For decades the Dallas Cowboys have had the moniker “America’s Team,” something which the Atlanta Braves also claimed even during their bad years because of their massive exposure on WTBS when the station was one of a handful carried nationally on cable systems and well before the days of sports-specific networks.
However the Toronto Raptors, still the only NBA franchise north of the border, can truly call themselves “Canada’s Team,” and given the massive growth of elite basketball players coming from the urban areas in Canada, the play, and the brand exposure and creativity being done by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, is backing up the claim in and around the Air Canada Centre.
The NBA gave even more credence to the quality work being put out by Canada’s team, last week presenting the Raptors with the 2015 NBA Team Sponsorship Activation of the Year Award at the NBA Summer Meetings in Las Vegas this week. The league invited each team to submit its best activations from the 2014-15 season and team presidents and other team executives voted for the top promotion based on measurable results, creativity, the use of integrated channels, and fan engagement.
The Raptors joined with Procter & Gamble and its Swiffer brand to create a program that resonated with fans and established Swiffer’s position in the sports world. The cornerstone of this partnership was the “Swiffer, Certified for the Raptors Hardwood.” This program appealed directly to Raptors fans by offering them the unique opportunity to obtain a part of the team’s history. When fans purchased $15 worth of Swiffer products, they received an actual piece of the Raptors court from the team’s inaugural 1995-96 season.
The Raptors joined the Swiffer “Man Clean” movement, which is designed to erase the negative stigma about men and cleaning. With the help of former Raptor Amir Johnson, who was recruited to serve as a “Swiffer Man Clean Ambassador,” millennial men were challenged to “up their game” and join the movement through a series of special appearances by Johnson and vignettes that demonstrated the simple, effective use of Swiffer’s diverse products.
Other key components of this campaign were the Swiffer “Man Clean” Crew, which took to the hardwood to clean the court during timeouts of Raptors home games, and the “Swiffer Upgrade to the Hardwood” in-arena experience throughout the season, which rewarded two lucky fans with the chance to sit courtside at a home game. In addition, the Raptors and Swiffer engaged fans on social media each game day with the “Swiffer Hardwood Matchup” that featured the marquee matchup of the night between a Raptors player and a player from the opposing team, along with key statistics.
While many sales and marketing teams tend to hold their cards close to the vest in terms of best practices, the NBA has always been a property willing to share and grow, so the Raptors taking top recognition in an uber-competitive business is certainly praise and innovation worthy. Congrats Raps, keep doing what you are doing.
Also speaking of the Raptors, great read on their longtime voice, another good son of Brooklyn, Jack Armstrong.
