For as long as we have had promotions in sports, teams have worked with franchises for “special prizes” when teams hit milestones in games. Free fries for a 100 points, double chili for six goals etc. etc. have always been a get something for nothing mantra that drives foot traffic as the added bonus for a team partnership for many retailers and franchisees. In February Quiznos took in one step further by using many of its sports platforms to promote its one million free sub giveaway, which generated a countless amount of foot traffic and publicity even with some of its snafus with demand outreaching supply. Then Wednesday, another brand which spends a huge amount of time in sports activation (most recently signing on with the AVP), YUM brands KFC, went to the ultimate tastemaker, Oprah Winfrey, to unveil its free coupons on a new branded website to kick off its new grilled chicken. The combination of an Oprah endorsement, a great viral platform and word of mouth spread the offer to record exposure for the brand, and even spark internet rumors of riots at some New York locations (good buzz but unfounded). Now was it a radical move for a traditional brand to break out of its stereotype and get foot traffic in the door for those who may never try KF. Yes. The success in repeat customers and internet buzz will carry on for days through the coupon redemption, but the combo of an Oprah endorsement, an internet fury, online brand activation with couponing created a midweek event where there was not one before and probably gave KFC a nice launch platform to now activate even more heavily through its sports sponsorships. Well paced, well timed, and although demand may have overexceeded supply in some areas, so far well done (the plan not the chicken). Now its on to the next fast food move to top the KFC play, which could be McDonald's elevation of its coffee marketing this week in a take at Starbucks...another brand which will use its sports platform to exploit a new product launch, but not with free coffee yet.
Some other good reads…Darren Rovell has a good sitdown with David Stern and Gary Bettman… Ad Age has a good q and a with Tony Ponturo…Yahoo's Jonathan Littman has a good catch up piece with former sprinter and NFL’er Willie Gault...and golf.com's Gary Van Sickle has a good piece on former maintainence worker Jeff Klauk and how his play got him into this week's TPC.
