The Pace Car Arrived in Style at the Dickies 500

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Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Ron T. EnnisAre you looking for new ways to showcase the arrival of an important asset at a NASCAR event? Are you loking for ways to distinguish your track/event from others?

Fans attending the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway were treated to one of the greatest pre-race highlights in NASCAR history on Sunday. Shortly before the race, track representatives called on a Chinook helicopter to land on the track and personally deliver the official Chevy Camaro pace car for the race.

The Marine who piloted the Chinook helicopter, Col. Doug Hurley, was rewarded with the opportunity to drive the pace car around the track. Texas Motor Speedway followed the pace car grand entrance with a special "Start Your Engines" call from ZZ Top.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Thriller Mania Hits The Sports Scene

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Are you looking to feature new halftime entertainment at your games? Are you looking for new ways to perform Thriller?

Sports organizations across the globe are finding unique ways to capitalize on the "Thriller craze" since the passing of Michael Jackson. Teams have turned to athletes, mascots, dance teams, bands, youth talent groups, and fans to perform the hit song - each with a different twist.

Check out videos of 25 different Thriller halftime/intermission renditions recently performed in 2009:

NFL

NBA

NHL

COLLEGE BASKETBALL / HOMECOMING FESTIVITIES

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE (CFL)

INTERNATIONAL BASKETBALL

The Gophers Turn to the Ghostbusters on Halloween

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Are you looking for new ways to drive fan excitment at your team's games played on holidays? Are you looking for creative ways to support Halloween halftime festivities?

The University of Minnesota Athletic Department recently did a great job calling in the Ghostbusters to help bring their halftime entertainment to life on Halloween. After the University's marching band finished performing Michael Jackson's hit song "Thriller", the Gophers called on their mascot, Goldy, and a team of Ghostbusters to take care of a ghostly Michigan State fan in the end zone.

Check out the University of Minnesota's halftime entertainment below:

Disney and Lady Foot Locker Offer An Ultimate Race Weekend

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Are you looking to create an enticing promotion targeting female consumers? Are you looking for new ways to stimulate interest in the running space?

Disney recently teamed up with Lady Foot Locker to create a "Run Like a Princess" sweepstakes that is driving some buzz in the running space. During the month of November, consumers have the chance to log on to http://www.LadyFootLocker.com and register to win (up to once per day) an enticing Grand Prize promotional package that includes:

  • Round trip airfare for (2) to Orlando, FL
  • (3) night hotel accomodations at a Walt Disney World Resort
  • $750 in Lady Foot Locker gear
  • A $275 spa package to a Walt Disney World Resort spa
  • (2) race entries to be used at any (1) of (3) races
  • VIP starting line position, post-event party, etc.

The promotion serves as a great way for Disney and Lady Foot Locker to target female consumers and drive incremental awareness for Disney's Princess 1/2 Marathon Weekend Presented by Lady Foot Locker, which takes place March 5-7, 2010. To drive interest, the collaborating parties came up with a pretty creative tagline - "You've Always Wanted to Be a Princess. Here's Your Chance to Run Like One" and are also offering (50) First Place $100 Lady Foot Locker Gift Card prizes.

Check out a clip detailing the 2009 Disney's Princess Half Marathon event:

A special thanks to Mike Rodriguez for his insights and contributions to this column. 

Coors Light Offers the Race to Refreshment...

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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:

The NFL Pulled Out All the Tricks at Wembley...

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Are you looking for ways to enhance your organization's pre-game entertainment? Are you looking to feature new inflatable attractions at your venue?

Over the past few years, the National Football League (NFL) has experimented with various forms of entertainment at the league's annual international match played at Wembley Stadium. The league did a tremendous job again this year providing fans attending the Patriots vs. Buccaneers game at Wembley with a full plate of entertainment. Check out some of the attractions below:   

Team Helmet Inflatables - Patriots vs. Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium

Festive Game Atmosphere - Patriots vs. Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium

Team Introductions - Patriots vs. Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium

The Wave - Patriots vs. Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium

Cheerleader Entertainment - Patriots vs. Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium

Jelena Jankovic and Wrigley's Set a Smiles Record

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Are you looking for new ways to leverage athlete endorsers? Are you looking to create an innovative promotional campaign that effectively engages consumers?

Tennis star Jelena Jankovic teamed up with Wrigley's Orbitz chewing gum to create a unique promotion in an effort to earn a berth in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The promotion asked tennis fans around the globe to submit a picture of their trademark smile for a chance to win a trip for two (2) to the Pyramisa Blue Lagoon resort in Egypt. Consumers responded to the call-to-action by submitting 137,264 photos for the promotion (80,000 of which were collected by Orbitz' "Smiling Patrols" field ambassador teams). The promotional site featured thousands of submitted pictures, so consumers could check out their pictures and share them with friends. 

Between March 1st and September 20th, all of the photos that consumers submitted were gathered and placed into a giant mosiac of a smile, measuring 930 square meters, inside Belgrade Arena. The collaborative effort to create the world's largest smiles mosaic helped Wrigley, Jankovic, and her native country of Serbia earn a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. 

Check out some pictures of the final mosaic below (pulled from the promotional website):

Beginning in March, Orbitz used a television commercial starring Jankovic to entice consumers to take part in the promotion. Jankovic, known for her trademark smile, was chosen as an Orbitz brand ambassador in Spring 2009. Check out her Orbitz advert (and behind-the-scenes footage) below:

Source: SonyEricssonWTATour.com

Toronto FC Fans Find a Classy Way Say Thank You

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Are you looking for a great way to honor a distinguished teammate, coach, owner, or fan? Are you looking for ways to celebrate the final game of a season?

Toronto FC supporters recently celebrated the team's final game at BMO Field in 2009 by paying tribute to Danny Dichio, a recently retired striker who now serves as one of club's assistant coaches.

Fans of Toronto FC created a massive banner that stretched the length of the entire south end of the stadium to show their appreciation for all that Dichio has done for the club since coming from overseas. Dicho was taken back by the incredible gesture by the team's fans and went on the field to thank them for their efforts. The banner was unveiled prior to the game during the national anthem and then again, after the conclusion of the season finale match.

The team's supporters, the Red Patch Boys and the U-Sector, put in a lot of work to create the largest fan-produced banner in team history. Check out the production process below!

Here is a clip of the banner terrific execution in real-time...

Here is a video compilation of the banner effort and Danny Dichio's thoughts and appreciation:

Have You Considered the Human Jumbotron?

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Are you looking for unique ways to engage fans in-venue? Are you searching for ways to add entertainment value to the fan experience?

While the stadium arms race has dominated the North American marketplace, some Asian sports organizations (particularly in South Korea) have continued to place an emphasis on creating a human jumbotron effect. In fact, they have gotten pretty good at it over the years.

The human videoboard involves a large group of individuals who carry out choreographed chants and color movements (using layers of shirts), driving spirit and excitement amongst onlookers. It really is something that you just have to see for yourself:

The Quad City Mallards Put Hardee's in Goal...

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Are you looking for new inventory to sell interested corporate partners? Are you looking for new ways to leverage QSR partners in the hockey space?

As Sarah Talalay reported in the Sun Sentinel, the Quad City Mallards of the International Hockey League (IHL) recently announced that it is teaming up with Hardee's to create a "Hardee's Biscuit in the Basket" promotion that rewards fans when the home team scores.

The Mallards have placed a Hardee's logo inside the ice in the goal and will reward fans in a selected row of seats with a coupon for a free biscuit each time the Mallards score a goal during the 2009-10 season. If the team scores four (4) goals, everyone in a designated section will receive biscuits.

On Monday mornings throughout the season, Mallards players will make one (1) hour guest appearances at several Hardees locations throughout Davenport. The QSR chain will also sponsor the team's dance squad (The Hardee's QC Cuties) and also support several giveaway nights (Drawstring Bag Night, Team Fleece Blanket Night, Game Puck Giveaway Night).

Check out Hardee's exclusive branding inside the goal below:

Source: Sarah Talalay, Sun Sentinel, MyQCMallards.com

UK Coach John Calipari Delivers for Papa John's...

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Are you looking for new ways to leverage collegiate endorsers? Are you looking to create a sales driving promotion in support of a pizza partner?

In August 2009, the University of Kentucky's head basketball coach John Calipari announced that he was partnering with Papa John's to create a promotional offer in support of the Calipari Family Foundation for Children (CFFC). The promotion, entitled "The Coach Cal 3-Pointer", offered consumers the chance to purchase a large, three-topping pizza on PapaJohns.com (using the promotional code CHCAL) for just $10. The agreement called for one (1) dollar of every $10 order to donated to the CFFC and benefit the Kentucky Children's Hospital.

Coach Cal used his Twitter and Facebook pages (with 850K fans combined) to promote the offer on a daily basis.  Fans were encouraged to submit their favorite topping selections to Coach Cal's social media platforms for the chance to have their submission selected as Coach Cal's Office Pizza of the Day.

The Program Results?

In just nine (9) weeks, the "Coach Cal 3-Pointer" promotion raised $50,000 for the CFFC (meaning Papa John's drove in $450K+ sales). Incredibly, 60% of the online promotion redemptions came from outside the state of Kentucky, demonstrating the magnitude of the UK fanbase.  

The promotion served as a great way for Papa John's to strengthen its commitment to the University of Kentucky Athletics Department and align with one of the most sought after coaches in the country... not to mention benefiting a great cause.  Papa John's is following up the Coach Cal 3-Pointer promotion with another offer that enables UK fans to order a large 3-topping pizza and Coach Cal's new book, Bounce Back, all for just $30 by going online to PapaJohns.com and using the promotional code "BOUNCE".

Source: CoachCal.com, Reuters

Pepsi Lets Fans Pick the Halftime Music of the Grey Cup

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Are you looking for new ways to engage fans in your organization's halftime entertainment? Are you looking to create a unique promotion around a major event that incorporates the voice of fans?

Pepsi recently unveiled a tremendous 'Name Your Playlist' contest that enables fans the chance to choose which of their favorite hits will be played during halftime of the CFL's Grey Cup. With the popular band Blue Rodeo set to play at halftime of the game, fans can log on to http://www.greycuphalftimeshow.ca and choose the three (3) songs (out of ten (10) of the band's greatest hits) that they would like to see played.

Those who participate in the 'Name Your Playlist' have the chance to win weekly prizes from Pepsi, Blue Rodeo, the CFL, and Wilson. The contest is set to run through November 20th, just days prior to the Grey Cup game on November 30th in Calgary at 6:30 pm (the game is being broadcast on TSN and RDS). Pepsi Max is the official sponsor of the Grey Cup Halftime Show.

The 'Name Your Playlist' promotion is terrific because it incorporates the passion people have for both sports and music and marries them all into one contest. As fans often debate on the entertainment value of halftime performances and pre-game entertainment, the contest allows Pepsi a way for them to feel like they have a say in the festivities... a notion that is huge with Gen Y consumers.

Source: TSN

A special thanks to Darryl Dionne of the PHPA for his insights and contributions to this column.

Pick the Winner of the ING New York City Marathon and Win!

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Are you looking to create a captivating promotion around a running/endurance event? Are you looking for new ways to elevate the profiles of lesser known stars?

In an effort to drive awareness for the upcoming 2009 ING New York City Marathon and the athletes participating in the race, the New York Road Runners have teamed up with Toyota to create a captivating promotional offer for fans.

The Road Runners created a "Pick the Champions" contest that challenges fans with correctly choosing the male and female who will finish first for the chance to win a 2010 Toyota Prius (valued at $30,080).

For a chance to win, consumers must fill out the contest's Pick and Drive registration form and then correctly choose both the male and female winners.

What is great about the Pick the Champions contest is that it forces fans to go out and research the athletes participating in the race. The promotion serves as a great way for the New York Road Runners to build the profiles of the star athletes competing in the race and create a watch-and-win component to the race that adds a new dimension of excitement.

Here is the promotional landing page where consumers select which participants they think will win (after completing the registration page):

Here is the chart of participants the New York Road Runners offer on the Pick the Champions promotional site:

The 49ers and US Bank Leverage the Coin Flip...

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Are you looking to create new promotional platforms for corporate partners? Are you looking for new ways to engage young fans and their families?

The San Francisco 49ers and US Bank have teamed up in 2009 to offer young 49ers fans the chance of a lifetime. The two (2) parties created a "US Bank Coin Flip Kid" initiative that provides 49ers fans ages 6-13 the opportunity to register online for the chance to be a part of the pre-game coin toss and win:

  • Two (2) game tickets
  • Two (2) 49ers pre-game tailgate party passes
  • One (1) parking pass
  • Two (2) pre-game field passes
  • One (1) Visa gift card, courtesy of US Bank

Each game, one (1) select US Bank Coin Flip Kid will be recognized on the video board while he/she walks with the 49ers team captains to mid-field for the coin toss. The Coin Flip promotion serves as an effective way for US Bank to offer children and their families a life-changing experience that creatively ties in with the bank's main line of business (driving consumers to open checking/savings accounts).

Look for more creative tactics to come from the San Francisco 49ers organization in the near future!

A special thanks to Nikki Hawkins and Brent Schoeb of the San Francisco 49ers organization for their insights and contributions to this column.

Parachute Promos Delivers Value for Brands...

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Are you looking for new ways to put your product in the hands of fans in-arena? Are you looking for new ways to impact the fan experience while driving brand impressions?

As brands continue to search for new, effective mediums to place their products in the hands of fans on gameday, they should not look past Parachute Promos. The promotional company produces tangle free parachutes that can be dropped from the catwalks of arenas, sporting events, and malls. Dropping free product strapped to parachutes creates a memorable in-game setting that drives sports fans crazy and provides brands a unique way to connect with consumers during the game. 

How does it work? During a select stoppage of play (intermission, media timeout, etc.), teams will leverage the video board and a PA to announce that (insert brand name) Chutes will be dropping out of the rafters (e.g. Chipotle Chutes). Each and every night the promotion is implemented, the result is the same... fans go wild for the chance to grab one of a few dozen falling free products parachuting from the roof.

Check out a brief promotional video that captures how Parachute Promos can drive excitement for your brand in-venue: 

The Parachute Promos video was produced by Andy Emery's Outsider Entertainment team. Andy's group produces some of the most captivating videos for teams and brands in sports. Check out their site here.

The Maple Leafs Offer Fans the Ultimate Pre-Game Experience

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Are you looking for new ways to attract fans to your venue hours before a game? Are you looking to create the ultimate fan experience for consumers to enjoy?

The Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the ultimate pre-game party for fans to enjoy on October 1st as a means to celebrate the team's first home game of the 2009-10 season. The team featured a variety of entertainment on-hand for fans in the hours leading up to the team's game against the Montreal Canadiens.

The pre-game tailgate party, sponsored by Ford, included the following events and activities at the Air Canada Center:

  • The Leafs Nation Mobile Fan Zone
  • A Free Live Concert by The Trews
  • Player and Alumni Appearances
  • A Wide Range of Games and Hockey Activities for Kids to Enjoy
  • Automobile Displays
  • Premium Distribution

Take an in-depth tour of the action below:

Source: Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment

The Vikings and HBO Team Up on Entourage Offer...

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Are you looking for new ways to leverage media and entertainment partners? Are you looking for new promotional ideas to offer your fan base?

The Minnesota Vikings have teamed up with HBO Home Entertainment to offer fans a chance to win an unforgettable experience. The collaborating parties are offering a "Win Your Own Entourage Weekend" that will enable one (1) lucky Vikings fan to take his entourage to see the team battle against the Phoenix Cardinals in Glendale, AZ on December sixth.

The impressive Entourage prize package includes:

  • Four (4) first-class round trip flights to Arizona
  • Four (4) tickets to the game
  • Hotel accomodations at the team hotel
  • Ground transportation
  • Spending money

The Vikings feature two (2) web buttons at the bottom of the Entourage promotional page that guide fans to pages where they can purchase Entourage on DVD and other HBO Home Entertainment movies.

It is very interesting to see sports organizations begin to flirt with media and entertainment properties. The Los Angeles Dodgers have experimented with great success while other properties are still trying to develop key relationships. Look for more offers like the Vikings' Entourage Weekend to come in the near future!

T.G.I. Friday's Scores with a Punt Promotion...

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Are you looking to create an off-the-wall sports promotion? Are you looking to reward fans/consumers based on in-game occurences?

Less than two (2) weeks prior to the Dallas Cowboys regular season opener at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, T.G.I Friday's issued an official challenge to fans. The casual dining chain offered a dish of free crispy green bean fries to all consumers watching the game at one of the 600 participating TGI Fridays restaurants nationwide if a punt hit the stadium's infamous $25MM center-hung scoreboard during the game, resulting in a replayed down.

The promotion drew on-air mentions during ESPN's pre-game coverage and served as a great way for the chain to drive product awareness for its crispy green bean fries. The media coverage and buzz generated from the Punt Challenge was so great that T.G.I. Friday's opted to extend the promotion for the Dallas Cowboys-Carolina Panthers Monday Night Football game on September 28th.

The chain's promotional idea was created after Tennessee Titans punter A.J. Trapasso hit the new state-of-the-art scoreboard during a preseason game, forcing the NFL to institute a new rule that any punt that hits the scoreboard will result in the down being replayed.

Powerade Offers HS Players the Chance to be Coached by Steve Smith...

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Are you looking for new ways to leverage athlete endorsers? Are you looking to create a captivating promotional campaign targeted at young adults?

Powerade has teamed up with Carolina Panthers WR Steve Smith to create an offer for high school football players to win the chance to have Smith coach their football team for a day. The promotional site - http://powerade-coachfortheday - was built in support of Powerade's Mountain Berry Blast flavor (with ION4) and features the unique promotion, training tips, and supporting videos.

Participants can enter to win by simply logging onto the site and submitting an entry form that includes an essay of 89 words or less describing how one's high school football team would benefit from having Steve Smith be coach for a day (symbolic of Smith, who wears #89 for the Panthers).  

Powerade's campaign (and its promotional site) is extremely simple, yet can serve as a very effective platform if marketed properly to the target demographic. It will be interesting to see if Powerade models this campaign with all of its endorsers - the program could have a lot of legs.

Sports organizations looking for new ways to make an impact in the local community should consider modeling Powerade's "Coach for the Day" platform. The promotion could serve as a terrific way to engage young fans and offer and additional interactive element on the team home page. It would be terrific to see a team showcase a player volunteering to coach a local HS team on the videoboard during halftime.