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

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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:

The Florida Panthers Prevent Opposing Fans From Entering the Red Zone

In August 2011, the Florida Panthers announced a terrific new ticketing strategy that coincides with the team's new "We Are Red" marketing campaign and stresses the importance of fan unity. The team unveiled a new Red Zone section at the BankAtlantic Center where no fans of opposing teams will be allowed. The Red Zone area will span sections 105-114 and will only be available for full, half, and mini season ticket holders. 

While the team didn't reveal how they plan on policing the special seating area, the notion of the "Red Zone" is very intriguing because it serves as an easy way to create a loyal supporter section based on artificial demand. Fans rarely want to sit next to other individuals rooting against their favorite team, so why don't we see more organizations offering similar guarantees? If the area is policed appropriately, the Panthers' Red Zone could soon become a benchmark for many other organizations in sports.  

The Red Zone is part of a master plan that will unite Florida Panthers during the 2011 season:

“The RED Zone is a place for passionate and committed Florida Panthers fans – that may not already be season ticket holders – to be among their dedicated peers and set the tone for every Cats home game at the BankAtlantic Center,” said SSE president & COO Michael R. Yormark.

“In addition, our great partners at South Florida Ford are giving fans an opportunity to ‘see red’ even more in a 2012 Ford Focus. The RED Zone is just the latest extension of our ‘We See Red’ campaign and the full-scale red conversion of our franchise including the new red home jerseys, red lower bowl seats, red paint and signage in the arena and the new blood that will be featured on the Panthers’ opening night roster.”

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. 

Hertha BSC Uses Stadium Choreography to Unite Their Fanbase

The loyal supporters of Hertha BSC, a German soccer club competing in the Bundesliga, recently displayed a tremendous choreographed performance in the stands at Olympic Stadium.

Fans seated in a block of fourteen sections (behind one goal) performed a card stunt and created a terrific illusion by raising a giant cutout of a hand holding the team's flag into the sky. The way the choreographed stunt was performed, it appears that the flag is floating in mid-air while thousands in attendance chant the team's anthem. 

Check out the impressive stadium stunt below:

Kraft Gets Creative to Engage Consumers Out-of-Home

Teams looking for new ways to leverage Kraft as a corporate partner should take a close look at two (2) of the company's innovative out-of-home marketing executions in recent years. 

In 2010, Kraft teamed up with Monster Media, MediaVest, and CP+B to create an interactive storefront that allowed consumers to see a virtual Kraft noodle smile whenever they smiled. Kraft installed grin detecting systems in ten (10) storefronts across the country that conveyed happiness in noodle form and allowed consumers an opportunity to dictate the interaction simply by smiling. 

Check out Kraft's interactive outdoor display below and consider ways that you can replicate this offering within your venue to engage fans! Examples can include:

• Create a Kids display in the concourse where young fans can smile to see their favorite team mascot smile back
• Create an interactive wall of televisions where fans can smile at virtual headshots of their favorite players and have them smile back at them (or wave, blink, etc.)
• Create an interactive wall of fan faces that change throughout the game based on how well the team is performing

In 2010, Kraft teamed up with Crispin Porter + Bogusky to transport a giant noodle to large outdoor events to provide warmth to fans in a creative way. Prior to games at Lambeau Field, Wrigley Field, and other iconic venues and events, Kraft featured a giant noodle on-hand that was equipped with a heating system to warm fans up in the tailgate lots. The "You Know You Love It" noodle served as an engaging branding play that definitely resonated with fans in attendance. 

This tactic would also work well for teams looking to promote utility partners, pizza companies, and fast-food chains (promoting new menu offerings) in cold environments. Teams competing in warm environments during the summer months could mirror Kraft's OOH tactic to promote "ice cold" products (e.g. feature a giant Coors Light bottle on-site that always stays super cold). 

Check out Kraft's outdoor execution below:

Lambeau Field

Daytona International Speedway

AT&T Park

  

adidas Turns a Chinese Subway Station Into an Outdoor Gym

Entities associated with the UFC, boxing, and other sports related to mixed martial arts should take a close look at a branding tactic that adidas recently displayed in a Chinese subway. adidas generated awareness and excitement amongst subway passengers by turning several giant poles in the subway station into giant punching bags. 

This marketing stunt would work extremely well to promote premier UFC (and other MMA) events in high-traffic locations and stadiums (wrapping poles in the concourse to promote upcoming events) worldwide.

Check out adidas' creative execution below:

Leverage Ice Cream Partners at Practice and Training Camp

The Baltimore Ravens recently turned some heads at training camp when coach John Harbaugh treated the team to a nice surprise after practice - ice cream. Harbaugh had local vendors drive ice cream trucks onto the team's practice fields and allowed players to choose whatever they wanted as a simple reward for practicing hard.

The tactic was a nice gesture by the Ravens' team personnel but signals a way that team's can incorporate their corporate partners (notably food/concessions vendors) throughout the season. As teams look to sell new inventory (or offer new value-add elements), they should consider approaching the coaching staff to see if there are any opportunities to execute similar stunts throughout practice, training camp, or during the offseason. It would be terrific if the team allowed fans attending practice to purchase items from the ice cream vendors as well. 

With Sports Illustrated's Peter King on-site for training camp, the Ravens were able to create some "feel-good" buzz online and around camp.

The Lightning Turn to Social Media To Celebrate Stamkos Signing

The Tampa Bay Lightning recently celebrated Steven Stamkos' new five (5) year agreement with a creative Twitter-based promotion designed to drive traffic to their corporate partners' key retail locations in the local marketplace.

The day following the Stamkos signing, the Lightning left five (5) Stamkos bobbleheads at nine (9) different retail locations throughout Tampa and tweeted out clues from their profile (@TBLightning) that fans could follow to receive a free bobblehead gift.The team also engaged fans living outside the local DMA by embedding a photo on pages within their team site (that they were looking to drive traffic to) that followers could click on to win a free bobblehead. 

Check out some of their Twitter exection below:

 

Axe Teams Up with Larissa Riquelme to Generate Buzz in Soccer

During the 2010 World Cup, Axe partnered with Larissa Riquelme, an iconic Paraguayan model who is well recognized by soccer fans across the world. Axe and Riquelme teamed up on a simple guerrilla marketing strategy that helped the brand cut through the clutter and generate $2M value of media impressions.

Check out the campaign below and consider ways that your brand can use recognizable fans celebrities associated with sports (outside of players, coaches, and alums) to generate buzz in unconventional ways!

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:

The Western Bulldogs Give Fans a Vote of Confidence

The Western Bulldogs of the Australian Football League (AFL) recently turned to their online fanbase to decide which jersey (referred to as a guernsey) design their team will wear during the 2011-12 season. The Bulldogs created a fan-centric promotion on their team website that provided fans with an opportunity to vote for their favorite style jersey based on four options available.

The promotion also served as a terrific way for the team to collect consumer data. Nearly 3,000 fans submitted online entry forms with their votes, providing the team with an instant database to reach out to to drive merchandise sales in the future. The team created the simple survey using Survey Monkey and posted the promotion over a 2-3 week time period.

Check out the simple, yet effective merchandise promotion below and consider new ways that you can truly put fans in charge!

A special thanks to Nick Truelson for his insights and contributions to this column!

Essendon Turns to Augmented Reality to Engage Fans

Essendon FC of the Australian Football League (AFL) recently teamed up with an agency named tkmp to create an innovative augmented reality campaign that engaged fans in a new way on gameday.

Essendon FC used digital technology to project a group of virtual footballs onto the facade of the team's stadium, the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Fans attending the match were encouraged to stand in front of a digital screen outside the venue and interact with the virtual footballs. The unique experience allowed fans a chance to see themselves projected onto the side of the stadium.

Check out the innovative campaign below:

Essendon FC and tkmp also teamed up to project some cool visuals at MCG - check it out below!

Essendon Football Club Projections from tkm9 on Vimeo.

A special thanks to Sam Attrilof nexusmg for his insights and contributions to this column!

The Toronto Blue Jays Celebrate 80's Night in Style

The Toronto Blue Jays do a terrific job bringing their 80's Nights at the ballpark to life for fans. Check out four (4) great videos below that showcase some of the creative ways the team incorporated an '80s thematic into several elements of their game entertainment.

Consider new ways that your organization can benchmark these tactics to create a memorable night at the ballpark for your fan base! Also, consider approaching one of your corporate partners to see if they would be interested in title sponsoring the night and letting fans relive their brand "in the past" as well! (ala Coca-Cola, IBM, Perrier, Reebok, etc.)

Toronto Blue Jays' 80's Themed Scoreboard Vignette

Toronto Blue Jays' 80's Themed LED Creative

Toronto Blue Jays' 80's Themed Trivia Features

Idea of the Day: M.C. Hammer's Spinning Bobblehead

The Oakland Athletics recently hosted an M.C. Hammer Bobblehead Night that generated a significant amount of awareness for the club's "80's Weekend" at the ballpark. The A's celebrated Hammer's duties as a team clubhouse assistant from 1973-1980 by distributing a replica bobblehead that actually spins - a simple, yet brilliant idea!

Check out the bobblehead below:

July 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter

Welcome to the July 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter! I really appreciate your continued interest and support and think that you are going to really enjoy this month's newsletter.

Click here to purchase the July 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter for $7.99.

The coolest thing in this month's newsletter is the Red Bull Hare Scramble video... I HIGHLY recommend you check it out!

After reviewing the newsletter, please take a moment to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other platforms and modes of communication. Here is a shortened URL that you can use to include in tweets, etc: http://bit.ly/on6seF

 This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• Gila River Casino's KaChingKo
• 10 Building Blocks To Help You Become Everything You Can Be
• Eyes on the Industry: Australian Football League
• Navigate Marketing Spotlight: 5 Questions With Mark Friederich
• Using Augmented Reality to Engage Fans
• Drive Merchandise with Virtual Stores
• Leverage Airspace on Gameday to Engage Fans
• LG Uses a Unique Rugby Branding Play to Wash Away the Competition
• Continental Tire Displays The Cage
• IBM Uses Sponsorship Technology to Engage Airport Travelers
• The Sport Industry Daily
• Creativity In the Sports Marketplace
• July 2011 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• NACMA Spotlight
• A Close Look at Creative Marketing in Major League Baseball
• Creative Tactics From the 2011 College World Series
• The Cincinnati Reds' Dusty Days
• Showtime Delivers a Unique Foursquare Vending Experience
• Idea Box

Click here to purchase the July 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter, connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the month!

If you are interested in signing up for the newsletter, please send an email with "Subscribe" in the subject line to newsletter@partnershipactivation.com. In the body of the email, please include your name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing.

Brian Gainor Speaks at NACMA on the State of College Athletics

I wanted to take a quick moment to thank the folks at NACMA (National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators) for allowing me to serve as the Keynote Speaker at the 2011 NACMA Convention in Orlando, FL. It was truly an honor to take the podium and speak with the best and brightest marketers in collegiate athletics.  

The focus of my presentation, "The Current State of Sports Marketing and Forecasting the Future" touched on the current state of collegiate athletics and highlighted ten (10) innovations that college marketers should keep an eye on in the next 2-3 years.  

Check out the entire presentation below:

Brian Gainor Presents on College Athletics at NACMA from Laura Gainor on Vimeo.

Note: I also wanted to send a special thanks to Old Hat Creative for professionally filming the presentation and posting it on the new NACMA Online Library. If you're not familiar with Old Hat Creative, you need to be... they are doing some amazing things in the college space and are a terrific group to work with ... and a special thanks to GMR Marketing as well.

I highly encourage those who work in and around college athletics to make a concerted effort to attend the NACDA Convention on an annual basis, particularly the NACMA discussion panels and breakout sessions. The Convention was truly exceptional, attracting the top college marketers, vendors, and industry minds from across the nation. The event served as a terrific forum to network, share best practices, discuss industry trends, and stimulate out-of-the-box thinking.

Look for more content about the 2011 NACMA Convention in the July 2011 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter and on the site in the months to come!

IBM and Wimbledon Partner to Deliver Real-Time Predictions

For the past 21 years, Wimbledon and IBM have partnered to develop innovative technological solutions to deliver rich content to fans across the globe following the renowned tournament.

Wimbledon celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2011 by teaming up with IBM to present tennis in an entirely new way across multiple media platforms. IBM launched a new Poinstream platform that provides statistics in real-time and allows fans to know what needs to happen for their favorite player to win the match.

IBM uses data from the last five (5) years of Grand Slam play to provide three (3) keys and predicted results based on player stamina and tactics that are measured in real-time and formulated with past performance.

Evian Brings Its Roller Babies Commercials Back To Life with a Creative Viral T-Shirt Campaign

In July 2009, Evian struck gold when it released an Evian Roller Babies commercial that quickly became one of the most successful media campaigns of all-time. The clip, featuring a collection of virtual babies performing a series of stunts on roller skates in conjunction with the brand's tagline "Live Young", attracted nearly 60 million views online and generated a significant amount of buzz for the brand.

Now, two years after the launch of the Evian Roller Babies, the brand is still capitalizing. Evian launched a "Let's Baby Dance" campaign that enables consumers to film a video of themselves dancing while wearing a virtual baby shirt to become a part of the longest music video ever produced. The microsite includes tabs where consumers can purchase t-shirts and ringtones utilized in the campaign and download an official iPhone application.

Evian is supporting the campaign with a fully-branded Facebook Page and YouTube page that host a series of entertaining virals. Check out the "Baby Inside" virals below:

Evian even produced a version in support of the 2011 Wimbledon tournament, in which the brand was an official sponsor:

The campaign is extremely simple yet brilliant because it demonstrates how teams and brands alike can bring commercial campaigns to life online and potentially capitalize on new streams of revenue from apparel/licensing. If a team/league were able to benchmark this effort and generate buzz around an item of apparel online, they could surely create demand and capitalize on licensing.

Check out some snapshots of the "Lets Baby Dance" microsite below:

Save & Close

Gillette Gives Roger Federer The World's Biggest Shave on Grass

Gillette created a marketing splash in London prior to Wimbledon by creating a giant grass portrait of a freshly shaven Roger Federer in a pasture the size of a football field. Gillette called on a firm called Street Advertising Services to create the massive shaving stunt, which required 3,000 liters of biodegradable green specialist grass paint and 1,000 liters of foam. 

After painting Federer's face in the pasture, the team of artists gave him the Pro Glide treatment by mowing/shaving it off, creating a terrific illustration for consumers worldwide to enjoy. Gillette drove additional consumer excitement by allowing fans at home to submit messages of support to Federer for the chance to have their message included in 10-foot-high letters underneath the grass portrait. The winner, Ryan B., saw his quote, "Go on my man, the world is yours to own!" depicted in the stunt. 

The Federer marketing stunt is part of Gillette's efforts to break their own record for the World's Biggest Shave in 2011. In January, the company lathered up and shaved an image of Derek Jeter on a 40-foot high billboard in New York City.

Check it out below:

Sources:

1. Gillette's UK Facebook Page

2. Adland.TV

adidas Drives Store Traffic With Shoe Box Marketing Stunt

adidas celebrated the grand opening of its flagship store in Melbourne, Australia with a creative marketing stunt designed to drive excitement and foot traffic. adidas erected several giant shoe boxes throughout the mall and gave unsuspecting consumers passing by a left shoe with a voucher attached that they could redeem for a free pair of shoes of that style inside the adidas store. 

The adidas marketing stunt was creatively executed and served as a great way to generate buzz and excitement at a relatively low cost. Check it out below:

It would be interesting to see professional sports teams benchmark this marketing/PR stunt to drive awareness and excitement for new merchandise items throughout the season. Teams could set up mystery boxes throughout the concourse (staffed by interns) giving away free apparel and premium giveaways - a tactic designed to drive traffic and sales in the official team shop.