Guest Editorial: Foosball by Mahou

Mark Gallo is a Field Media Manager for Anheuser-Busch in the Pacific Northwest. He develops, plans, and executes cross functional/platform media plans using designated brand strategies in conjunction with 30 independent AB wholesalers. Mark's expertise resides in media/sponsorship valuations, contract negotiations, and building relevant brand connections. Follow Mark on Twitter at @guhlo and his official blog here. 

Recently, Budweiser executed a “Poolball” campaign that went viral and was deemed a huge success in Argentina with consumers. Sticking with bar games, Mahou & Madrid Table-Soccer Federation created an entire event revolved around “foosball.”Spain’s legacy with foosball is long and well documented. Mahou  partnered with two of the stars of Spanish football: Iker Casillas (Goalkeeper of Real Madrid) and David Villa (Striker of Barcelona)  to be the face of this campaign.

Mahou erected a large stadium resembling an actual foosball table where 96 teams (Evenly split to support each soccer star) competed to win tickets to an upcoming Real Madrid vs Barcelona, autographed merchandise, a party with the 2 stars  and much more. Mahou found a clever way to promote the intense in-country soccer club rivalry. Generating buzz is one thing that Mahou anticipated. Their ultimate goal is to make relevant connections with consumers who will describe the brand as their “favorite” and act accordingly.

Check out some videos of the Mahou foosball footprint below:

Football Fans Test Their Skills at Bud Light Fan Camp

Anheuser-Busch unveiled its new "Bud Light Fan Camp" display at the 2011 NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame Ceremonies this week in Canton, OH. The elaborate Fan Camp footprint features a number of football-related related activities for fans to enjoy with a Bud Light twist, including:

• An obstacle course that fans race head-to-head through while holding a tray of Bud Light bottles
• A precision pass display where fans are challenged with throwing footballs at moving Bud Light bottle targets while holding a beer
• A cannon catch display where fans have to try to catch (8) different passes moving at high rates of speed and in different directions
• A field goal kick display
• EA Sports Madden NFL '12 competitions
• Flag Football ... and more!

The Bud Light Fan Camp serves as an interactive means to allow fans to enjoy the challenges of training camp while engaging with the brand first-hand. The mobile footprint will travel to 60 cities over the course of a 15-week tour during the Fall.

Fans who participate in the Bud Light Fan Camp display can amass points based on their performances, with the team garnering the most total points winning a trip to the Pro Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii and a chance to compete in the Bud Light Fan Camp Finals the day after the game.

Check out some of the interactive elements from the Bud Light Fan Camp display below:

Obstacle Course

Precision Pass

Cannon Catch

Enclosed below are some additional photos of the footprint:

Clint Dempsey Teams Up with Modelo in a Rare Partnership

Modelo Especial recently announced a sweepstakes opportunity for soccer fans throughout the United States in conjunction with a rare partnership with current United States Men's National Team soccer player Clint Dempsey.

The partnership is unique because the United States sports marketplace does not often see current players align themselves with alcoholic beverage partners, notably International brands. The partnership also ties in a third party media outlet, Sports Illustrated, to host the site and provide additional value to the winners.

Modelo Especial is featuring Dempsey in a national sweepstakes offering soccer fans a chance to win a soccer trip of a lifetime. The brand is supporting the sweepstakes with a television ad, POS, and a terrific microsite that allows fans to play goalie against Dempsey in a virtual shootout competition.

Consumers can win the sweepstakes, which awards five (5) grand prize winners a trip for two to attend an International soccer match of their choosing, by entering via tearpads on Modelo Especial POS displays at retail and online at www.SI.com/Shootout, which hosts the microsite. Residents of California can submit an essay for the chance to win a trip to Europe, interview Dempsey live, and blog about their experience attending a Barclays Premier League match on the Sports Illustrated website. 

Consumers can also scan QR codes on Modelo's POS displays at retail to unlock exclusive Sports Illustrated content about the top 11 soccer players in the world. 

Per a recent Los Angeles Times article, Dempsey doesn't see any issues pitching a Mexican beer brand and is excited to partner with Modelo Especial after growing up near Mexico and learning a lot from Mexican players. However, it's ironic to note that Modelo's television ad featuring Dempsey recently aired shortly after the United States lost to Mexico 4-2 in Gold Cup play in June. 

Check out the campaign and microsite below:

Carlton Tests the Skills of Fans with Massive Magnatron Display

Carlton Draught created a huge splash around the AFL Grand Final in September 2010 by erecting an enormous Magnatron game that offered fourteen (14) lucky contestants a chance to win $100,00 worth of prizes. Carlton created a replica of the game, which consumers commonly play in bars using mini-cranes to pick up plush toys and other small prizes, that stood a massive 10 stories high at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Carlton provided the (14) select contestants with a chance to operate a 30m crane with a 750kg magnet attached to try to pick up a variety of prizes, including a Toyota HiLux vehicle, a 10-year AFL Grand Final hospitality package, and $5,000 cash from a Carlton Draught ATM. Contestants were tasked with positioning the Magnatron over a prize they desired, lining up the magnet, and aiming to ensure that they successfully clasped a valuable item.

Consumers could enter for the chance to be (1) of (14) select participants by participating in an on-pack and/or on-air promotion that Carlton executed in the marketplace. 

Check out the unique Magnatron activation stunt below: 

Heineken Brings its UEFA Association to Life for Fans

HAs the title sponsor of the 2010 UEFA Champions League, Heineken created a fully integrated marketing program that involved social and digital media outreach, consumer sweepstakes, and retail components to drive product sales. The brand activated its affiliation with the UEFA Champions League in 60 markets across and leveraged several messaging channels.

Here is a quick look at some of their UEFA Activation:

UEFA Champions League Watch Party - Dubai

Global Guerrilla Marketing Stunt

Marketplace Activation

Heineken celebrated its affiliation with the UEFA Champions League by building a 8m x 6m x 3m model of Santiago Bernabeu Stadium with 40,000 cans. The structure was built in three (3) weeks and took two (2) full days to assemble. Check it out below:  

Heineken also executed a series of other events in major soccer markets to engage consumers:

Heineken UEFA Cup Trophy Tour

• Heineken teamed up with UEFA for the fourth time to bring the Champions League Trophy tour to the United States for five (5) weeks, visiting major cities across the nation.

Ultimate Fan Page for fans

• Featured exclusive footage, Trophy Tour updates, and a sweepstakes to win a trip to the UEFA Champions League final

Custom POS at Retail

Media

The UEFA Champions League is the most prestigious club soccer tournament in the world, with 150 million viewers across 220 countries and territories tuning in to watch live each week.

For Heineken, It's All About the Experience

Are you looking to create a new, unique mobile marketing campaign? Are you looking for new ways to leverage an alcoholic beverage provider?

In 2008-09, Heineken toured the globe with a captivating mobile marketing tour called the Heineken Extra Cold Experience. The campaign toured major cities across the globe (spanning multiple continents) in an effort to promote the fact that Heineken can be served "extra cold" to drive refreshment.

To demonstrate how consumers feel while drinking an Extra Cold Heineken, the company created a mobile tour experience that featured a collection of engaging elements, including:

• A Big Igloo Experience (Where Premiums Were Distributed)
• An Ice Bar (With Free Samples)
• A Live Stage
• Live DJ Entertainment
• Heineken Models
• Lounging Stations and Giant Ice Cube Chairs

Heineken supported the campaign with a tremendous Facebook Fan Page filled with tons of pictures, videos, and consumer feedback.  

Check out a few videos that detail the incredible experience Heineken is offering consumers (and how they created it):

Check out the Heineken Extra Cold Experience campaign microsite below (geared towards the European marketplace):

Coors Light Offers the Race to Refreshment...

Are you looking for ways to leverage a beverage company around an endurance-related event? Are you looking for new ways to integrate alcoholic beverage companies?

Coors Light is capitalizing on the buzz around the 2009 ING New York City Marathon by partnering with the New York Road Runners to offer a creative "Race to Refreshment" promotion for NYC residents and visiters to enjoy. The promotion enables consumers who stop in ten (10) participating establishments across the NYC boroughs to receive a commemorative medal for finishing.

At each stop, participants must collect two (2) official Race to Refreshment stickers from each of the five (5) boroughs and securely place them on an official pamphlet. Once all ten (10) stickers have been received, consumers are asked to mail the form to a stated address and allow 12-14 weeks for the delivery of their exclusive medal. Coors Light distributors and participating locations will run the promotion from September 15th through November 8th.

As the Official Beer Sponsor of the ING New York City Marathon, Coors Light will also offer "refreshment as cold as the Rockies" to race participants and fans at post-race parties across Manhattan and provide beer for official hospitality events leading up to the race on November 1st.

Check out the promotional pamphlet information below:

Beer Cup Snakes Are Taking Over Cricket...

Are you looking for ways to leverage an official beer sponsor? Are you interested in learning about game entertainment tactics that are popular across the globe?

Cricket fans across the globe - from London, England to Melbourne, Australia - have become infatuated with one of the most unlikely forms of entertainment at cricket matches they attend: Beer Cup Snakes. What the wave is to traditional American sports, the beer cup snake is to the game of cricket.

Fans in the stands at cricket matches make the beer snakes with thousands of empty beer cups, usually sold at concessions stands location within the stadium. The longest beer cup snake was formed at the WACA ground in Perth, Western Australia on New Years Eve 2008. The snake was 45 meters long (50 yards), measuring the length of the Inverarity Stand at the venue.

Once a beer cup snake is formed, fans seated in the crowd try to lift it skyward to make it dance (as if being charmed). However, while beer cup snakes have proven to be extremely popular with cricket attendees, they are often frowned upon by the stadium's security personnel.

What is the significance here for U.S. sports marketers?

1. Do not be surprised if beer cup snakes become a new trend in the United States (it is only a matter of time)
2. Consider ways that the concept of the beer cup snake can be applied to in-game promotions. Beverage partners could consider creating an interactive challenge in-venue where two (2) competing sections have to pass a beer cup snake (a chain of empty cups) down the section to win X prize 

The videos below capture the art of the beer cup snake in action: