Partnership Activation 2.0 - December Newsletter

Are you looking for the latest and great best practices in the sports marketplace? Are you looking for new ways to leverage corporate partners?

Take a moment to check out the December 2009 Partnership Activation 2.0 monthly newsletter. If you like what you see, please pass it along to friends as a FREE holiday gift.

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• Custom Music Videos
• The Best Utilization of Twitter in College Athletics
• Hosting Events in Nontraditional Venues
• Charlotte Checkers Partnership Spotlight
• Details on SportBusiness Newslines
• The December Recipients of the Partnership Activation Rising Stars Program
• 2010 World Cup
• Ways to Leverage a Taco Bell Partnership
• Creative Activation Tactics

Check out the December 2009 Issue now... and don't forget to pass it along to some friends!

Activation of the Day - The 100 Yard Shot

Prior to Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, 225 football fans participated in a 100-yard long shot promotion courtesy of Shotsticks, Sobieski Vodka, and Bartender in the Box. The act served as a great publicity stunt for the brands and provides a benchmark for brands who are looking to engage fans in the tailgate lots prior to a major event.

Partnership Activation 2.0 - November Newsletter

Are you looking for the latest and great best practices in the sports marketplace? Are you looking for new ways to leverage corporate partners?

Take a moment to check out the November 2009 Partnership Activation 2.0 monthly newsletter. If you like what you see, please pass it along to three (3) new industry contacts who also may enjoy some of the insights shared in the newsletter.

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• Canstruction Events
• Giving Meaning to Retail
• Creating a Superstar Experience for Fans
• Farmers Insurance Group Partnership Spotlight
• Details on The Business of Sports Network
• The November Recipients of the Partnership Activation Rising Stars Program
• 2009 NFL International Series Insights
• Ways to Leverage a Corona Partnership
• Creative Activation Tactics

Check out the November 2009 Issue now... and don't forget to pass it along to some friends!

Also, this month, we are excited to announce a special Holiday offer from our partners at adidas Eyewear for 25% off retail prices. To take advantage of this special deal, log on to www.promotive.com and enter the code 057C-5FDD-DAED-F443 in the “have a code” box.  Once you enter the code, register and receive 25% off any pair of sunglasses you purchase!

*For those interested in subscribing/unsubscribing to the newsletter distribution list (who have not already done so), please send an email to newsletter@partnershipactivation.com and include "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" in the subject line. Please also include your full name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing.

The 10 Best Sports Billboard Themes of 2009

Partnership Activation has compiled a top 10 list of the best sports billboard themes of 2009. The deck is filled with a collection of tremendous out-of-home marketing ideas that will help you grow your brand. With billboards becoming an integral part of the marketing mix, this is a must-see! 

Hint: to be able to see the deck clearly, click "Full" in the menu bar below the powerpoint below - If you would like to download a copy of the presentation, please click HERE.

Teams Strike Gold with Crossbar Challenges...

Are you looking for new ways to entertain fans at halftime? Are you looking to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for one lucky fan?

Sports organizations should consider offering more promotions that put the skills of fans to the test. This practice, seen commonly overseas in the rugby and football circuits, serves as a great way to engage all fans in attendance during halftime festivities and also provides sponsors a chance to capitalize on aligning with a memorable in-game moment.

While most organizations commonly implement halftime entertainment that tasks fans with scoring to win, most should consider ways to alter these type of promotions to challenge fans in unique ways: 

• Football - Challenge one (1) select fan with hitting the field goal posts/crossbar
• Hockey - Challenge one (1) select fan with trying to hit the post (instead of scoring)
• Soccer - Challenge fans with hitting the crossbar (instead of scoring)
• Rugby - Challenge fans with hitting the crossbar
• Basketball - Challenge fans with banking a shot in off the glass

Here are two (2) great examples of Crossbar Challenges serving as a highlight at games played overseas:

Rugby

During a recent English rugby match, one lucky fan took home 250,000 euros after successfully hitting the crossbar with a punt (while not wearing shows) during a halftime Crossbar Challenge event. The winner, rugby fan Stuart Tanner, became an instant household name after coverage of the promotion was picked up by several major media outlets. See the stunt below:

Soccer

EPL club Stoke City recently held a halftime Crossbar Challenge at Britannia Stadium featuring a collection of team mascots and boxers Ricky Hatton and Scott Lawton. One contestant electrified the crowd by hitting the crossbar. 

The Crossbar Challenge also serves as a tremendous feature to include in media broadcasts of soccer matches (as seen by the Leyton Orient team challenge below):

Use Billboards to Capitalize on Team Affinity...

Are you looking for new ways to capitalize on team affiliation? Are you looking for creative tactics to promote a partnership in the local marketplace?

Brand managers looking to capitalize on team affinity should consider modeling the Dunkin' Donuts guerrilla billboard strategy detailed below. With more sports organizations turning to outdoor media to promote ticket sales, community initiatives, and re-branding initiatives, sponsors have a unique opportunity to drive affiliation awareness by leveraging neighboring billboards.

By simply using an arrow technique (as pictured below), sponsors and ambush marketers can imply association with sports organizations through outdoor billboards. The trouble is often the planning ahead of time (knowing where and when the team's billboards will go up) but most uncertainty can be limited by analyzing historical placement.

Sponsors can drive home team affiliation using a variety of messaging campaigns:

• Great Teams (arrow pointing to team logo) Drink Great Beverages (arrow pointing to sponsor logo)
• Go Big (arrow point to team sponsor logo) or Go Home (pointing to a competitor's logo who was recently eliminated from the playoffs)
• The "Heavenly" Association
• Great Team (arrow pointing to team logo), Great Beer
• Fast Teams (arrow pointing to team logo) Drive Fast Cars (arrow pointing to sponsor logo)