State Farm Fuels Game Day Rivalry

State Farm activated its title sponsorship of the Border Showdown Nov. 28 with pre-game interactives that fanned the flames of competitiveness between the University of Missouri and University of Kansas football teams.

Taking a two-tiered approach, State Farm created activities for both the 18-24 and 30-49-year-old targets. For the young adult segment the company set up the State Farm Border Showdown Lounges at a hotspot near each campus three days before game day. The lounges were equipped with five Xbox Live stations that allowed students from each university to play NCAA 2010 against each other in real time. Participants were given headsets so they could trash talk their opponent on the other end of the game. Crowds hung out to cheer on the players. The goal was to accrue enough points to beat the other team (Kansas beat Missouri 90 to 87). State Farm spread the word to register online via a State Farm Border Showdown Facebook fan page as well as on statefarmthrowdown.com where the scores and other related information were posted throughout the events. On the campuses, State Farm generated buzz through student organizations, hung up posters and handed out cards.

On game day at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, State Farm appealed to all ages by bringing its Whack-a-Mascot (like Whack-a-Mole) mobile fan experiences to tailgaters. Instead of whacking a mole, each team could whack their opponent’s mascot, either a Kansas Jayhawks or Missouri Tiger. Those that provided personal information received branded merchandise like a Koozie or eye decals reminiscent of the black patches football players wear under their eyes. Of the consumers that went through and did the Whack-a-Mascot game about 25 percent provided their data; 80 percent of those opted in to be contacted by an agent

“This year we have been trying to use our sponsorship as more of a platform versus just going in with some type of mobile unit on game day and having that be it,” Jerry Nevins, marketing analyst at State Farm, told Buzz. “The number of hot leads generated on game day far exceeded what was done previously. At least three times more than in 2008.”

During the game State Farm also executed a MU versus KU text promotion. Each team was provided a short code on the video board to see who could strike a virtual mallet (like at a carnival) by texting the most. When it was over State Farm sent each player a thank you message and chance to enter a $250 sweepstakes.

Baby girl Ezri!

The free calendar has been a marketing staple..

The free calendar has been a marketing staple for as long as anyone can recall, a branded thank-you extended by businesses ranging from banks to fast-food chains to car repair shops. Now cable TV provider Comcast has made the old new, crafting a recent mail campaign that integrated the time-honored calendar with a fresh digital twist.

Just before the year began, Comcast began sending out branded calendars to customers in select areas in hopes of engaging its audience via bold graphics and some money-saving offerings. The calendars are filled with coupons for on-demand movies and discount offers on Comcast digital video recorders. They also provide links to free software and invitations to create a personalized link on a Comcast Web site.

Comcast also cleverly tied in monthly events or holidays with a message that promotes Comcast products. For instance, on the date a pro football championship was to be played, the message on the calendar read: “Enjoy the big game in Comcast HD.”

Breen says the calendar — which was mailed to customers in several states in the Northeast and Midwest — is largely a gesture of appreciation, but it also allows the cable giant to communicate more intimately with its audience about the value of the cable service. “We’re happy with what our customers have bought, and we want them to get the most out of what they have,” says Karen Breen, vice president of marketing strategies for Comcast’s North Central Division. “This is really important in tough economic times for people to realize the value they have.”

The calendars also allow Comcast the chance to educate recipients about its array of offerings beyond its cable service. “Direct mail enables us to have more room to say what we want, and we do leverage it quite a bit,” notes Breen. “We were trying to think of an innovative way to talk about our product benefits and features that would have a life and context to it.”

In the first few months of the campaign, Breen says, anecdotal feedback has suggested that the effort will prove fruitful. Customers have called Comcast to get their own calendars and are also asking to be added to the mailing list for next year’s version.

As the year progresses, Comcast will track redemption of the on-demand video coupons, which are sprinkled throughout the calendar, to determine how many calendars are prompting consumer action. Breen says the company will also study Web traffic to determine how many calendar recipients are being driven online.

Breen says the idea for the calendar grew out of a series of creative direct mail pieces that Comcast designed in 2008, featuring bold graphics that promoted the Comcast user experience. Many of those images were included in the calendar.

In addition to the mailings, the calendar was also used as a free-standing insert in newspapers and given away at Comcast service centers in the targeted states.


Source: Deliver Magazine

Cool "Marketing" pics...

Nike as exclusive on-court and apparel provider of the USA Basketball men's and women's national teams.

The Cowboys run on Dunkin.....

America's Team now runs - and passes, blocks and kicks - on Dunkin' Donuts, America's all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. The company announced today that it has entered into a partnership with the Dallas Cowboys Football Club, which includes becoming the official coffee for the team. Dunkin' Donuts pouring stations, located strategically throughout Cowboys Stadium, will serve Dunkin' Donuts hot coffee, iced coffee, hot chocolate and iced tea during Cowboys home games, college football games, concerts and other stadium events.

The Dallas Cowboys are one of the world's leading professional sports franchises with a global fan base. As part of the partnership, Dunkin' Donuts signage will appear within the stadium and advertising will be shown during events on the LED ribbon board and video board. Co-branded advertising will also be seen throughout the Dallas-Ft. Worth area announcing the partnership. Additionally, on weekdays after every home game, customers can redeem their Cowboys game ticket stubs at any Dunkin' Donuts location to receive a free medium hot coffee.

According to Dunkin' Brands CEO Nigel Travis, the agreement to bring Dunkin' Donuts coffee and beverages to Cowboys Stadium provides a simple yet significant benefit for visitors. "The new Cowboys Stadium offers fans arguably the most impressive array of state-of-the-art amenities in any venue in the country. We're proud to partner with the Cowboys organization to help enhance visitors' stadium experience even further by making the country's best coffee part of every home game, concert or event," he said.

"We are proud to have Dunkin' Donuts as a partner in our new home," said Dallas Cowboys Owner and General Manager, Jerry Jones. "The quality of their coffee is unmatched and exactly what our fans expect when they come out to Cowboys Stadium."

Dunkin' Donuts' partnership with the Dallas Cowboys is a significant milestone in the brand's strategic growth efforts, which are focused on bringing the brand's world-famous coffee and baked goods to new, targeted locations across the country via steady contiguous growth as well as through innovative partnerships. In the sporting industry alone, Dunkin' Donuts offers its coffee and beverages at sporting venues such as Fenway Park and the TD Bank (Boston) Garden in addition to Cowboys Stadium; it is also the official coffee provider for many professional sports teams, including the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins. Additionally, in recent years, Dunkin' Donuts launched the brand's first-ever theme park restaurant at Hershey Park, its first hotel location at Great Wolf Lodge in North Carolina, and multiple new locations at airports including Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth and New York City.

Dunkin' Donuts has set the standard for offering a superior grade of coffee, and the company sells more than one billion cups of hot and iced coffee every year. In 2008, an independent taste test showed that Americans preferred Dunkin' Donuts coffee over Starbucks. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for three years running.

About Dunkin' Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts is America's favorite every day, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is a market leader in the regular/decaf coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories, and the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for three years running. The company has more than 8,800 restaurants in 31 countries worldwide. In 2008, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were $5.5 billion. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands, Inc. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.

Yankee "parade" with Sponsors?

Do Yankee Sponsors get to ride down the Canyon of Champions today?.....if not shoyuld they?

The Los Angeles Kings Drive Season Sales with Ice Cream Truck

What Your Taste in Beer Says About You

What Consumers Want.. Custom Publications

Consumers may be bombarded with marketing messages these days, but that doesn't mean they've tuned out. In fact, consumers are more interested than ever in hearing from companies-provided that information comes in the form of a custom publication, such as a magalog or a catazine.

A recent Custom Publishing Concil poll shows consumers are increasingly attracted to these marketing methods because they include useful information:

68% Say it helps them make better purchasing decisions when companies provide product info through custom publications.

78% Don't mind Sponsors selling their products and services through custom publications- as long as the info is interesting.

74% Say getting info from an interesting collection of articles is more appealing than getting info from ads

59% Read print custom publications whereas only 36% look through electronic custom publications.

The message seems clear: if you want to get consumers attention, send them your message in the form of interesting and useful infomation.

Campbell Wants to Show You Just How Long Its Noodles Are...

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1543292789?bctid=46765724001

The Green Giant brings over some friends

http://promomagazine.com/entertainmentmarketing/news/nickelodeon_healthy_food_initiative_green_giant_053107/

The Green Giant has found a friend to help him sell his green beans. The question is will you be more likely to buy the Green Giant..then the other brands because of Sponge Bob? And if so should The Green Giant just step aside and let Sponge Bob sell his green beans?

"Parents tell us that they look for motivating ways to encourage their kids to eat vegetables,” said Jon Nudi, marketing vice president, Green Giant, in a statement. “Teaming the Nickelodeon characters with Green Giant vegetables through packaging offers parents extra tools to teach their kids healthy habits.”

Question: Do you really think kids are going to eat more green beans because the frozen package has Sponge Bob on it? Its still green beans not Captain Crunch...right?

Cycling's Rites of Passage

01. Realizing that the hill isn’t in the way; it is the way. 02. You go from one pair of shorts to a dedicated drawerful. 03. Being unable to sleep the night after you first shave your legs, because of the tingle of bedsheets against your skin. 04. When "thanks for the ride" goes from something you overhear to part of your lexicon. 05. You see someone at the beach tanned low on the quads and biceps, and give him a nod of recognition. 06. Bonking so bad you don’t think you’ll be able to make it home. 07. Discovering how a convenience-store Coke can resurrect the dead. 08. Starting and finishing a ride—the same one—in pouring rain. 09. When you hang out at the bike shop and no one expects you to buy anything. 10. When your bike computer registers triple digits for one ride. 11. Clearing a log on a the trail. 12. You embrocate. 13. Staying with the paceline long enough to take a turn at the front. 14. You’re on the bike for the fifth straight day, and your butt doesn’t hurt. 15. You try bibs and realize you can never go back to shorts. 16. You stop riding beside and behind the pack and instead ride inside of it—with no claustrophobia. 17. You swing off the front of a paceline before you get tired. 18. You blow a snot rocket without hitting your shoulder or leg—or the rider behind you. 19. You notice that someone else has the chain grease on his right calf. 20. You get stuck in your pedals and topple over at a stoplight. 21. Someone you introduced to the sport kicks your ass on a ride. 22. Riding a bike through a big, congested city and feeling smarter than everyone else because you’re moving. 23. You wake up to find the sheets stuck to your road rash—and still feel excited about riding that day. 24. Your boss stops by to ask you to explain what’s happening in the Tour de France. 25. You fix up your old bike to get someone into the sport. 26. Wearing out your first set of tires. 27. You ride through a pothole, and it’s no big deal. 28. Getting hopelessly lost—deliberately. 29. You stop midride to give your only spare tube to a stranded cyclist. 30. You realize you’re driving your car as if it’s a bike—drafting, looking for holes, getting away from the squirrelly guy. 31. Fixing a busted chain. 32. When you no longer have to stop to take off your jacket. 33. Feeling confident about taking off your jacket while riding—then catching the trailing sleeve in the rear wheel. 34. The first time you crumple your race number. 35. Planning a riding vacation. 36. Seeing a sunrise from the saddle. 37. Wondering how the biggest local hill would rank on the Tour de France climb classification. 38. In your head, Phil Liggett narrates your ride. 39. You got dropped, you flatted, bonked, got turned around—and when you got home you said you had a great ride. 40. You roll through a patch of gravel and, without thinking, reach back to brush the crud off your tire with your palm. 41. A rider you respect says, "You were flying today." 42. Rolling through a stop sign—and knowing it was the right thing to do. 43. Doored! 44. When you crest the summit of a climb, start down and realize you’ve gone the wrong way. But keep going anyway. 45. Rubbing wheels—and staying up. 46. Letting go of your kid’s seat and not having to grab it again. 47. Getting a bike stolen and being surprised at how deeply it hits you. 48. Cleaning the cassette with your old toothbrush. 49. Sprinting the neighbor kids. 50. Chasing a rabbit down singletrack. 51. Falling asleep when you stop for a break on a mountain bike ride. 52. Endo. 53. Telling someone which bike to buy. 54. Overcooking a turn. 55. Breaking a collarbone. 56. Figuring out how to layer without overdressing. 57. Deciding which car to buy in part based on how it will carry your bikes. 58. Your first ride with a jersey instead of a T-shirt. 59. Riding on a day so cold the water in your bottle freezes. 60. Discovering that a shot of Jameson in each bottle keeps the water fluid. 61. Though you’re not clear on exactly how to do it and unsure of the outcome, you manage to fix your first flat. 62. Walking home in your cleats. 63. Getting so deep into the sport you think your helmet looks good. 64. Following a favorite pro racer—besides Lance Armstrong. 65. Finding out your favorite pro racer was doping. 66. Wrapping your bar tape so the handlebar plug stays in and no bare bar shows at the tricky bend at the brake hood. 67. Naming a route. 68. Bumping elbows, then being relaxed enough to make a joke about it with the person next to you. 69. Sitting in with the big weekend training race. 70. Developing that "V" of muscle definition on the back of your calf. 71. Espresso at the halfway point. 72. Crashing and immediately asking, "How’s my bike?" 73. Fixing your bike with a rock. 74. Paying for a coach. 75. Figuring out that training advice doesn’t get much better than "Ride lots." 76. Clacking into a rough tavern in cleats and spandex. 77. Having a position on Bartali vs. Coppi. 78. Throwing up after a sprint. 79. Chasing back on after a flat. 80. Winning a town-sign sprint and remembering it forever. 81. Explicating your training in exquisite detail on a blog, then realizing nobody cares. 82. Watching the compressed CO2 from your only canister shoot off into the air instead of into the tube. 83. Matching your bar tape to your tire’s sidewall— then realizing on your next ride that your bike looks like it’s been decorated by a blind pimp. 84. Riding someplace you’ve always driven. 85. Outsprinting a crazed dog. 86. Summiting an H.C. climb. 87. Waving at a cyclist coming the other way and being ignored. 88. Getting annoyed by an uninvited wheel sucker. 89. Getting so fast you’re confident enough to ride slow. 90. Wondering if cycling matters too much. 91. Not caring if it does. 92. Surfing traffic on adrenaline and luck in one of the world’s 10 biggest cities. 93. Sitting up, taking your hands off the bar on a downhill. 94 . At the PTA meeting, looking around at all the fat parents. 95. Dropping someone half your age. 96. Outclimbing someone half your size. 97 . Passing someone whose bike costs twice as much as yours. 98. Looking inside the bottle you’ve been using all season, seeing mold. 99. Dismissing what used to be your favorite cycling magazine because it keeps repeating topics. 100. Reading The Rider. 101. Coming home from Europe with a cobblestone in your luggage. 102. Finding out no one makes your favorite handlebar-bend anymore. 103. Riding down a trail you couldn’t safely walk. 104. Telling the joke, "God wishes he was Eddy Merckx." 105. Cheating a crosswind by joining an echelon. 106. Feeling superstrong, then turning around for the ride back and realizing you had a tailwind. 107. Pedaling the Brooklyn Bridge, toward Manhattan, at night. 108. Being the person whose bike squeaks drive everyone nuts. 109. Reading a rites of passage list and finding that your own favorite one is missing.

Source: Bicycling Magazine

5 ways to get your customers talking about you and your Brand

Here are five ways to get your customers talking about you and your Brand!

1) Ask them – the best word of mouth starts with “word of listen.” Call your customers up and ask them why they buy, why they stick around, and why they tell their friends about you. You might be a bit surprised by their answers. Hint: it’s usually not the stuff you have in your new marketing brochure. You stand a far greater chance of attracting the right customers and the right buzz if you really understand what your current customers value about doing business with you. This goes for online and social media listening as well – what are they saying in chat rooms, blog comments and on twitter?

2) Teach them – sometimes great word of mouth just happens, but sometime you’ve got to help it along. One way to do this is to make sure you are teaching your customers how to spot an ideal client, what a prospect in need might say when looking for your products, and how to properly and concisely describe how your company in different. Of course, in today’s hyper social media world you should also be teaching your happiest customers how to write reviews on Yelp, Insider Pages and CitySearch type rating sites.

3) Include them – People like to be asked what they think, it’s just human nature, but it’s also a great way to get some sound advice. Create a round table discussion group made up of select customers and charge them with advising you once a quarter or so on new marketing and business initiatives. (Reward them for this in some way as well.) This can include advising on everything from a product extension to the look and feel of your web site redesign. Members of your marketing round table will become natural ambassadors for the brand. (You can do this with simple video chat meetings – tinychat)

4) Star them – Letting a customer testimonial or success story go uncaptured or untold is downright criminal in WOM circles. Go out and get a TouchMic MityMic to record customer testimonials to your iPod or get a Flip video camera and start doing video interviews with customers to record their success stories. These “real life” bits of content are gold and turn your featured customers into talking referral billboards for your brand. Want to take this idea up a notch? Hold a customer party and film a dozen or so at one time in a great atmosphere – this alone will get your customers talking.

5) Surprise them - I like to think I saved the best for last – few things get people talking faster than surprising them. This can include doing something that was out of the blue and much appreciated to just giving them more than they bargained for.

Bottom line of course is that you’ve got to do good work, do something that somebody appreciates, and create an experience worth talking about, but then, prime the pump and leverage all that greatness.