The Stunt Makes A Comeback…

November 17, 2009 by Joe Favorito · 1 Comment 

As we move towards the end of what has been a challenged year for many in the brand activation side, we are seeing more and more unique ambush plays and creative sponsorship partnerships designed to extract every dollar, or generate dollars and interest, with every passing day. The moves are probably coming more out of creative minds letting loose and brands being willing to try a little more edgy a push for ROI, but in each case the opportunities have created buzz and made for an entrepreneurial sense of “one upsmanship” that is both refreshing and challenging for all involved in sports and entertainment. The recent examples included: Hebrew National pulling a unique ambush and challenge for those players caught eating hot dogs on an NFL sideline (after the Jets Mark Sanchez was caught on camera eating during a game), the Captain Morgan pose and subsequent followup this week by Diageo during last week’s Eagles NFL game, Boise State and the Big West Conference looking to raise their profile by hiring a PR firm and selling “shares” in their athletic program (as reported by Darren Rovell) with each holder getting a voice in marketing plans, and the History Channel’s “Pawn Stars” sponsoring last Saturday’s championship fight between Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquaio.

‘Zo Uses A Platform For Political Change…while a columnist lays out a platform for startup sports biz success or failure…

September 27, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With the baseball playoffs getting ready, the NHL about to get started, college sports and the NFL in full swing, the Ryder Cup just finished, MLS going down the stretch, the WNBA going to its finals, NASCAR finishing its chase and the NBA ready for camp, there is probably no busier sports month than October.  Athletes from almost every sport will have some kind of forum with the media this month, and the sucesses and the failures will be very well documented in our 24/7 world.  So with the financial crisis and the election a little over a month away, we still see athletes who have a chance to use their platform to speak about social change reluctant to do so.  Many will advise athletes that their forum is not a place for personal issues.  However those who are socially conscious may get the support of their brands and their fans to speak their mind in a well informed and positive forum.  Granted, political interest among elite athletes may be lower on the interest scale than even it is amongst their peers, but one would think this election would garner more interest from elite athletes.  Maybe we will see that in the next month, and it will be interesting to see how athletes can become influencers in a very tight election.  We have seen some, like the Trail Blazers Greg Oden step up to coice support for Senator Obama, while we have also seen Senator McCain do the photo op. with many NASCAR drivers.  Where it goes this month remains to be seen.  However, one athlete who has never had a wont for a lack of an opinion did step up this week, and used his platform, promoting a new book and telling positive life stories, to chime in with college students to voice his support for Senator Obama:  Alonzo Mourning.  The former Heat star and Georgetown alum used part of his book tour on Florida campuses this week to endorse Senator Obama, and he used a well thought out and dignified public speaking platform to do.  It garnered his book tour extra publicity and could make a difference in a key state with the average sports fan and college student who may have been on the fence.  Now should every athlete take a stance?  No.  No one should ever be asked to step out of their comfort zone.  But many atheletes have a real social conscience and have views that can be well thought out and influential, and with the right guidence can influence social change. Nice move by Mourning to speak his mind in a thoughtful way and try and influence the young to get out and make a statement, regardless of which candidate they support.   

Venturing Even Further Off The Sports Page…Kyle Busch gets “freaky”…

July 7, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

PR Move of the Day:  One of the biggest challenges in publicity and brand awareness for a “tour” is trying to continually identify and then place pieces that expose the brand to a whole new, sometimes unconventional audience while at the same time keeping the “traveling circus” going from city to city.  No one pushes the limits of exposure more than NASCAR, and yet another piece surfaced on July 4 with a Kyle Busch q and a in the wildly popular Freakonomics blog in the New York Times.  My guess is that most NASCAR fans rarely visit the blog, but the exposure to brand decision makers, marketers and the financial world is invaluable.  Great positive outreach and a great look inside the helmet of one of NASCAR’s best.