Hublot Teams Up with Manchester United for a Unique Watch Promotion

Over the past few years, several watch companies have begun investing large sums of dollars on event partnerships, athlete endorsements, team partnerships, and more. As sports organizations look to leverage partnerships in this category in new ways, many should consider benchmarking a promotional tactic that Hublot and Manchester United partnered on in 2010.

Luxury watchmaker Hublot teamed up with Manchester United to host a Million Dollar Challenge event in New York City that featured several players as well as manager Sir Alex Ferguson shooting soccer balls at a giant target (replicating a Hublot watch) for the chance to raise funds for UNICEF. As part of the promotion, Manchester United players were challenged with striking a giant replica watch with a shot from 51 feet away to donate $1 million to UNICEF, a philanthropic entity that ManU has supported for 10+ years.

While no player successfully accomplished the feat, Hublot still donated a significant amount of money to UNICEF and generated buzz worldwide with the event. The PR stunt demonstrates how organizations can create engaging activation/PR stunt displays for watch companies that will attract consumer interest and attention. Consider ways that your team can benchmark this tactic to bring official watch partnerships to life!

Check out Hublot's activation tactic below:

5 members of Manchester United try to score $1 million for UNICEF

Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Darren Fletcher and Edwin van der Sar are taking part in the Hublot Million Dollar Challenge, in which they'll try to hit a target masked as a giant Hublot watch from 51 feet, hoping to raise valuable funds for a great cause.

Georgia State Offers a "Power Hour" Delivery Guarantee to Drive Ticket Sales

Georgia State Athletics recently announced an intriguing "Power Hour" promotion that is designed to drive ticket sales and buzz prior to the University's first football game on Friday, September 2nd.

On Thursday, August 18th, Georgia State Athletics is running a "Power Hour" ticket promotion guaranteeing that any fans who purchase season tickets between 10am-5pm that day will have them delivered within one (1) hour or else they get them for free. It's important to note that the guarantee is only good for individuals who live within a two (2) mile radius of the GSU Sports Arena but nonetheless, it's a terrific, captivating promotional idea.

The first ten (10) fans who take advantage of the Power Hour offer will also receive a free $20 gift card to Six Feet Under restaurant - an offer that is available to all potential ticket holders regardless of their home address. The GSU Athletic Department is also planning on featuring its mascot, Pounce, in a cage on top of the ticket box office to generate buzz and help the Department achieve its goal of driving 25 new season ticket sales that day. 

Reebok Uses an Athlete-Operated Mechanical Bull to Generate Buzz at the Super Bowl

Reebok leveraged its designation as the NFL's Official Apparel Supplier at Super Bowl XLV with an outstanding 50'x100' hospitality space designed to host media members, VIP's, clients, partners, and friends of the brand. Reebok teamed up with Synergy Events to create the interactive area and host a star-studded media event on the Friday prior to the Super Bowl.

Reebok called on its newest spokesperson, Erin Andrews, and nine-time World Champion rodeo athlete Ty Murray to host a Cowboy Up! media event that featured Reebok athletes Peyton and Eli Manning, Chad Ochocinco, DeMarcus Ware, and Randy Couture operating a mechanical bull by swinging training ropes and running on treadmills. The players were encouraged to swing ropes and run on treadmills as quickly as possible to make the bull buck harder, thereby throwing Randy Couture to the mat. 

The activation space created a terrific PR event for the brand and successfully engaged media members and important stakeholders throughout Super Bowl weekend.

Check out a clip detailing Reebok's Super Bowl activation tactics below:

SL Benfica Uses a Pitch Invasion to Drive Awareness

Brands looking for new ways to capture the attention of thousands of fans in-venue and a multitude of others watching at home should take a close look at the following video, which showcases how SL Benfica, a Portugal banking institution, leveraged fans streaking to drive awareness for their brand.

While streaking (referred to as a pitch invasion in the spot) is commonly frowned upon in the United States and abroad, SL Benfica worked with the appropriate stakeholders (Portugese Football Federation, participating teams, actors, police, etc.) to create a special on-field moment that resonated with fans. While the correlated figures seem a little extraordinary, it was a terrific concept that was well executed during the match.

Check out the spot below: