Selling
Marathon Finishes Strong With New Deals
Proactive targeting, smart packaging will allow properties to secure new dollars despite moribund marketplace.
8/10/09: By taking a few strategic steps, the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon is on track to exceed its sponsorship revenue goal by more than five percent this year, despite the loss of some blue-chip partners.
The October event has replaced Seagate Technology, LLC; General Motors Corp.’s Saturn; and other former sponsors with new deals from Dole Foods Co.; performance sock maker Fitsok; massage chain Massage Envy Limited, LLC; and Delicious Living magazine.
Below, IEG SR highlights several steps the marathon has taken to boost sponsorship revenue, as well as several new initiatives it hopes will secure the interest of more corporate partners.
Take advantage of organic food trend. The marathon this year secured new deals with two organic food sampling programs: ONE Tour and The Delicious Living Mix.
“Our demographic fits their market–people who are healthy, take care of their bodies and eat well,” said Terry Ryan, the marathon’s development and events manager.
Organic foods represent a growing category. According to the Organic Trade Assn., U.S. sales of organic products–including non-food items–totaled $24.6 billion in ’08, up 17.1 percent over ’07.
Thirty-one percent of families are buying more organic food in ’09 than last year, according to a recent OTA study, while 17 percent of families said organic foods represented their largest increase in spending over the past year.
Demonstrating organic food producers’ desire for sampling opportunities, the marathon this year upsold the Organic & Natural Experience Tour on a sponsorship after the program exhibited at the marathon’s health & fitness expo in ’08, Ryan said.
The ONE tour receives sampling rights and branding for its participating products at the event’s finish line.
The tour, which also has visited the Mission Federal Credit Union ArtWalk in San Diego, the Comcast Bite of Seattle presented by Emerald Queen Hotel & Casino, and other events, is produced by Minneapolis-based eco-marketing agency MusicMatters.
Carve out new inventory. The marathon has created sponsorship packages around official training programs for the marathon, 10-mile run, 10K and 5K.
Each program has a presenting sponsor: Life Time Fitness, Inc. sponsors the marathon training; specialty retailer Running Room (USA) Inc. sponsors the 10-mile program, while independent running club ClubRun sponsors the 5K training.
The marathon is currently pitching the sponsorship package for its 10K training program.
Target employers of race participants. Looking to leverage participation in the marathon’s Corporate Team Challenge, the event is prospecting for sponsors among companies that employ runners.
“Approaching companies that have a number of employees participating in the run makes the sale easier,” Ryan said.
Work with financially challenged sponsors to reduce rather than eliminate their deals. Looking to retain existing partners going through a rough patch, the marathon has moved at least one sponsor to a lower sponsorship tier, with the goal of upselling the company on a larger package when things get better.
“We try to move them down, as opposed to them leaving,” Ryan said. “We receive fewer dollars, but we have the hope of bringing them back.”
Align with other properties. The marathon this year has partnered with the MLB Minnesota Twins and NFL Minnesota Vikings.
The idea behind the alignment is not to pitch joint sponsorship opportunities, but rather to cross-promote the properties to Twin Cities-area consumers and explore opportunities to produce new events, which could constitute sponsorship opportunities in the future.
On the cross-promotion front, the Twins have the opportunity to promote a special ticket offer to marathon participants and spectators in exchange for the race gaining display space at four Twins games. The marathon will use the display area to promote its children’s running program.
“We’ll reach an audience we normally wouldn’t reach,” said Virginia Brophy Achman, the marathon’s executive director.
The marathon will use its partnership with the Vikings to brainstorm new events, Achman said.
Sources
Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, Tel: 763/287-3888