SEMII 2.06
•Identify ambush strategies to use at
other events
•Develop viral sport/event marketing
strategies
•Explain considerations in using special
events as a sales-promotion strategy
•Plan special events for
sports/entertainment
What is Ambush Marketing?
• Ambush marketing is an emotionally-charged
phrase that refers to the practice of appearing
to align a brand with an event for which that
brand has not paid for the right to be a
sponsor.
Reasons Businesses Use Ambush
Marketing
• It’s effective
• It attracts consumers at
the expense of its
competitors
• It is cheaper than being
an official sponsor
• For some smaller
companies, it is the only
way to be tied in with a
large sport event
Ambush Marketing used as a
Marketing Strategy
• A brand associates itself with a sport/event
• Used to gain market share
• May sponsor an athlete or team, but not the
entire event
• Handing out free apparel or items with the
company name on it
Impact of Ambush Marketing on
Sponsorships
• It could hurt the ambushing company in future
sponsorships
• It hurts event/sport organizations ability to
demand high sponsorship prices
• It frustrates official sponsors that have paid top
dollar for the right to sponsor an event.
What is Viral Marketing?
• any marketing strategy that
encourages users to pass on
the marketing materials or
message to others. Also
known as “word-of-mouth
marketing”
• This creates
an exponential growth pattern,
not unlike that of the flu virus,
as the material is forwarded
from friend to friend, allowing
the message to reach millions,
if done right.
Importance of viral marketing
• It is the least expensive option for advertising
purposes
• It can make or break a company
• Consumers want to hear what the public has
to say about a company – it is much more
reliable than a paid advertisment
Principles of viral marketing
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1 - Free Products or Services
– The majority of viral marketing strategies give away something for
free. Free ringtones. Free samples. Free games. A core principle of
viral marketing, is delayed gratification. You may be giving away free
product initially, but understanding that the attention and buzz you can
generate from your campaign will pay off in spades down the road.
2 – Spreads Easily
– YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
3 – Easy to Scale
– Make sure your marketing campaign pays off.
4 – Use a Common Human Motivation
– Should appeal to basic human nature: fear, humor, love. People need to
connect with your marketing scheme.
5 – Content is everything
– if people are not interested, your campaign will never take off
6 – Keep it Simple
Old Spice Guy Responds to Fans
• Mad Men Yourself
•
To help create buzz around the third season of Mad Men, AMC launched Mad Men
Yourself, an avatar creator that allowed you to make a stylized '60s version of
yourself. The site received half a million visitors in the first week and the Season 3
premiere saw record ratings. Perhaps the most impressive part about this campaign
is it's still going strong five years later, receiving updates with every new season.
Define Special Event
• A special event is a one-time or infrequently
occurring event outside normal programs or
activities of the sponsoring or organizing body
• To the customer or guest, a special event is an
opportunity for a leisure, social or cultural
experience outside the normal range of
choices or beyond everyday experience
According to The Special Event guru
http://specialeventguru.blogspot.com/2007/11/seeking-definition-of-special-events.html
Types of Special Events
• Pre-game autograph session/meet & greet
• Pre/post- game concert for fans
– Blake Shelton concert prior to Belk Bowl in Charlotte
• Giveaways to fans
– Walk-In (first 100 people in the gate get free t-shirt)
– In-Stadium (pom-pom on every seat in the stadium)
• In-game contests
– Half-court shot for $1,000,000 during halftime of Final
Four game
• Community Service Project
– Donations for V Foundation collected at door
– Toy for Tots contribution gets discount on ticket
Benefits of Using Special Events
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Creates excitement for main event
Builds additional fan base
Maintains existing fan base
Creates goodwill
Increases revenue (ticket, merchandise,
concessions)
Barriers to Using Special Events
• Takes away attention from main event
• Disappointment from fans not included
– Not enough of the giveaway item for all the fans
that arrive early
– Traffic to bad to get to pre-game concert on time
• High cost of some events
– Paying performers
– Paying for giveaways
Creating Special Event Plans
• Develop strategies for success
– Define the purpose
– Start planning well in advance
– Think about evaluation process after event
• Make a detailed checklist to ensure organization
• Create a budget (and stick to it)
• Consider logistics
– Traffic, start/end time, shipment of giveaway items from
manufacturer, set-up/clean-up, staffing, etc
• Plan advertising/publicity
• Evaluate the event
– SWOT Analysis