Deal Flow 8-21-2009

Clear Channel today launched a new digital radio station dedicated to live music drawing from the company’s cache of exclusive live artist performances and interviews. Available 24/7, stripped radio is presented by Visa Signature, the exclusive launch sponsor for the channel. Visa’s sponsorship also includes on-air talent endorsements, a “channel takeover” of both the iheartradio application av...

Writing the Perfect Pitch

There are a number of ways to craft a perfect sponsorship proposal but in every successful proposal, the following points are consistent: The Cover Letter I put a lot of emphasis on the Cover Letter for two reasons: 1. No matter how you cut it, a sponsorship sale must have value but it is still a “relationship sell.” The Cover Letter allows the presenting organization the opportunity to put ...

Sponsorship Isn't Just for Events

A lot of times, when I'm first talking to folks about the "Brought to you By…" sponsorship sales system, many will immediately jump to the conclusion that sponsorship is strictly something for companies that put on meetings and events. (After all – our event, the National Sports Forum, has sponsors and it's an event, right?!) Well, it is an event and it does have sponsors … but that's it as fa...

Activation Tactic of the Week: Belle Tire Hits a Home Run

Are you looking for new ways to reward fans based on team performance? Are you looking for ways to make your tunnel signage interactive? During the 2009 MLB season, Belle Tire and the Detroit Tigers teamed up to create a "Belle Tire Blast Contest" that ties an interactive promotion*to the corporate partner's tunnel signage at Comerica Park. Each time a Detroit Tiger hits a home run into the Be...

Women's Tennis' Race Against the Clock

In a clever stunt to promote the Rogers Cup, Flowe Experience turned one of the world's busiest intersections into a regulation size tennis court, with two top WTA stars to boot - Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic. The challenge was Flowe had only a thirty minute permit for Yonge Street, which created a frenzied media environment. Not such a bad thing for Sony Ericsson, who had signage t...

The END of Sponsorship Marketing?

This is the fourth posting in our "Key Learnings" blog series, which is a regular collection of insights and stories from thought-leaders within the sponsorship industry. Today's key learning comes from Kevin Hanft from Marketing Leverage LLC. Thankfully, we have seen the end of the populism trend of bashing every company that had a sponsorship, ran client hospitality or rewarded its employee...

Year-over-Year Activation Spending Poll

Admittedly, this is a limited sample size, but for what it's worth here are the results from our earlier poll. 5-1 votes for sponsors spending less on activation this year (with 3 votes saying sponsors maintained current spending). Is this because sponsors are finding more sophisticated, resourceful and efficient ways to accomplish more with less, because they are cutting back on activation e...

Confessions of a Sporting Goods CMO

Want to know what kind of questions CMO's are asking about sports sponsorship these days? Here's a quick sample. Now of course, sponsor loyalty is an inexact science, but for the sake of discussion... Are fans still as passionate and loyal to NASCAR and its' sponsors as they once were? Is NASCAR still dominating in terms of both sponsor awareness and loyalty as this study from polling l...

Activation: First-ever Times Square Pit Stop

Red Bull has long been a master of PR, historically with their proprietary events, but increasingly with sponsored properties and athlete endorsements like NFL stars like Devin Hester and Reggie Bush and NASCAR driver Brian Vickers. To celebrate their multiyear contract extension, Red Bull and Vickers pulled off the first ever "Times Square Pit Stop." Check it out!

GM Still Skating on Thin Ice!

What a week! GM's in bankruptcy, Stanley Cup's in Game 7, mainstream sports leagues are busting out the jersey ads and a hockey-style brawl broke out on our blog. Time to have some real fun. Sponsorship peeps are creatives, so we figured we'd give this a try! Here's how it works. Write in a clever caption in the comments or tell us whose proposed caption you like the best. Winner will g...