealand unveiled a giant inflatable rugby ball that was built to generate awareness and exposure for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Since the official launch of the giant rugby ball (branded 100% Pure New Zealand 2011), it traveled to Paris, London, Tokyo, and Sydney before returning back to New Zealand for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The ball has hosted 75,000+ visitors and generated millions of impressions as press from countries across the world have covered it.

The most amazing aspect of Tourism New Zealand's giant rugby ball is the experience it delivers for visitors. Those who tour the ball are treated to an immersive audio-visual experience where they can learn firsthand about the heritage, landscapes, and culture of New Zealand as well as various tourism offerings that the country has to offer. A series of entertainers and cultural performers also bring New Zealand's culture to life for consumers while they wait in line to enter the giant rugby ball. At night, high-impact images of New Zealand's culture and tourism offerings are projected onto the ball for all to see.

Check out some interesting facts about the tourism spectacle here as well as some videos below that showcase the ball and the unique experience it delivers for consumers:

Overview of Tourism New Zealand's Giant Rugby Ball:

Installation of the Giant Rugby Ball:

Visitor Experience Within the Giant Rugby Ball

Giant Rugby Ball Opening Ceremony:

St. George Bank Uses a Vault to Engage Fans On-Site

St. George Bank recently teamed up with Traffik, Australia's leading experiential marketing agency, to create a terrific bank vault activation display in support of its official naming rights sponsorship of the St. George Bank Dragons, a professional Australian rugby team.

St. George Bank and Traffik devised a "Bolt for the Vault" halftime entertainment challenge that provides fans a chance to crack the code of a massive 2m x 2m bank vault for the chance to instantly win $5,000. Once the vault is launched at the team's Round 8 National Rugby match against the Parramatta Eels, it will remain a permanent fixture in the stadium at home Dragons games throughout the 2011 season.

St. George Bank has been a proud sponsor of the team for 30+ years and has worked with Traffik to create engaging experiential campaigns for over ten years.

The bank vault concept serves as a great way for financial partners to engage and reward fans on-site at sporting events, whether it's a part of halftime entertainment or an activation display. By creating an element of suspense along with providing a chance to win, banks can easily win over a fan base looking for additional entertainment value at live sporting events. Check out some photos of Traffik's execution below!

Vodafone Makes a Clear Sponsorship Statement

With all of the advertising and sponsorship clutter in the sports and entertainment space, when was the last time your brand directly explained to consumers how you are effectively leveraging your partnerships to benefit the fans and the sport?

The video below, detailing Vodafone's supporting partnership of the Vodafone Warriors rugby team, is a tremendous, "must watch" piece for anyone working in sports business.

The video effectively:

• Explains the brand's partnership positioning in support of the Vodafone Warriors, a New Zealand rugby club (and details the duration of the partnership)
• Recognizes the passion and affinity of the Vodafone Warriors' fan base
• Demonstrates their commitment to enhancing the fan experience for Warriors' supprters
• Describes the impact the partnership has made on the sport of rugby in relation to that of other team/league sponsors
• Details how the brand has built a community that fosters interaction and fan support on an annual basis
• Describes how the partnership ties back to their direct business initiatives
• Promotes the interactive features, content, and games that Vodafone offers the Warriors' fanbase
• Details activation tactics

Check it out here!

A special thanks to Kim Skildum-Reid of Power Sponsorship for her insights and contributions to this column.

The Big Game 2 Proved Huge for Samsung Mobile and Vodafone

Are you looking for effective ways to leverage premier sporting events? Are you looking to align with multiple brands to activate on-site?

Samsung Mobile and Vodafone teamed up to feature a tremendous activation campaign at the Big Game 2, a rugby match played between the Harlequins and Wasps at Twickenham Stadium in January. The two (2) brands aligned their activation efforts to support the launch of the Vodafone 360 Samsung H1 Handset, the first Samsung offering to deliver Vodafone's new social networking and entertainment Internet services.

Check out their on-site activation efforts in this terrific 5:30 video recap below!

Have You Brought on a Wine Partner?

Are you looking for new ways to leverage wine partners? Are you looking to fill new sponsorship categories?

Wolf Blass, an Australian wine brand, is leveraging its official sponsorship of the RBS 6 Nations Cup (a globally recognized rugby tournament) with a $2MM marketing campaign designed to highlight similarities between the brand and the sport. The campaign draws attention to three (3) brand attributes - quality, passion, and character - that closely associate with the sport of rugby and resonate well with fans.

Wolf Blass will feature its sponsorship-related messaging through a variety of channels - television, print, outdoor, online, and at retail. The company is complementing its messaging with a promotion that enables consumers the chance to win "Ultimate Sports Prizes" via an in-store neck collar promotion (including VIP ticket packages to the Ryder Cup, premiership football matches, etc.).

Wolf Blass' partnership with the RBS 6 Nations Cup should serve as a benchmark for U.S. sports organizations looking to fill the wine category and fully leverage a partnership. Look for more examples to come in the near future.

Check out some of Wolf Blass' outdoor messaging below:

A special thanks to Matthew Carlton of XtremeInsight.com for his insights and contributions to this column. Source: Marketing Magazine.