Mobilizing Brands - Benchmarking the Tour de France

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With thousands of fans tailgating outside stadiums and arenas every given night, ample opportunities exist for brand marketers to drive consumer impressions and partnership affiliation awareness. As organizations and brand partners continue to analyze opportunities inside stadium parking lots, it's hard to ignore what has become a common practice at the Tour de France.

With limited marketing opportunities along the course, Tour de France sponsors invest their activation dollars into building mobile vehicles designed to entertain fans lining the course. These vehicles, traveling as a parade of sponsors, serve as effective awareness drivers for partnering brands.

Sports organizations in the United States can benchmark this practice of mobilizing sponsors by incorporating them in:

  • Tailgate lot activation (on display; strolling through the tailgate lots)
  • Pre-Game Team Walks (Tiger Walk, etc.; serving as a prelude to the team's arrival)
  • Race Track Activation (driving along a NASCAR track prior to a race or during a caution)
  • Championship Parades
  • Team Festivals
  • Guerrilla Marketing (Operating Co-Branded Vehicles)
  • Retail Activation Displays
  • On-Field Vehicles (Drive on the Warning Track or On-Field During Pre-Game; Stretchers, etc.)
  • Pace Cars During Marathons / Endurance Events

Check out how sponsors are being mobilized at the Tour de France below:

View more presentations from Brian Gainor.

Looking to Promote Horse Racing Sponsorships?

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Are you looking for unique ways to promote upcoming events taking place at a horse track? Are you looking for new ways to drive awareness in the local marketplace?

Sports marketers looking for new ways to drive awareness for racetrack sponsorships should consider taking their show on the road. PMU, a leisure company devoted to conceiving, promoting, and marketing horse betting in France, recently promoted its status as an official partner of the Tour De France with two (2) unique mobile vehicles during a pre-race parade.

The mobile vehicles did a great job driving awareness for its services. Check out some pictures of PMU's activation below:

Nike Takes its Livestrong Campaign to the Streets of New York...

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Are you looking for new ways to engage consumers on-site? Are you looking for ways to give fans a voice as part of an impactful messaging campaign?

Over the years, Nike has done a tremendous job building equity behind the Livestrong campaign, a foundation started by legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong. Over the past few months, the campaign has taken a life of its own in France as well as the United States.

France (featured during the 2nd stage of the Tour de France)

Livestrong created a "Chalkbot" that enables consumers to submit inspirational messages that will be featured on the streets of the Tour de France. The Chalkbot is a trailer mounted device that operates similar to an ink jet printer, spraying messages and graphics on road surfaces. The Chalkbot provided a way for consumers across the world to share words of hope, inspiration, and encouragement with others across the world. Check out the Chalkbot below:

New York City

Livestrong recently aligned with Macy's to bring Macy's Herald Square in New York City to life for consumers. Livestrong representatives set up chalk walls for consumers to send messages of hope, inspiration, and support to those battling cancer and Lance Armstrong on his Tour de France journey. The Livestrong Foundation also outfitted numerous window displays with inspiring messaging campaigns and related elements. Athlete Director Dave features a collection of photos of the event on his Flickr page HERE. Check out some highlights of the event below: