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.