Volkswagen Scores With Its On-Site Branding...

In May of 2008, Volkswagen signed on as an official "jersey sponsor" of DC United as well as the official automobile partner of the MLS. In total, the company is paying approximately $4.5MM annually ($3.1-3.7MM team/$1-$2MM league), but they are making sure that they receive every penny's worth of their partnership investments.

Volkswagen has done an incredible job "branding" the fan experience at DC United home games played at RFK Stadium in a non-intrisuive manner. I have added a Volkswagen Activation Gallery, detailing some of the automobile manufacturer's on-site branding tactics, which include:

• Retro-VW Clock Signage (mirrors a speedometer - this is innovative and unique asset - my favorite on-site!)
• Volkswagen Garage - an interactive display on-site at the playing level
• Provides significant in-venue visibility and serves as an excellent way for consumers to interact with the product
• Serves as a hospitality area and vehicle showroom with space for 1,000 visitors
• Offers a brand experience featuring soccer-based car games, t-shirt screen printing, branded merchandise, hammocks, Fifa XBox 260 gaming stations, and Adirondack chairs for relaxing 
• Free parking for the first fifty (50) Volkswagen drivers on-site in Lot 4
• VW-sponsored halftime entertainment
• Uniform Branding (team, goalie, mascot, children)
• Product display in-venue and out-of-venue
• Mid-field Display Signage
• Large Crowd-Surfing VW Jersey
• Branded Premium Items (VW Bags, Branded Foam Fingers)
• Field Boards and a Variety of Stadium Signage
• Mini VW Go-Kart Vehicles for Children to Sit In On-Site
• Free VW Logo Screenprint for Outdated Team Jerseys On-Site
• Sponsor of DC United's Soccer Celebration Event

With it's MLS partnership, Volkswagen receives rights to utilize league and collective team marks and the logos and marketing assets at the MLS All-Star Game and the MLS Cup.

Volkswagen's variety of branding techniques will ensure that every consumer will leave RFK Stadium knowing that it is a major supporter of the DC united soccer club, a feat that all corporate partners look to achieve. Volkswagen's on-site branding should serve as a benchmark for all venue naming rights/jersey sponsorship rightsholders looking to maximize their partnership agreements.

L.A. Hits A Homer with Universal Studios...

Have you considered signing a local theme park on as a corporate partner? Have you considered innovative ways to reward your fanbase based on team performance?

The LA Dodgers are currently leveraging their partnership with Universal Studios with an in-game offer that promotes the park's new mega attraction, The Simpsons Ride. The Dodgers created "Hit a Homer", a promotion that rewards fans in attendance with one (1) free kids ticket with one (1) adult paid admission to the Universal Studios theme park when a Dodger fan hits a homerun during the 5th inning of any home game during the 2008 season. Tickets are redeemable by bringing in and surrendering the Dodgers game ticket stub to a Universal Studios Hollywood ticket booth.

The Dodgers are also offering six (6) "Universal Studios Hollywood Free Kids Ticket" nights where children ages 15 and under can get into the game for free with one (1) paid adult admission. The team uses outfield "Play In Our Park" signage and LED ribbon board signage to drive awareness of the promotion; a practice that actually caught my eye during SportsCenter yesterday morning.

The Dodgers also helped drive awareness for the promotion by having Homer Simpson throw out the first pitch one night, as demonstrated by the clip below:

How Long Are Your Fans Waiting In Line?

When was the last time you took into consideration how long your fans were having to wait in line for concessions? Or at the ticket/Will Call booths? Or inside your team gift shop? Or the bathroom?

Have you created any solutions to help justify this issue? Or considered the fact that a fans displeasure for waiting in line could directly affect their overall game experience, especially if they happen to miss a big play?

The reason that I propose these questions i because M/A/R/C Research* recently released a report that states:

• Overall, customers are staisfied (79% extremely/very satisfied) with an average wait time of about four (4) minutes or less
• Optimal wait time varies slightly by store/service category, but satisfaction decreases drastically as wait times increase above four minutes
• Generally, older consumers ages 45-64 are more satisfied with wait times when compared to younger consumers ages 25-44
• Long wait times can impact a store's bottom line (concessions in this case). Approximately 10% of customers state that they will forgo a purchase if the line is too long. In fact, 43% of consumers state that long lines aftter their decisions to shop at specific places/locations

As a result, teams should begin to consider a number of alternatives to entertain and distract consumers while they wait in line for purchase. Tactics can include:

• Equip staffers with a pocket full of coupons, free samples or other goodies they can give to shoppers as a thank-you while they are waiting in line or providing feedback on their game experience
• Interactive brand experiences; creative branding
• Cheerleader/dancer/mascot appearances
• Photo opportunities (companies like PictureU offer capabilities for fans to have a picture taken on a digital camera that is very similar to "green screen" technology)
• Offer premiums (courtesy of concessions, corporate partners) to fans while waiting in line
• Offer technology (Kangaroo television handsets, iPods where fans can listen to team music/watch team highlights) featuring informative and entertaining content
• Enable persons seated in certain sections to make handmade signs, etc.
• Product trial (food, drinks, etc.)

*June 2008 M/A/R/C Research Report (Measure - A Measurement of the Retail Experience). This particular survey measured the impact length of check out times have on store sales.

The PGA Tour Presents the Kodak Challenge...

Kodak and the PGA Tour recently announced the creation of The Kodak Challenge, an inagural competition that provides players on the PGA Tour with a chance to win $1MM in an eighteen (18) hole competition. Beginning in January of 2009 (coincidentally when Tiger Woods returns), select PGA Tournaments will feature a Kodak Challenge hole. The player that manages to post the lowest score relative to par on eighteen (18) of the Kodak Challenge holes will win the cool $1MM prize.

The Kodak Challenge holes will be pre-determined by Kodak, the PGA Tour, and an advisory board of officials... Players must play at least eighteen (18) holes to be eligible to win. Kodak touts the underlying objective of the promotion as a way to celebrate and capture the PGA's beautiful holes and memorable moments... In other words, develop an innovative promotional concept that drives some direct publicity and attention (and hopefully camera sales) back to Kodak.

Kodak will drive consumer engagement with interactive content available at pgatour.com/kodakchallenge. The promotion is Kodak's way of activating its six (6) year agreement with the PGA Tour, which also includes corporate hospitality benefits and digital scoreboard branding.

I am not sure yet how I feel about the promotion... A lot will depend on Kodak's ability to execute the idea and draw enough fan and player interest... I would be a lot more drawn in if there was an aspect that tied back to golf fans (either on television or attending each tournament where the Kodak Challenge is featured)... To drive consumer affinity, why doesn't Kodak:

• Create an online offer for a few select fans to be paired up with participating PGA Tour golfers with the chance to win $1MM (i.e. Century 21 Home Run Derby, where the player can win a select consumer a house)
• Incorporate fans into the hole voting
• Ask fans to submit their best photos of the selected holes for a chance to win Kodak prizes, etc.
• Activate on-site with an interactive golf simulator that enables fans to shoot for the closest-to-the-flag position for the chance to win Kodak gear/trip to see the final tournament hole played out
• Provide fans with a unique opportunity to have their picture taken on the selected hole of each tournament on the Sunday night after the evening takes place (with a select PGA Tour player)
• Set up a similar consumer promotion offering four (4) select winners the chance to play the nation's eighteen (18) best public courses (travel included) for the chance to win $500,000 or a lifetime supply of Kodak supplies and/or a trip to the Masters

Detroit Digs the Octopus Come Playoff Time...

Are you looking for a unique component to feature in your pre-game introductions? Has your organization capitalized on leveraging its mascot and/or historical elements?

During the playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings do something very unique that leverages the team's "Legend of the Octopus" tradition. The team features a large octopus, nicknamed "Al", that emerges from the video board onto the ice during pre-game introductions and then drifts up into the stadium's rafters... It is pretty incredible, check it out:

The octopus tradition stems from Red Wings fans throwing an octopus onto the ice at every home game for good luck. The giant octopus is nicknamed "Al" after Red wings ice manager Al Sobotka, who generally cleans up all of the octopuses that are thrown onto the ice during the game and usually will wave them above his head to get the crowd going. The tradition of throwing octopus on the ice in Detroit dates back to 1952 when an owner of a local fish market threw one from the stands onto the ice. At that time, the octopus' eight legs represented the eight wins it took to win the Stanley Cup and it has been a tradition ever since.

Dig deep into your team's historical roots to add value and entertainment to your pre-game festivities!

Are You Looking to Gain the Support of Consumers Nationwide?

Are you looking to win over consumers to drive your product sales? Are you looking to drive the affinity that consumers have for your brand? Then make your brand stand for something, which is exactly what Jim Beam is doing with its new campaign, "Save Our Ballpark Name" - www.saveourname.com

Jim Beam's Save Our Ballpark Name" campaign centers around the push to keep the Wrigley Field name intact. Beam has taken the position as the voice of the consumers (Cubs fans, Chicago natives, traditional sports fans, and consumers across the globe) to end the thought of selling the naming rights to Wrigley Field. 

This really is an innovative promotional concept. Why? Because Jim Beam has found an innovative way to leverage the power of its brand to serve as the voice of consumers across the globe. The campaign is all about the voice of the people (Beam's brand has taken a "supporting" role) but this is such a smart play for Beam because they are driving considerable brand awareness and hopefully in their case, brand affinity.

On the campaign's page, Beam takes a backseat and really places the issue and consumers' opinions at the forefront by explaining the issue, offering an online petition, letting consumers voice their opinions, and providing the latest news. Beam is going to support its online movement by featuring the campaign on a billboard that overlooks Wrigley and distributing t-shirts and bumper stickers to consumers.

If you have a moment, check out the promotion and sign the petition to keep the Wrigley Field name intact!

ESPN Recaps the Top 10 In-Game Fan Contests...

ESPN does a pretty good job in the clip below detailing "The Top 10 Best Fan Contests"... This clip may be worth your while to watch for 3 minutes to get a grasp of some in-game contests that have been run over the past decade...For venues that host both a football and soccer franchise, I love the idea of having a fan kick both a field goal and a long soccer kick to win a big prize (#10).

A 40-Foot Chick-Fil-A Cow Is Coming... To Turner Field

Chick-Fil-A recently announced that on June 20th, the company will be unveiling a 40-foot tall, 15,000 pound "tomahawk chopping mechanical cow" at Turner Field... The Best Part? The 40-foot cow will be adorned with an Atlanta Braves Hat and a board that reads "Du Tha Chop. Eat Tha Chikin." The cow will lead the chop at every game with a extendable arm that bends 90 degrees in the motion of the chop.

The massive cow will be situated between the stadium's infamous Coke Bottle and the out-of-town scoreboard in left field and will serve as a great consumer engagement piece in-venue. The giant cow ties into Chick-fil-A's "Eat More Chikin" campaign and was designed to enhance the fan experience at Turner Field, which I am definitely sure it will... And the cow will be leading fan interaction for years - Chick-Fil-A signed a five (5) year agreement to feature the cow inside Turner Field...

Note: Chick-Fil-A utilized the services of Kern Studios, a New Orleans company best known for making Mardi Gras floats, to make the towering interactive cow.

More to come on this great example of unique in-venue branding...

Taco Bell Freezes Phillies Fans in Their Steps...

From a sponsor perspective, are you looking to capture the attention of fans entering the stadium? Are you looking to leave a lasting impression on passerby consumers?

From a team perspective, are you looking for innovative ways to integrate sponsors outside your venue at minimal cost?

Taco Bell utilized the services of cannibalized flash mobs to promote its new Fruitista Freeze product offering recently at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Taco Bell enlisted LevLane to hire actors costumed in iced-over beachwear with blue tinted skin to stand in a frozen position for hours as fans walked past to enter the stadium. Alongside these "frozen humans", a support team handed out coupons for the new, frozen tropical beverage and circulated further awareness in the parking lot.

This is an incredible idea, at minimal cost (labor expense), to leave a lasting impression on consumers... It directly translates back to a Escaping the Clutter - Frozen Awareness post I made in February on using persons "frozen in time" to generate awareness for your brand at stadium venues...

Japanese Baseball... New Signage Inventory?

Check out the short Japanese baseball clip below... The video details two (2) pieces of signage inventory that I have yet to see offered in Major League Baseball:

• Cisco has "on-the-field" branding behind home plate (I cannot tell if this is a graphic or actual branding in the turf)
• An alcoholic beverage company has paid to feature their actual product image (beer can) next to the meter that measures pitch speed

Two very interesting tactics! Please let me know if you have seen similar practices implemented elsewhere...

VIP Lounges Taken to the Next Level...

Are you looking to do something innovative with your suite level? Are you brainstorming new ways to drive business meetings and B2B discussions at your events?

Hild und K, a German architecture firm, designed a very unique VIP area for the Allianz Arena in 2005. The arena, located in Munich, Germany, is questionably the finest stadium to ever be built. Stadium officials contacted Hild und K to develop a fresh, B2B feel for the VIP Lounge and this is how it turned out:

Retail Vending Machines Are Here...

I have wrote numerous posts detailing the innovative means that Japanase retailers, among others, have utilized vending machines to sell products... Vending machines are such a huge component of retail sales overseas, that it was only a matter of time before they were accepted and implemented in the United States.

Well, the time has come...  Macy's recently announced that it will use vending machines to sell iPods, digital cameras, and other electronic items at 400 retail locations across the nation. The company revealed that it was rolling out the mass introduction after pilot programs proved to be successful. Yes, you have probably seen similar vending machines in airports and other transportation ports, but this will mark the first time that a nationwide retailer will invest the appropriate resources to have vending machines prominently displayed in their stores...

It is only a matter of time before these unique vending machines are a part of the stadium experience; they serve as great ways to reduce labor costs, sell unique/customized items, and add to the fan experience with only minimal space requirements.

For an in-depth look at how the Japanese have creatively utilized vending machines, check out the impressive gallery compiled on Dark Roasted Blend.

On a side note, check out Coca Cola's new strategy utilizing mobile vending machine robots in Japan below:

Why Don't We See More Putting Contests?

Can you make a 20-foot putt?

Like most Americans, you probably think that you are a much better golfer than you actually are. Consumers always seem to gravitate to promotional concepts that they deem as "winnable". Like the 3-point shot, who doesn't think that they can win a putting contest? Although the promotion doesn't have a direct correlation to some sporting events, it does draw in a common interest of many fans in attendance.

This would serve as a unique way to tie in a big box retailer like Dick's Sporting Goods or The Sports Authority, who may be pushing golf products around the holidays or targeting a select group of consumers (i.e. 35-49 males with HHI of $75K+)

Here is a great example of a putting contest implemented at a Montana State basketball game that offered one (1) lucky contestant the chance to win $5,000! Check out the clip below...

Here is another example of an effectively implemented putting promotion...

Win a Chance to Represent Your Team at the Lottery...

The Sacramento Kings recently offered one (1) lucky season ticket holder the chance of a lifetime - the chance to represent the team at the 2008 NBA Lottery. During the Spring of 2008, the team ran "The Kings Luckiest Season Ticket Holder" promotion, asking all Kings season ticket holders to convince their fellow supporters of why they are indeed the luckiest.

The contest originated when Kings co-owner Joe Maloof responded to a question at a season ticket holder's meeting; the idea then grew into something that stirred interest among the team's most dedicated fans. It was rumored that other NBA teams tried to follow suit with similar promotional concepts, but they were blocked by the league to let the Kings have the unofficial rights in 2008.

The prize at hand? The chance to fly alongside Philip Maloof and represent the Kings organization alongside the likes of fellow team reps Larry Bird and Jay-Z at the 2008 NBA Draft Lottery on May 20th.

The winner? An extremely excited Margie Parilo (shown above), who became the first fan to ever represent their hometown team at the NBA lottery. Margie Parilo's entry was selected from an original batch of 192 written submissions and received a significant percentage of the 17,419 fan votes cast for the six (6) finalists' video presentations. Parilo, who was featured extensively during the national broadcast coverage of the event, had 28 family members convene at Chris Webber's Center Court restaurant to cheer her on.

A very interesting tactic implemented by the Kings organizations... this is what consumers are now looking for - VIP experiences that they can receive nowhere else!

Crown Royal Offers the Chance of a Lifetime...

Entitlement sponsorships are very common in today's day and age. Consumers have become cognizant of the fact that Food Lion sponsors the local speedway and Pepsi is a title sponsor of the television halftime show. But outside of brand awareness, what do these tite/presenting sponsorship assets really mean to brands?

Over the past two (2) years, Crown Royal has given race entitlement rights a whole new meaning. The Canadian Spirits brand (owned and operated by Diageo) has utilized its race entitlement rights to demonstrate how highly they value their customers. Crown Royal has effectively developed a "Your Name Here" promotion that offers consumers the chance to become the presenting sponsor of a NASCAR race and serve as the event's grand marshal.  

This year's winner was Dan Lowry, who was treated to the weekend of a lifetime at Richmond International Speedway on May 3rd. Lowry discovered he won during a helicopter unveiling ceremony over the Las Vegas strip with Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 26 Crown Royal Ford Fusion. As the official race title featured his name, Dan's moniker appeared on everything from race tickets to merchandise to the trophy itself.

What was Dan's story? Dan wrote about how recognizing Crown Royal bottles amidst labels he didnt recognize made him feel like home wasn't that far away during his time spent in Venezuela.

Crown Royals markets the "Your Name Here" promotion in a variety of media channels, although it is important to note that they do not support the promotion through traditional advertising spend. Crown Royal utilized a heavy media relations push and leveraged its sponsorship of the No. 26 Jamie McMurray car to encourage fans to enter the contest by telling their favorite responsible Crown Royal memories (a nice brand tie-in). In total, the promotional effort achieved more than 200MM media impressions in '08.

Gatorade Offers An "Out Of This World" Vacation

Gatorade is leveraging its recent commercial featuring Tiger Woods hitting golf balls in a space suit on the moon with a unique contest for consumers. Gatorade is challenging fans in five (5) cities across the country to hit a golf ball in a golf simulator designed to look like a moon for a chance to win "an out of this world vacation", valued at $125,000.

Male and female finalists with the longest drives at each event will fly to New York City to compete in the Grand Prize Event on June 11th in Times Square. One (1) male and one (1) female will win the opportunity to create their own  "out of this world" vacation experience valued up to $125K.

The cities where the competition will be held include:

• San Diego (Seaport Village, Thursday, May 15th)
• Dallas (Victory Park, Tuesday, May 20th)
• Chicago (Pioneer Park, Thursday, May 29th)
• Miami (Bayfront park, Thursday, June 5th)
• New York (Military Island, Wednesday, June 11th)

Gatorade is promoting these events by featuring celebrities on-site (San Diego - LaDainian Tomlinson, Dallas - Jason Terry, Chicago - Tommie Harris, Miami - Bill Parcells, and New York - Jimmie Johnson and Celebrity Guest).

In addition, Gatorade is going to donate $100,000 to the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Cub Cadet Teams Up With Lebron To See Your Best Trick Shots...

Cub Cadet, a major sponsor of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has teamed up with LeBron James to launch a contest seeking America's best basketball trick shot. The promotion, entitled the Trick Shot Challenge, encourages consumers to upload their best basketball trick shot to LeBronsTrickShotChallenge.com for a chance to compete one-on-one with LeBron and win $5,000 of Cub Cadet lawn equipment.

Now the big question is... how does a "trick shot" promotion leverage Cub Cadet and their products outside of a $5,000 prize? That is a good question and one that I am still trying to figure out. However, the promotion does serve as a "best practice" in the way it leverages Cub Cadet's relationship with Lebron James:

• Website that directly links Lebron James to the promotion
• Chance for consumers to play one-on-one with LeBron (now that is a call to action!)
• Registrants can also win $5,000 in cash or LeBron James merchandise

The promotion also is effective in the fact that it currently has me discussing the Cub Cadet brand, which I probably would have NEVER done otherwise. Contestants' trick shot videos will be available on the web site gallery where fans can view and vote for their favorite clips...

Utilize Local Celebrities to Drive Fan Engagement

Have you recently considered activation tactics that leverage hometown heroes? When was the last time you considered using a local celebrity to drive fan engagement at your venue? 

The Utah Jazz recently leveraged David Archuleta, a rising celebrity on Fox's American Idol, to sing the National Anthem before the team's Game 3 playoff matchup against the LA Lakers. The team had to fight through some rights issues with the producers of American Idol and representatives from the NBA, but the hard work paid off. Archuleta sang a great rendition of the song, raising the EnergySolutionsArena crowd to its feet. To complement the pre-game performance, David Archuleta served as "The Fan of the Game"; to which the Jazz leveraged his appearance by selling $5 4x6 photos of fans with Archuleta on the team website.

The Tampa Bay Rays recently executed a similar tactic, asking American Idol singer Syesha Mercado to perform the National Anthem before one of the team's home games. Check out the clip below:

A New Wave in Sneaker Sales...

Onitsuka Tiger, a Japanese sports brand, recently launched a sneaker vending machine in London, England. Could this signal a new wave in retail sales for the shoe market? Most likely not, but it could be a great way to offer select merchandise to your fanbase. 

Teams and organizations can leverage similar retail tactics to sell merchandise and offer customized products. While this shoe retail technology is still in the early stages of existence, teams should begin brainstorming new concourse tactics that drive sales without incurring labor expenses. Retail vending machines may signal a great way for teams to offer fans team autographed merchandise (shoes, bats, balls, jerseys, hats, etc.) and excess premium giveaways.

The vending machines that Onitsuka currently uses can sell twenty-four (24) pairs of shoes at a time in six (6) different sizes and mirror a tactic implemented by Reebok in 2004.

Search for innovative ways to drive sales without affecting your bottom line!

The Ultimate Father-Son Promotion...

Gillette recently announced a unique promotion that offers five (5) lucky consumers the chance to compete with their fathers against three (3) of the world's greatest athletes. The promotion, "Play a Champion with Dad", supports the Gillette Champions platforms and pins consumers up against the likes of either Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, or Thierry Henry.

This promotion serves as a great way for Gillette to link its generations of consumers and provide a boost of sales momentum leading into Father's Day. Gillette aims to create lasting memories for the five (5) participants, who will share an incredible experience with their loved ones. The grand prize winners will receive airfare, multi-night trip accomodations, $1,000 in cash, and the opportunity to meet one of their favorite stars. Gillette is also supporting the promotion with thousands of instant prizes.

I foresee many more promotions down the pipeline that take a similar approach in offering fans the chance to win a unique experience with a close family member/friend... it only makes sense for services/products that weigh heavily on buying behaviors being passed down through the family!