Globies Race To Keep Growing The Brand…

November 21, 2009 by Joe Favorito · 1 Comment 

It is not easy trying to remain relevant with national brands for the travelling road show. There are less performances of the circus, less ice shows, less boxing matches, less LPGA events, less AVP events, less, less less. When you do not have consistent brand relevance in a market and are out of sight for all but one week a year, the ability to keep an event fresh and top of mind when discretionary income, and with that partner value, can be hard to explain is making the “tour” even more difficult to sustain. So what does a touring brand do? You try and find national platforms that give the product year-round life, so that when the event does make its annual stop into down there is something to draw the casual fan. One group that continues to do it well is the Harlem Globetrotters, and their latest attempt at large and long-term branding relevance is with their participation in CBS’ Amazing Race. The Globies, who have two players, Flight Time and Big Easy, participating in the reality show this season, have used the show to keep the brand fresh for the casual fan, and even build a little momentum for the upcoming start of their next multi-city, multi-week tour which begins during the Holidays. Are the guys playing hoops? No. But like the use of “Dancing With the Stars” for other athletes, The Amazing Race and the publicity around it gives the brand watercooler talk at a time of year when the team would not be top of mind and would be struggling to find a way to connect even with their strongest of supporters. The brand has also used various levels of social media to piggyback off the push “The Amazing race” does every week to drive viewers to the show, and has created a positive partnership that could serve as a template for getting Globetrotter branding into even more properties. There was a time during their heyday when team spokespeople were part of multifaceted marketing campaigns, cartoons and special year round, and that brand value for the Globetrotters is now returning in more creative communication and brand platforms that are looking to tie with a group that has recognition with casual sports and entertainment fans. Does it matter if the Trotters pair wins TAR this year? No. It mattered more that they stayed in the race and on the show long enough to drive interest and draw more eyeballs to the brand. By making it to this stage they have achieved their goal and have helped forge a bridge to when the season tips off, which is a win for their brand and all their partners.

Mastering The Stunt: Globies With A Hall of Fame Performance…

August 8, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

Often times the lure and immediacy of social media and email, as well as budget constraints, force us to forget about the traditional ways to garner exposure. For the most part gone are the days of creative campaigns for the Heisman Trophy or for promoting players or brands via extensive mail campaigns, and good stories may often get lost in the morass of email bombardment that writers and editors now receive. However once in a while there is a reminder that the traditional visual PR stunt is a great way to cut through the clutter and deliver for a brand. Case in point this week was the Harlem Globetrotters, which had its mascot, Globie, parachute into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame to deliver a basketball that had been used around the world. The move, well timed during a slow news period with great visuals and then spread virally and through traditional video distribution channels to TV stations, turned a nothing event,,,the delivering of an artifact to the Hall…into a something event, and gained some great exposure for the Globetrotters and for the Hall, and maybe even for the brand of “Globie.” Was it cost effective for the brand? If the goal was to bring recognition, then yes. If timed right and with the right amount of buzz, the stunt can still surpass any viral campaign for quick and unique and effective exposure. Nice pop for hoops, during a time where most casual fans are thinking baseball or even golf.

The Science of Effective Mommy Blogging…The USTA and Mother’s Day.

June 4, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

It has long been known that the female head of household is the decision maker on products, and the brands that can effectively communicate to those decision makers through sports or entertainment are often the most effective. Of course in sports the challenge has always been how to keep women interested and engaged in activities that might play more to the male demo. That problem has waned in recent years as girls have become more active, the head of household has shifted and women take a much more visible role in the overall positioning and delivering of kids to sporting events and choosing leasure activities to attend. NASCAR and soccer have been two of the leaders in connecting brand loyalty and women to their overall experience and choice of where their families spend their time and dollars. However with the advent of social media, new challenges have arisen as to how to capture the head of household and the decision maker in the right environ. Enter the mommy bloggers. The mommy bloggers, literally in the thousands, have become a huge voice in the decision making process of the household and a great source of information, especially for young families looking for all sorts of options in challenging times. Like so many other aspects of social media, the ability to exchange ideas, tips, product leads and thoughts amongst peers gives the group a very special cache for those who enter the mix. Since a good part of mommy blogging is also about lifestyle and health choices, as opposed to viewing or attending events, the opportunity for lifestyle sports to penetrate and activate in this space is both a huge challenge and a golden opportunity. The bloggers can be an insular group and really have to experience product in order to validate its usefulness so like any other pitch, taking the time to know the writer and her audience is critical. Also, the viral nature of blogging can give the right products or activities a huge boost if pitched and placed effectively. So how can sports brands effectively activate in the Mommy blogging world? A great example of success was demonstrated by the USTA and Coyne Public Relations, who were able to get the right kits to key Mommy Bloggers and have them validate all the claims of the USTA’s grassroots programs as fun and friendly and healthy family activities to their readers around Mother’s Day. The results may not have produced over the top clips or national show headlines, but for this project, delivering effective messaging to the decision makers, the payoff was very strong. Is using this core grassroots approach the best for all activities? Of course not. Extolling the value of Mixed Martial Arts may not be the right fit here. However as a smart, effective, well thought out plan, the Mommy Blogging route can add great value to a campaign or a brand in sports, like it has in many family-friendly non-sports brands. It is a great example of alternative support for a program in this digital age, and one that has yet to be fully taken advantage of by the sports community.

Globies Continue To Find Ways To Refresh Their Brand…

January 16, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

Like the circus, or really any “touring” sports brand from tennis to golf to the PBR…or even an annual “show” like the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the Harlem Globetrotters must find new and innovative ways to engage fans, find new audiences and keep their brand top of mind when one of their teams makes their annual city by city stops.  Part of that is smart advertising, part smart marketing, but a big part is innovation and doing the “little” things that set them apart and get them noticed in advance of city stops or off the sports page and into the mainstream where the casual sports fan or the family member will see and remember them.  There were two good instances this week of the Globetrotters doing a little extra to grab that recognition.  First, as reported in Media Post on Friday, was the announcement that the entire team will wear 44 jerseys on Tuesday as a tribute to President-elect Obama being the 44th President.  The second, as reported in NY Sports Journalism.com, is their partnership with IHOP which will give them great promotional exposure and provide added value for all attendees.  Do either of these come across as game changers for the brand?  Well as stand-alone events, no.  However they continue to give people reasons to identify with the Globies when they are not in market, while showing business partners and all in the sports and entertainment world that even in a slow economy, they are finding ways to be progressive and keep looking forward.  In a marketplace where today many feel that cutbacks and inertia are a sign of progress, the Globetrotters are spinning forward, and thats a good thing.

Lotsa G’s…Green Globies, Getting A Job And Getting Instruction

March 14, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

PR Move of the Day:  With St. Patty’s Day almost upon us, the number of teams and leagues going “green” on or around the day (ranging from NBA teams to the Yankees) grows every year.  However another unique spin goes to our friends at the Harlem Globetrotters, who are taking a two pronged approach to the day…first the team will take on the traditionally green clad Washington Generals in Wildwood, New Jersey and will break from their usual red, white and blue ball to a green ball for the first time ever…the ball, an instant collectable, will then be signed and sent to the Hall of Fame.  Then the team will join the always creative St. Baldricks charity to shave their heads for the day, with proceeds going to charity.  Again the Globies, led by the folks at Coyne PR, break through the clutter on a “green” day with two very definable ideas, and bring along both a historic and a charity element.  Great spin.