Celebrity Endorsements Still Work!
In the wake of the Tiger Woods and Ben Roethlisberger scandals, some corporate marketers may be shying away from
using a celebrity as a spokesperson for their product or service. They may view the risk of some untoward actions off the field as too great to offset any goodwill generated by a celebrity endorsement. But that type of knee-jerk reaction appears to be short-sighted at best. An examination of successful celebrity endorsement campaigns proves that brands can indeed be built successfully around a celebrity
Ask yourself, where would Nike be today without Michael Jordan? Or Mr. Coffee without Joe DiMaggio pitching the brand? And who hasn’t witnessed the impact of a celebrity endorser such as Peyton Manning for such iconic brands as MasterCard and Sony?
A few years back I partnered Chicago Bears Legend William “The Refrigerator” Perry with a seafood company to help launch their new Monster Size Fish Fillet. The pairing of an athlete nicknamed the “Fridge” (with an apparent monster-size appetite) with a Monster Size Fish Fillet product was a believable, credible endorsement and an innovative way for the company to launch a new product.
One of the main points to remember is that athletes and celebrities are human beings, prone to the same lapses of good judgement as anyone. The key is to plan an exit strategy should the celebrity bring negative publicity down on the brand. For example, I signed Ben Roethlisberger when he was a rookie with the Pittsburgh Steelers to his first endorsement deal for “Big Ben’s Beef Jerky”. We had a great 5-year run with the product, but after his latest off-field incident in Georgia, we felt it best to terminate the contract by invoking our “morals clause”.
Upcoming Ballpark Appearances
K&A Upcoming Appearances:
Boxing Legend Joe Frazier will be appearing at the Oklahoma City RedHawks game on June 12
Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins will be throwing out the 1st Pitch and signing autographs for fans of the Normal Cornbelters on June 16.
And Dennis Haskins, TV’s Mr. Belding from the popular 80’s TV Show “Saved By The Bell”, will be appearing at the June 17 Quad Cities River Bandits game.
Orthopalooza a hit in York!
Fans of the Atlantic League’s York Revoltuion came out this past Saturday to watch some of their favorite celebrities compete on the softball diamond. The Celebrity Softball Game was part of a day-long event at Sovereign Bank Stadium called Orthopalooza. The event was free for fans and was sponsored by WellSpan Health.
Fans got a chance to be up-close and personal with former Major Leaguers Andy Van Slyke, Sid Bream, Al Bumbry, and Chris Hoiles. Others competing in the game included: former NFL stars Vince Papale, Qadry Ismail and two members of the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleading Team.
For more information on this and other great events, please contact Doug Ritchart at Koeberle & Associates via email at doug@kasports.com.
Take Me Out to the Celebrity Softball Game
- Andy Van Slyke ready to take the field again
On Saturday, May 22, WellSpan Health in York, PA will be hosting “Orthopalooza”, a one-day event dedicated to the science of orthopedic medicine and how it effects your everyday life. Admission is FREE to the public, and the event will feature activities in the stadium for kids and adults, free food and beverages for all guests provided by WellSpan. The highlight of the one-day event will be the CELEBRITY SOFTBALL GAME starting at 3:00pm! Celebrities starring in the game include:
- former Pittsburgh Pirates SID BREAM and ANDY VAN SLYKE
- former Philadelph Eagle VINCE PAPALE
- former Baltimore Raven QADRY ISMAIL (“The Missle”)
- and two members of the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleading team
The game and the rest of the festivities will take place at Sovereign Bank Stadium, home of the York Revolution. The day’s events kickoff at NOON.
Koeberle & Associates worked with the York Revloution to secure the athletes for the game.
The Crosstown Cup: sponsored by BP
…Its like a college football idea in major league baseball.
When two same-sport teams are similarly situated, it seems almost natural that a rivalry would develop. The Chicago Cubs and White Sox are no exception to the rule. British Petroleum (BP) is now seeking to capitalize on that rivalry with their newly introduced Crosstown Cup.
The Cubs and White Sox have struck a three-year deal with energy brand BP to create a new Crosstown Cup for the winner of the clubs’ annual six-game interleague series. The pact, announced today at Chicago’s Millennium Park, will formalize what had already been a vigorous rivalry between the teams known as the Crosstown Series (via Sports Business Daily)
Although the financial terms weren’t disclosed, it appears as those BP will have numerous activation opportunities beyond the designation of the newly created “BP Crosstown Cup”, including various branded instant win opportunities at Chicago area BP gas stations and the chance to throw out a first pitch at a Cubs or White Sox home game.
I really like this idea. BP is doing a great job of capitalizing on the already existing rivalry, and the various promotions that are forthcoming should do nothing more but bring positive attention to the BP brand (and they’re in need of it right now…”oil spill”).
Look for the Crosstown Cup to start this season; June 11-13 at Wrigley Field and June 24-27 at U.S. Cellular Field.
Tiger Woods to PETA…not so fast.
Apparently we don’t live in a society where you can just use someone’s name and likeness without their permission (Gee, who knew?).
This is news to PETA.
Inexplicably, they thought that they could use Tiger Woods image on a billboard, without obtaining Woods permission, and Woods himself wouldn’t have a problem with it. Obviously, that’s not the case.
Tiger Woods’ lawyers recently took a bite out of PETA. This is according to reports that PETA may be repealing its billboard using Tiger Woods’ image and his recent sex scandal to sell pet owners on the idea that they should always spay or neuter their animals. Just a few hours ago, PETA released a statement saying “In light of conversations we have had with Mr. Woods’ attorneys, plans to run our billboard are on hold at this time.”(via DimeWars)
This, unfortunately for Tiger, is the way the law works today; for sports figures, or anyone else. PETA, has knowingly used Tiger Woods image without his permission, generated a slew of publicity regarding their usage (i.e. the billboard has already made the rounds online) and now they’ll probably never run the ad because they’ve already been put on notice by Woods’ team about the unauthorized usage of Woods image and likeness, and they don’t want to fight a losing legal battle.
Clearly, for those of you working in the sports agency or sports sponsorship industry, you can never give your client too much advice on “doing right”. But, you certainly can’t tell a client what to do with their lives, especially when it involves a non-sports incident. You are limited to a much more reactionary posture, which is obviously not preferred, but you do need to make it a point to be as proactive as possible…even in a reactionary position. You never know when a company or organization will feign ignorance to the law, and you need to be sure that you can prevent any further damage to the client or company you represent as quickly and efficiently as possible. Sure many people have at least heard about the PETA billboard or even seen it…but that number could still pale in comparison to the increasing number of eyes that would see a prolonged media campaign based around the bill board itself.
Its not the best situation, but you need to make the best of the situation, whenever possible.
Athlete Scandal Insurance
So, what’s the big new thing in the sports world? Scandal Insurance. In the wake of the Tiger Woods media meltdown, companies are scrambling to ensure that they are covered whenever the next athlete’s mistake causes continual national news coverage.
“Companies are saying if it could happen to Tiger Woods, it could happen to anyone,” said Brian Socolow, a lawyer who runs the sports practice at Loeb & Loeb, which represents athletes and companies in sponsorship deals. “For some companies, it’s a tremendous investment, and when it goes bad, it is not only the loss of investment, it’s a black eye for the company.”
Dan Trueman, who runs the enterprise risk department at R J Kiln & Company, the managing agent for Lloyd’s, said his firm had seen an eightfold increase in inquiries into this type of insurance between September and December, the bulk from pharmaceutical and financial service companies. “It’s more than just the flavor of the week,” he said. (via NYT)
“If it could happen to Tiger Woods, it could happen to anyone…”
There, within that aforementioned sentence is the reason for the boom in insurance. Kind of interesting that even in a PR nightmare, Tiger Woods is able to completely revolutionize the sponsorship market, isn’t it?
And what of the morals clause, the clause that usually protects companies from the wrong-doings of the athletes? They essentially have no effect. Athletes won’t sign a broad morals clause that would give the company blanket protection in situations such as infidelity or the like (too risky for them to be penalized for any mistake or indiscretion), and there are obviously a wide-range of PR problems that fall outside of the usual felony/crime of moral turpitude, which are the types of situations morals clauses usually cover.
So what happens to sponsorship going forward? It looks like companies will be forced to spend money on insurance for the foreseeable future, or to perhaps look at working with retired players which carry a lot less risk. In any event, it looks like the idea of “scandal insurance” is more than just a passing fad…its a regular component of the sports sponsorship business.
The Good Guys in Sports
There are still some Good Guys out there in the sports world……
Working in sports marketing for the majority of my professional life I have been fortune enough to meet a number of athletes. On a daily basis I have the opportunity to work with athletes from all walks of life, whether it is a Hall of Fame baseball player or a current star in the National Football League.
Sometimes working with these athletes can be difficult. Each morning when I turn on SportsCenter I wonder which professional athlete will be the next to be in trouble with the law. Unfortunately, there are too many stories out there like the world’s best golfer involved in a sex scandal or a star NBA player bringing guns into his team’s locker room.
While these athletes give the sports industry a black eye, I am here to tell you that there are still plenty of Good Guys in the sports world.
In Pittsburgh, one of the Good Guys was recently rewarded for his accomplishments on AND off the field. Last month, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced that they will erect a statue of Hall of Famer and World Series Hero, Bill Mazeroski. I can’t think of a better honor for the guy that hit the most famous homerun in World Series history. For years to come as fans flock to PNC Park (hopefully watching a winning team), they will be reminded of what Maz did for the Pirates and the city of Pittsburgh.
Maz is just one of the many of the Good Guys K&A has worked with throughout the years. No matter the event, these Good Guys will go the extra mile for you.
It is our job as “sports advisors” to recommend the Good Guys for our clients’ special events. Next time you need an athlete or celebrity for your event, please let us help you find the right Good Guy.
5 tips for successful sports marketing social media campaigns
This is an interesting time for those in the sports marketing world…a turning point, so to speak. The new wave of sports marketers are relying on and will continue to rely on social media to help market their clients and their products because of its cost effectiveness and ultimately, its reach. Facebook has over 250 million users, Twitter is over 75 million, LinkedIn is at approximately 50 million…and you certainly can’t forget the myriad of other options; blogging, Myspace, YouTube, etc. All of these groups can be effectively marketed to, assuming you know what you’re doing. Of course, not everyone has the budget of a Klondike or Upper Deck or NFL, so how do us “little guys” still get our message across while staying within some reasonable budgetary confinements?
Interested? Then read on for 5 tips to help ensure that your first, or your next social media marketing campaign is a big success (without breaking the piggy bank to do it!)
1. Know your target base. The most important component of a traditional marketing campaign is still the most important part of any social media campaign; you have to know your market. With a social media campaign, this aspect becomes of greater importance because of the different social media options available to you, the marketer.
Is your product specifically geared toward younger children? Towards professionals? Realistically, are you looking at a regional product or a national product?
Questions like these are just a few things to think about. Fortunately, there are many tools available to help. Twitter has tools available to discover the trending topics within a particular region, Facebook and LinkedIn have groups focusing on a particular topic, etc. Use these to your advantage.
2. Know your options. Even if you have 1000 Facebook friends, or 1500 people following you on Twitter, you aren’t guaranteed success if you pitch your product to your follower base. Know your options. Are you running a contest? If you can convey the message properly in 140 characters, maybe you use Twitter, or maybe you use a Blog for longer content. Do you know the rules regarding running a contest via Facebook, and what you can and can’t do without their permission? Plan on using video? YouTube is always an option, or you can live stream an event using uStream, or maybe something else altogether. Do your research. Sometimes the biggest or most obvious option isn’t the best fit for your campaign; don’t be afraid to use some of the smaller sites or blogs for your campaign if those are the options that fit your niche.
3. Network. Network. Network. You know you have a great product. But if you’re one of only a handful of people that know it, your chances at success are obviously very limited. Welcome to the world of networking. If you know you’re going to ask X blog to help promote your product, do your best to get to know that person beforehand. Comment on their blog, retweet their messages on Twitter; send them an email saying you like what they’re doing, whatever. Show an interest in what that person is doing in the world of social media. I was able to get a product mentioned on Yahoo! Sports, not because I knew someone there, but because I knew someone that knew someone, and I had commented on that person’s blog a few times and they thought it’d be a good idea to pass my product on to a larger audience. You never know when the people you know could help your product be a success, so, specifically network with people you want to work with, but network with as many people in your area of expertise as possible…you just never know when it will help.
4. Utilize the athlete/Know your Contracts. So, you’ve found the perfect athlete, created the perfect product and created the perfect marketing plan. That’s all well and good, but don’t forget to use that perfect athlete to your advantage. Think about it…if you’re doing a product with Chad Ochocinco, who are people going to be more apt to listen to? You, or Chad himself? Utilizing the athlete’s fan base is the best form of target marketing because you assume that anyone following the athlete is a fan and at the very least will be interested in your product will therefore buy that athlete’s product…So make sure you’re written social media usage provisions into the marketing contract!
5. Be versatile. You know your target base, you know the different social media options available to you, you’ve networked, you’ve utilized the athlete…and the campaign still seems to be failing. This brings up two points. Firstly, if for some reason you aren’t, continually monitor your social media campaign. Are you seeing people follow your twitter feed due to your work? Are they leaving blog comments? Joining your facebook groups? Analyze your campaign daily, if not multiple times a day. Social media and media generally, is constantly changing, and since you’re using social media for your marketing campaign, it would only make sense frequently check your work . Secondly, always have a back-up plan. Maybe your initial campaign is in need of a contest giveaway (i.e. autographed merchandise) or maybe the product needs to be bundled with something else (i.e. trading cards to accompany the product, coupons for deals on future products?) in order to be successful. Be versatile! Don’t give up on your social media campaign just because things aren’t moving as quickly as you’d like in the beginning.
And there you have it. 5 tips to put you well on your way to a successful social media sports marketing campaign. Of course, this is only a starting point! Have other tips that aren’t listed? Be sure to mention them in the comments.
Anatomy of a successful media promotional tie-in!
Recently we released a special breakfast cereal here in Pittsburgh commemorating the Steelers winning the Super Bowl and the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup. It had been 30 years since Pittsburgh originally became known as the “City of Champions” when the Pirates won the 1979 World Series and the Steelers followed up by winning their 4th Super Bowl. Our “City of Champions” cereal was a unique product featuring future Hall-of-Famer Hines Ward on one side of the box and Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 hero Max Talbot on the other. While the cereal would be featured in the Giant Eagle grocery stores in Western Pennsylvania, we still needed a unique promotional tie-in to create a buzz and also drive traffic to the website for ancillary sales. It was at that point that I approached FSN Pittsburgh, the rights holder to the Penguins television broadcasts. Ted Black, General Manager of the station, and I had met previously and started a dialogue about creating future product promotions. Ted loved the “City of Champions” idea and unleashed his creative team on the concept. They came up with the idea of doing a “tongue in cheek” promo spot featuring Hines and Max that would be a take on the old Miller Lite “Tastes Great, Less Filling” commercials that featured various sports celebrities. After our product launch press conference at Jerome Bettis Grille 36 restaurant, we headed over to FSN studios to film the promo spot. The City of Champions Cereal “Tastes Great, More Filling” promo spot was completed in about 30 minutes. FSN edited down the raw footage into a funny and entertaining :30 spot that was featured during every Penguins broadcast for a 6-8 week period. We notice a big spike in internet sales after every broadcast, and the spot (along with the outtakes) became a YouTube and internet sensation. FSN also featured the cereal on their FSNinsider e-newsletter that was sent via email blasts to their extensive list of subscribers. At the endof the day, we ended up with increased sales and exposure for our product, while FSN was able to tie-in to a unique product celebrating our city’s 2nd “City of Champions”. A “win-win” promotional tie-in for all parties involved!
Check out the video, below!