We have recently touched on the lack of innovative Heisman and Bowl promotions from this past year, mostly blamed on “the economy”. However one of the world's richest men, in the Sport of Kings, found time around the holidays to push his prized posession with a very unique, relatively inexpensive, package that combined holiday cheer with a good old fashioned awareness campaign. The man is Jess Jackson, and the candidate is Curlin. The package, written about in Sunday's “Rumble” section of the New York Post, went to the voting members of the Turf Writers Association, who will vote on Horse of the Year in January. It included a holiday note, and a bottle of Jackson's wine (he of the Kendall Jackson winery) with Curlin's picture on the label. It was smart, subtle, well timed and used resources that Jackson's team had at their disposal. The package was well received for a well deserved candidate, and got the brands some additional exposure. Did Jackson need to do this to push Curlin for Horse of the Yea.? No. Was it smart to thank the media with a package in a year when most extra items have disappeared (especially in a sport which continues to suffer losses in coverage). Absolutely. A good old fashioned promotional campaign which garnered band exposur.at the right time of the year. We need more of these pushes in the business today.?
Some other good reads…the Newark Star Ledger has a good profile of Nets CEO Brett Yormark on Sunday…what is good about it is that it gives another side of Yormark that the public hasn’t seen before, as opposed to a rehash of old news…this week's Sacramento Bee had a good behind the scenes look into the mentality of the Kings coaching change…rare to see such a good breakdown into the thinking of an organization in public…and with Northwestern heading to a bowl game Monday, the Chicago Tribune had a good profile of the Wildcats’ John Gill, who is part Indian.
