Whether it’s sponsoring the Super Bowl halftime show, breaking new commercials during the game, using golf’s biggest event to benefit the underprivileged or hosting customers at the Skybox on 16, one thing jumps immediately to mind – make sure your involvement is memorable.
The keys to success lie in bringing your corporate sponsorship to life in real and meaningful ways, making a connection with your customers and making certain it fits the occasion
Super Bowl, Super Buzz
The Patriots may have edged out the Seahawks to win the game but Pepsi and McDonald’s claimed top commercial honors.
Pepsi’s Super Bowl halftime extravaganza featuring Katie Perry, along with cameos by Missy Elliott and Lenny Kravitz, made quite a splash with their target audience.
According to YouGov BrandIndex, Pepsi had the highest increase in brand awareness based on pre- and post-Super Bowl metrics even though the soft drink company only had one 30-second TV spot in the game, which introduced the halftime show that immediately followed it.
McDonald's was rated best in purchase consideration and word of mouth, according to that same survey. The company successfully activated its Super Bowl and Pro Bowl involvement with their “Pay with Lovin’” campaign that included TV commercials, digital marketing, social media, consumer giveaways, onsite hospitality, events and promotions.
As far as the other Super Bowl commercials went, there were more misses than hits during this year’s “unofficial” viewing contest. Budweiser connected emotionally with its “Lost Dog” ad featuring a cute little puppy being saved by the Clydesdales, which won USA Today’s Ad Meter competition, while Doritos’ “Middle Seat” spot struck a common connection with everyone who flies these days and was the talk around water coolers across the country. It also won the Doritos $1 million grand prize. The ads were memorable and paid off by connecting the brands with the universal truths that unite us all.
The five worst ads, according to USA Today’s Ad Meter, were uCool’s “Heroes Charge,” Jublia’s “Tackle It,” T-Mobile’s “Save the Data,” Squarespace’s “Om,” and Machine Zone’s “Game of War.” For me, the most dubious “why did you spend more than $4 million on a Super Bowl commercial?” distinction goes to Nationwide’s “Boy” – impactful message but the wrong venue for portraying the death of a child – and Jublia’s “Tackle It” – toenail fungus while people are eating chips and guacamole, really?
Greatest Show on Grass
The Waste Management Phoenix Open is like no other golf tournament in the world for a number of reasons – Kid Rock and Darrius Rucker performing at the Bird’s Nest; the massive number of people who attend, many of whom are not exactly golf enthusiasts; and of course, the Coliseum that has become the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale – one of the most famous holes in golf.
But to me, what’s most impressive about the largest tournament on the PGA Tour calendar won this year by Brooks Koepka is the group that hosts it – the Thunderbirds. This year, 564,368 attended the week-long tournament, which eclipsed last year’s record of 563,008 spectators, but, most impressively, the organizers announced that proceeds raised from the tournament will surpass the $100 million mark in charitable giving.
Baby Won’t You Drive My Car
Finally, we had the annual Barrett-Jackson car auction at West World. While it’s not quite the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach, it’s pretty close. Each year, bidders attend the auction for a chance to buy a wide range of American muscle, European classics, exotic sports cars and custom cars. According to Barrett-Jackson, the 2015 auction was the biggest in the event’s 44-year history, recording more than $131 million in the sale of 1,612 vehicles.
While this year’s version included some unforgettable moments, my favorite memory was in 2012 when two-time Masters Champion Bubba Watson bought the old General Lee – the iconic orange 1969 Dodge Charger from 70’s “The Dukes of Hazard” TV show – and was seen driving it around town and pulling up to TPC Scottsdale with his golf clubs in the trunk.
These were memorable sports moments here in the desert over the past few weeks to be sure but the key takeaways are making sure that sponsorship activation, no matter how large or small, is memorable, connects with your target audience and fits the occasion.
Dave Nobs is managing director, business development and head of sports marketing for LAVIDGE, a full-service advertising, interactive, public relations, and multicultural agency in Phoenix.
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