Latest Thinking from IEG

Sales Tips From Billboard Touring Conference

Below, four takeaways that emanated from the sponsorship panel I moderated at last week’s Billboard Touring Conference and Awards.

Start the sales process early. Properties should hit the street with sponsorship opportunities at least six to nine months prior to an event.

The length of time extends dramatically when pitching packaged goods and other types of companies that sell through retail channels. Case in point: Drew McGowan, senior group manager of public relations & sponsorships with The Clorox Co., is currently putting together programs for ’11.

More >

Filed under: events, how to get sponsorship, music, packaging, entertainment

Evian Roller Skating Baby Video-A Marketing Gimmick

Marketing gimmicks are alive and well and appear to be working for some brands. In Lesa’s recent blog covering the ANA Annual Conference, Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO of Google, spoke about Evian’s commercial/video featuring babies on roller skates.

He stated that on YouTube.com, the videos had received 30 million views. The campaign does make great use of the web and online content includes interviews with the babies, clips from casting for the video and Facebook pages for the babies. The campaign has certainly caught on and reportedly has delivered business results for Evian. The video is insanely cute and very viral, but at its core, it is a gimmick.

More >

Filed under: entertainment, events, activation

“As Seen On TV:” Sponsorship Lessons From Snuggie and Friends

There’s an aisle in just about every Walgreen’s and CVS in the US that my friends and I like to call the “Cheesy TV Aisle.” It’s that awesome aisle where you can learn everything from how to “set and forget” your way to a perfect roast, “bump it” to give your hair that sexy volume and “sham-wow” yourself out of a mess. To date, I’ve used this aisle primarily for two reasons: to kill time while my prescriptions are being filled and/or as a great place to pick up gag gifts for care packages for friends. Here’s the really funny part about all of this: three of these said, “Cheesy TV Aisle” products either have posted or are on target to rake in sales of $300 million or more. (And that is the sound of my jaw hitting the floor followed by the sound of me slopping down a serving of humble pie). 

More >

Filed under: branded entertainment, digital media, entertainment, new media, product placement, retail, selling, activation

More Takeaways from the ANA Annual Conference

I shared some of the insights heard at the ANA Annual conference in my last post. Below are more of the key ideas discussed by the “masters of marketing,” as the event is subtitled.

Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO, Google
Schmidt had an optimistic message: “We’re about to enter a time of unprecedented opportunity as optimism collides with expanding platforms and accelerating uptake.”

More >

Filed under: digital media, entertainment, events, social media, trends, beer

The Power of Live And Takeaways From ANA Annual Conference

Live events still are flourishing, despite the economy.

The Metropolitan Opera released its individual ticket sales figures for the ’09-‘10 season after its opening night: $2.5 million, up $500,000 from last year. Meanwhile, Seattle Opera has sold out its season.

Norm Langill’s fantastic Teatro ZinZanni, which just had its 10th anniversary in Seattle, fed and entertained one million people in the last 12 months. Anyone in the business of promoting or sponsoring entertainment and live events needs to experience Teatro ZinZanni, a dinner theater experience that combines circus, comedy and cabaret. With permanent locations in Seattle and San Francisco, its jaw-dropping tent holds 200 people.

More >

Filed under: entertainment, events, IEG conference, strategic philanthropy, trends, cause marketing

For Better or Worse, Sprint Gets “Real” on the Product Placement Front

I have no problem admitting I love partaking in some Real Housewives of Orange County viewing (or Atlanta, New Jersey, New York City, hell, it could be The Real Housewives of Des Moines and I’d probably watch). However, it is definitely not the first thing I bring up as conversational fodder when attempting to convey my personality and what I stand for. So, when I read today that Sprint is signed on as a sponsor of Bravo’s fifth season of The Real Housewives of Orange County,I was a bit… well, stunned I guess.

For starters, here are the deets of the deal; Sprint will receive:

More >

Filed under: branded entertainment, digital media, entertainment, new media, product placement, selling, telecommunications, activation

Don’t Rip the Gatekeeper’s Arms Off

If you have ever been nervous about giving a speech or presentation, you’ve probably heard that you should picture the audience members in their underwear. If you’ve ever tried it, chances are you know how bad that advice is.

In that spirit, play this 12-second video for some bad advice on how to get past the gatekeeper in your next sales effort.

More >

Filed under: entertainment, evaluation, how to get sponsorship, nonprofit, selling, sports, agency

Experienced-based Sponsorship is Award-winning for Clorox

For years we have been talking about how sponsorship has become much more than just hanging banners for visibility. It provides a platform to truly engage with consumers and potential customers. When sponsorships are designed around an enhanced user experience, the outcomes are typically much more fruitful for all involved. The deal is executed in an authentic way and the property, the sponsor and the consumer all win.

More >

Filed under: entertainment, music, activation

Carrie’s Top Ten (Mostly Sponsorship Related) List

There were some pretty big sponsorship news stories during the past week or two and since everyone else seems to have a top ten list, I wanted to do one too. Plus, doing a top ten list pretty much guarantees at least some people will be interested. Personally, I always turn to the top ten lists in magazines first and click on any news stories that say “Top Ten”. Maybe this will be the beginning of a series…hmm…enjoy!

More >

Filed under: entertainment, events, music, nonprofit, research, selling, activation

Cleveland Cavs Go One-and-One from the Promotion Line

While cruising through the status updates of my peeps on Facebook I saw the Cleveland Cavaliers had posted this offer: “Talk about a slam dunk! We want to share one of our best perks with you! Our friends at Quicken Loans give us a great discount on home loans as part of their exclusive benefit program, The Mortgage Insiders. But you can get it too! Just ask about adding the Mortgage Insiders Benefit Program to your workplace benefits.... Be part of the winning team by participating with the Cavs, Cleveland Clinic, UPS, Microsoft, Dell and others and become a Mortgage Insider today!”

More >

Filed under: digital media, entertainment, new media, selling, sports, activation