One of the more unique cross promotions of last season began its comeback today, a great partnership between the job site Monster.com and the NFL to again find the ultimate NFL fan. The Monster NFL.com fandemonium site launched October 1, which gives fans a chance again this year to submit videos and show why the honor of ultimate NFL fan, and the mega-prizes and experiences that go with it, is a worthwhile way to spend one's time. The contest drew amazing coverage not just for the winners last year, but also for the outakes and the local stories spawned, all of which again leads into a several month long buildup with ancillary support for the partner, Monster.com. However more than celebrating the fan, the contest and its microsite really shows how brands can be creative by reaching the core audience they want to reach and not just slapping a logo on the side of a tried and true promotion. In these challenged times the services Monster.com can provide to the job seeker are invaluable. However, the sources one can now go to find positions has grown exponentially, to the point where even job search engines like Monster have to find ways to make themselves more compelling and stay top of mind when the job seeker starts his search. Can the investment be made it providing ancillary core services like resume writing and outplacement idea. Absolutely. Monster took a chance to have some fun with the promotion and associate themselves with a positive experience in a field where many times those coming to them are not having the most positive experiences of their lives. So by blending fun, creating a viral reason for fans…both job seekers and those gainfully employed…to both visit the site (and maybe check out Monster's offerings) multiple times and even take part in the contests put Monster.com a step ahead of many competitors in the field that provide similar services but don’t venture into the creative to capture visitors. Does Fandemonium stray a bit from Monster's core pitc. Perhaps. Does it resonate with the football fan and stir passio. Absolutely. And by taking that step and having some fun in what is a very serious business, the job hunt, Monster can score some unusual points with their clientle, both current and future.
Some other good reads…Media Post had a piece on espnW.com, targeting girl's high school sports and the further penetration into that market…the Washington Post's Sally Jenkins has a long look at Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder…and Darren Rovell has a good look at the top sports books of 2009…
I’m wondering if Monster.com has looked at even more creative ways to utilize this promo to not only bring attention to their site but maybe even help out some of the companies seeking employees thru their site? Maybe Monster.com could help companies seeking public relations, marketing, and social media candidates by helping identify talent in the videos or whatnot?