Hublot Teams Up with Manchester United for a Unique Promotional Stunt

Over the past few years, several watch companies have begun investing large sums of dollars on event partnerships, athlete endorsements, team partnerships, and more. As sports organizations look to leverage partnerships in this category in new ways, many should consider benchmarking a promotional tactic that Hublot and Manchester United partnered on in 2010.

Luxury watchmaker Hublot teamed up with Manchester United to host a Million Dollar Challenge event in New York City that featured several players as well as manager Sir Alex Ferguson shooting soccer balls at a giant target (replicating a Hublot watch) for the chance to raise funds for UNICEF. As part of the promotion, Manchester United players were challenged with striking a giant replica watch with a shot from 51 feet away to donate $1 million to UNICEF, a philanthropic entity that ManU has supported for 10+ years.

While no player successfully accomplished the feat, Hublot still donated a significant amount of money to UNICEF and generated buzz worldwide with the event. The PR stunt demonstrates how organizations can create engaging activation/PR stunt displays for watch companies that will attract consumer interest and attention. Consider ways that your team can benchmark this tactic to bring official watch partnerships to life!

Check out Hublot's activation tactic below:

Let Brands Use Athletes to Capitalize on Birthday Shout Outs

Brands looking for unique ways to celebrate birthdays in-venue should align with team partners to create a scoreboard vignette series that features current team players sending humorous birthday wishes to fans and other recognizable celebrities.

Teams could align with select brands whose businesses revolve around birthday celebrations (QSR's. card stores, confectioneries, ice cream and cakes, jewelry stores, party stores, kids establishments, etc.) to have a duo of players film a :30 scoreboard vignette that features a mix of recorded messages.

The vignettes can be filmed during a morning practice session and edited in time to be featured on the scoreboard that same night. Teams could charge fans for the live birthday shout out or make it available gratis with a corporate partner on board. All fans who receive a special shoutout on the scoreboard can pick up a special birthday premium at will call as a celebratory gift. Teams could ask that fans submit their birthday dates/information online, via social media channels, or via text in-arena.

As an example, check out how Dwyane Wade and LeBron James of the Miami Heat send a special brithday wish to The Rock, Dwayne Johnson: