I have always been a fan of second tier Bowl games. From the Garden State Bowl to the Astro Blue Bonnet Bowl, those games used to bring future stars into our homes, as well as schools we didn’t often see on football Saturdays. The relevance of many to the general public, and in some cases to the athletes themselves, may have demand, but the essence of many of the non-BCS playoff bowls still look to find value and relevance on a crowded last December calendar. Many drive tourism, raise money for local causes, and provide a showcase for the brands who use those games correctly. For example, Scooter’s Coffee, looking to continue its emergence in a category no one currently owns in college athletes…coffee..will use their activation in Frisco, Texas this year as a way to drive awareness and activation in a market that is underserved in the space, and they can use the game and all its commercials benefits to reach an audience that may not know the brand in many places…but will soon as expansion takes hold.
It’s all in the story…and as we get closer to the kickoff of those games, let’s look at the two which continue to set the bar for relevance and growth.
The Duke’s Mayo Bowl and The Pop Tarts Bowl have found themselves as the pop culture darlings of Bowl season..
The brands, with the bowls, tasked their agencies with being disruptive…but ideating on what would make a splash given their limited connections with the schools playing…and to come up with ideas that would garner exposure linked to what the brand was known for…what did the agency do to make the brand grow in the consumer space…and how could it play along using the national platform of ESPN.
The execution needed by in from the bowl committee…usually not-for-profits run by a few paid executives but most volunteers…ESPN…and most importantly the participating schools who needed to understand the idea and then be part of the stunt.
Duke’s Mayo found a way to showcase their product and drive brand awareness with a takeoff on the Gatorade celebration…dousing the coach in mayonnaise…Pop Tarts caught a viral wave on a quiet night by literally devouring the mascot by the winning team, a promotion which has grown for year two, and we earnest will look to see how other title sponsors find their own way into larger relevance on the coming December nights and weeks.
All in the fun, as you raise your platform to one beyond a game.
