Check out this cool (and kinda gross) promotion created by ESPN to inform media-buyers of the channel’s impressive ratings in Asia. The message that ESPN wanted to convey was that sports fans couldn’t get any closer to the action than by watching ESPN’s comprehensive sports coverage and commentary. To send this message in an “eye-catching” way, ESPN had various sports balls airbrushed to look like human eyeballs. Soccer balls, baseballs, and basketballs were all chosen as part of the campaign (probably because people don’t have football or hockey puck-shaped eyeballs).

On the back of the eye-balls was the ESPN logo and the marketing slogan: “You can’t get any closer than this.” The balls were packaged in PR kits that also had literature detailing ESPN’s ratings and audience demographic in the Asian market. The company reported the successful promotion created a very favorable environment for the subsequent sales process, and media buyers were wholly impressed by the unique item.

(via Adsoftheworld)

Posted: August 29th, 2008 under Baseball, Basketball, General, Soccer.
Comments: none

How about using promotional products to help your favorite team win? Lots of teams understand that providing noisemakers such as promotional boom sticks to their fans can actually give stadium-goers a chance to influence the game! This engages fans and gets them more involved in the action and excited about coming to the stadium. Boom sticks are especially popular at basketball games, as fans go wild attempting to distract free throw shooters on the opposing team. Other items like the Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Terrible Towel” help fans display solidarity and support for their team at both home and away games.

When fans leave, they can take noisemakers and other promotions home as a free souvenir. The multiple imprint options on branded boom sticks also makes them great for co-sponsored promotions, which are popular at many sporting events.

Posted: August 27th, 2008 under Basketball, Football, General, Souvenirs, stadium giveaways.
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The Baltimore Ravens made a smart move by offering this promotional koozie, which is imprinted with the team name and colors. They know that tailgating is a huge part of the game day experience for many fans, and koozies are an essential tailgating tool. These simple items can keep a can or bottle at ice-cold temperatures for 30-40 minutes minutes, all while allowing you to express love for your favorite team. Koozies are popular souvenirs at sports stadiums across the county, but many teams are using these inexpensive items as free giveaways to entice fans on game day.

(pic via Flickr)

Posted: August 25th, 2008 under Football.
Comments: 1

Remember — team schwag isn’t only for sports organizations! Corporations and businesses of all kinds can capitalize on fun sports merchandise in order to promote their brands. Check out this soft football promo put out by Marchex, a leading pay-per-click and online advertising company. While Marchex isn’t really involved with sports (unless they’re marketing for a related company), this football promo is sure to build some good brand name recognition.

(photo via Flickr)

Posted: August 20th, 2008 under Football, MLB All Star Game, NASCAR.
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We’re just a few short weeks away fromt the start of the 2008 NFL season! As the kickoff celebration nears, fantasy football owners are busy drafting the best of the best to create a team they can lead to victory this year. So where does fantasy schwag fit into the equation? Over at ESPN.com fantasy football, promotional Tom Brady bobbleheads were sent to the league champs at the end of last season’s grueling fantasy action. These giveaways may not be incredibly valuable, but they are a fun and memorable keepsake. You can bet the recipients of these gifts are returning this year for another 17 weeks of fun, so the promotion has done its job. I wonder what they’ll be giving to the league champs this year? Stadium cushions? Beer koozies? We’ll just have to wait and see!

Posted: August 19th, 2008 under Fantasy Sports, Football.
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There’s tons of official branded merchandise available on the 2008 Olympics website, but these unique promotional sports products really caught my eye. Items like volleyballs, baseballs, soccer balls, and basketballs demonstrate just how many schwag options there are in the world of sports promotions. Instead of using common products that everyone has already seen, the people behind the Olympic schwag collection focused on unique items that aren’t typically used as promotions. There’s no doubt in my mind that they will sell tons of these cool sports products.

The Olympic schwag collection also highlights another use of sports promotions. While some teams and stadiums choose to use promotional products as free giveaway items, others re-sell the merchandise as memorabilia to fans that want souvenirs. There are plenty of uses for imprinted sports items - it’s up to you to find the best!

Posted: August 15th, 2008 under Olympic Games.
Comments: 2

There’s a great article in the August 2008 issue of Promo Magazine that talks about the use of ballpark promotions — their purpose, their effectiveness, and their future. Richard Tedesco gives great insight into the use of promotional products in sports marketing, and shows how savvy marketers are focusing on creating a comprehensive entertainment experience for fans, instead of expecting people to fill the stadiums and sit there on their butts for the sake of it.

As basketball and football overtake baseball in popularity, sports marketers are faced with a new challenge: How can they create a value-added experience for fans that gives them a great reason to come to the ballpark, besides the game itself? Many baseball marketers admit that its easier for fans to watch the game from the comfort of their couch, so they’re looking for ways to draw fans out of their homes with exciting themes, celebrations, and free giveaways.

Promotional products aren’t viewed as a quick fix for low attendance. Instead, marketers view these giveaways as a way to make fans more comfortable with the idea of coming out to the ballpark, and hope that the entire experience gives them a reason to do it more often. Free giveaways benefit the team and the fans as much as they help the sponsors’ brands. It’s a win-win-win situation!

Posted: August 14th, 2008 under Baseball.
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Although global brands like Coca Cola have spent tens of millions of dollars on advertising and sponsorship during the 2008 Olympic games, many are questioning the effectiveness of their investments. Coke has already spent over $70 million to put their brand in front of a massive international audience, yet market surveys show that many people in China are still unsure of who the official sponsors of the Olympics actually are.

According to surveys conducted by the China Market Research Group, almost 60 percent of respondents incorrectly identified Pepsi as an official sponsor, instead of Coke! With a variety of huge brands all pouring millions of dollars into high-visibility campaigns at once, it’s no wonder that consumers are getting confused. In order to rise above the crowd, companies need to re-think their marketing strategies, and start going guerrilla.

Getting physical products into the hands of China’s massive market could be the answer struggling sponsors are looking for. Instead of competing for consumer attention with ignorable billboards and print advertisements, sponsors must rely on getting branded items such as apparel, drinkware, and travel items into the hands of potential customers. These types of promotions do a much better job of gaining undivided attention and delivering a marketing message while also building brand awareness. The Team Schwag staff expects a large portion of advertising budgets to be allocated for promotional products in the 2012 games, as sponsors learn from their mistakes and adjust their marketing approach.

Posted: August 13th, 2008 under Olympic Games.
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Seven days remain until the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Next Friday, the torch will be ignited and passed in the traditional relay. To warm up for the big event, companies are getting fired up with promotions and sponsorships, like these Samsung girls clad in custom athletic apparel with waving flags. Samsung is a proud Worldwide Olympic Partner, so expect to see more team schwag from them throughout the games!

Posted: August 1st, 2008 under General.
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