One of my former bosses, Tom Chestnut (actually was my boss twice, at SportsChannel and at the Philadelphia 76ers) used to say that I operated on the “lunatic fringe of sports and entertainment,” which frankly I always took as a compliment. Working with big budgets, big stars, big events is always exciting and fun and usually rewarding, but uncovering the really unique stories with some fun and very worthy projects is where I, and a handful of others, somehow find a niche…with some great niches…
Case in point: The American Cornhole League
There are few people in any demo that don’t know what cornhole is. We have seen it, play it on the beach, on lawns, on parking lots, simple affordable family fun, no electronic devices needed. Did it need to be organized and advanced a bit?
The American Cornhole League thought so, so they put together large scale competitions, official boards, licensed products and a whole slew of accessories to give “professional” cornhole its, pardon the pun, shape. Simple idea, simple story, great visual, easy to explain. Where could it go? That’s where creative storytelling comes in. Marlon LeWinter is all about grit and hustle and storytelling having learned at places like Catalyst PR when he was getting started. It is all about expanding the niche and putting the story into the mainstream, and succeed with ACL he has.
From coverage of stars of the game to helping build brand value with partners like Johnsonville Meats, ACL, with its events on ESPN to its world championships, has found its quirky story on bigger stages than most of what are considered casual games. Creative solutions to expose the property to bigger audiences and get conversation started has been really the impetus of their crossover.
Case in point, ACL executives are in and around Charlotte, North Carolina, which is also the home of the Sports Business Journal. While it is a pretty solid rite of passage in the growth of any business to have the opportunity to tell their story with editors and writers at the SBJ offices, this is a relationship business after all, it is unusual for a platform like ACL to get time and then come in not just to talk, but to play some cornhole. It would be akin to the PGA showing up with golf clubs, or the NHL with some sticks and a net. The creativity of bringing cornhole into the office to throw some bags, made the conversation fun and interactive, and changed the creative narrative with a simple idea. Taking the game on the road as an icebreaker in conversation and media engagement continues to help, especially with disruptive or very visual media platforms like digital or broadcast. Hearing an executive talk about a game can make media types eyes glaze over, but giving them the ability to get up and have some fun and engage with a product that they know and is simple to understand; that breaks down barriers and elevates the narrative.
Now it’s not like cornhole is going to supplant major sports engagement, but it does have a place, and their creativity and ability to grow their story is key to success as a niche.
Another recent example of expansive storytelling. We mentioned Johnsonville as a natural and effective partner. This week they added another, DEVOUR Frozen Foods, who will crown the top male ACL Pro for the “DEVOUR Man of the Year”, kicking off at Harrah’s Ak-Chin in Maricopa, AZ. The Top 32 male ACL Pros will be identified and seeded following ACL National 3 May 17-19. Now it’s not the largest brand when consumers think pizza (it is owned by HJ Heinz), but it is a disruptive brand whose cost effective message now gets amplified through the smart work of ACL storytelling.
Is it easy to find a niche for Cornhole? No. Is it fraught with rejection? Probably? But the beauty of selling and storytelling good ideas is that you can keep probing, and then amplify the success through social channels and other means, so that the conversation of the brand keeps rising to the top. It may not be the biggest win, but it can be a great amount of fun for the right story, the right medium, and the right storyteller.
Who wins? Everybody involved; players, sellers, partners, owners. Simple game, creative storytelling, simple results for all and a great case study in elevating that “lunatic fringe.”
