The Winter 2014 Partnership Activation Newsletter

Welcome back to Partnership Activation! 

I'm excited to share this quarter's newsletter, an industry-leading resource showcasing sports marketing and sponsorship trends, insights, and best practices from across the world. 

Click here to purchase the Winter 2014 Partnership Activation Newsletter for $7.99. 

Love the newsletter? Please take a moment to share it with your friends and colleagues via email and social media using this shortened URL: http://bit.ly/1d0h8sl

Also, please feel free to connect with me via Twitter (@BrianGainor), as I'd love to build an ongoing relationship.

Thanks, and enjoy! 

Brian

The Winter 2014 Partnership Activation Newsletter features a collection of topics, including:

• Jersey Sponsorships (Inside)
• 10+ Tips for Maximizing Your Productivity in 2014
• Beacon Technology
• Maximizing the Value of Social Media 
• Using Humor in Promotions
• Delivering 360 Degree Viewpoints
• BMW - Winning Customers Over One Challenge at a Time
• New Balance - Creating True Value for Loyalists
• Mario Balotelli Making Headlines with Innovative Apparel Marketing
• LED Retail Displays
• Manchester City's Annual Santa Stroll Event
• The Heineken Baseline After Party
• PwC's Sports Outlook
• The January 2014 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• The Golden State Warriors' #DubNation Night
• Carlsberg's Activation Efforts
• A Close Look at the 2014 NHL Winter Classic
• 5 #SportsBiz Handles You Must Follow
• 20+ C-Store Activation Ideas

The Fall 2013 Partnership Activation Newsletter

Thank you for your interest in Partnership Activation and taking the time to check out the Fall 2013 Partnership Activation Newsletter. It's truly a pleasure to have the opportunity to share my perspectives, creative ideas, insights, and best practices with you on a quarterly basis. 

Click here to purchase the Fall 2013 Partnership Activation Newsletter for $7.99

Love the Newsletter? Please take a moment to share it with your friends and colleagues at work, via social media, through word-of-mouth, and on the go. Here is a shortened URL that you can use to include in your communications:http://bit.ly/HbQnJT

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• Capturing Content with GoPro
• 20 Brands to Keep an Eye On in 2014
• Sports Content Insider - Presented by Freshwire
• Navigate Research Spotlight: The Value of Research
• Talladega Superspeedway Drives Buzz on Campus
• Keeping an Eye On: PODS
• Bleding Sports + Entertainment
• The Tao of Sports
• October 2013 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• Social Media Spotlight: AggieFBLife.com
• Partnership Spotlight: Data
• A Close Look at the Best Social Graphics in College Athletics
• 5 Must-Follow #SportsBiz Handles on Twitter
• 25+ Ways to Leverage Home Improvement Partners
• 7 Questions with Jim Kahler
• The Partnership Activation Grab Bag
• Branded Entertainment... At It's Finest

Click here to check out the Fall 2013 Partnership Activation Newsletter and connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the quarter!

The Summer 2013 Partnership Activation Newsletter

Welcome to the Summer 2013 Partnership Activation Newsletter! Thank you for your continued interest in Partnership Activation, as I truly take pride in pulling together the creative ideas, solutions and strategies in each newsletter for you. 

Click here to purchase the Summer 2013 Newsletter for $7.99. After reviewing the newsletter, please take a moment to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other platforms and modes of communication. Here is a shortened URL that you can use to include in tweets, etc:http://bit.ly/18tJpIv

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• Wimbledon's Big Data and Small Ads 
• 10+ Must-See Ted Talks
• Sports Content Insider - Presented by Freshwire
• Navigate Research Spotlight: Mobile Video Likely to Make Big Strides in Sponsorship
• The Portland Timbers' Spread the Love Campaign
• Raycom Sports Leads the Way with ACC Game Graphics
• Brand USA Reaches Fans Worldwide Via the World Baseball Classic
• Wimbledon's Twitter Mirror
• The SF Giants' @ Cafe
• Hot Off the Press: Social Media in Sport Marketing
• Creativity in the Sports Marketplace
• July 2013 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• 5 Must-Follow #SportsBiz Handles on Twitter
• 25+ Ways to Leverage Watch Partners
• Paddy Power's Sky Tweets at the Ryder Cup
• adidas' Rivalry Activation at the UEFA Champions League
• A Close Look at the 2013 UEFA Champions League
• StubHub's Innovative Stadium Activation
• Pre-Season Marketing Ideas
• The Partnership Activation Grab Bag
• Branded Entertainment... At It's Finest

Click here to check out the Summer 2013 Partnership Activation Newsletter and connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the quarter!

Summer 2012 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter

Welcome to the Summer 2012 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter! I apologize for the brief hiatus of ongoing content but am truly excited to share with you this quarter's newsletter.

Click here to purchase the Summer 2012 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter for $7.99. After reviewing the newsletter, please take a moment to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other platforms and modes of communication. Here is a shortened URL that you can use to include in tweets, etc: http://bit.ly/NdYwMm

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• A Look at Paddy Power's Ambush Marketing Tactics around UEFA EURO 2012
• Navigate Research - Industry Spotlight on The Value of a Social Fanbase
• A Look at How Teams Are Using Projection Display Technology
• 10 Ways Teams Can Leverage Instagram
• adidas Speaks to Fans As Owners in Latest Cricket Spot
• Red Bull's Golf Skee Ball Challenge
• Property to Keep an Eye On: Jersey Watch
• The Philadelphia Flyers' FLYERBOT
• The Tampa Bay Lightning Let Fans Make Noise
• Sports Illustrated Sheds Golf in a New Light
• Hot Off the Press: Nielsen Sports Insights
• Creativity in the Sports Marketplace
• July 2012 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• Social Media Spotlight: Team Infographics
• 10 Ways to Create New Experiences / Inventory Around the Draft
• A Close Look at UEFA EURO 2012
• 5 #SportsBiz Twitter Handles to Follow
• 30+ Ways to Activate Casino Partners
• Delta's Touch the Future of Travel Display at MSG
• Nike's Twitter RSVP Platform
• Sports... Like You've Never Seen it Before
• Partnership Activation Grab Bag
• 4 Ways to Help Sponsors Escape the Clutter on Game Day
• Idea Box

Click here to purchase the Summer 2012 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter, connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the month!

If you are interested in signing up for the newsletter, please send an email with "Subscribe" in the subject line to [email protected]. In the body of the email, please include your name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing.

Spring 2012 Partnership Activation Newsletter

Welcome to the Spring 2012 Partnership Activation Newsletter! Thank you for your continued interest and support for Partnership Activation and the monthly newsletter.

Click here to purchase the Spring 2012 Partnership Activation Newsletter for $7.99. 

After reviewing the newsletter, please take a moment to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other platforms and modes of communication. Here is a shortened URL that you can use to include in tweets, etc: http://bit.ly/GGZCtk

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• 10 Tips for Activation Success
• Heineken Capitalizes on Fan Shock Value
• Trend Watch: Pre-Game Sponsorships
• Navigate Research: Effective Sponsorship and Fan Research Webinar
• Industry Watch: Sport is Fantastic
• 5 Ways Sports Teams Can Leverage Pinterest to Visually Engage Fans
• FanBridge
• Labatt Celebrates Sabres Greats in Style
• Steph Curry Turns to Twitter for a Game of H-O-R-S-E
• Coca-Cola Turns a Suite Into A Dormitory For Fans
• Ways to Leverage Music, Resort, and Theme Park Partners
• Hot Off the Press: Sport Business' Frontloaded
• Creativity In the Sports Marketplace
• The March 2012 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• XFINITY Presents: The Ultimate Sports Social Media Job
• 10 Tips to Drive Incremental Value From Your Partnerships
• A Close Look at the 2011 F1 Abu Dhabi Fanzone
• 5 #SportsBiz Twitter Handles You Must Follow
• 30+ Activation Ideas For Leveraging Financial Partners
• Going Grassroots To Promote Pet Partners
• Carlsberg Celebrates Its Naming Rights with a Smashing Success
• Examples of Video Projection Mapping in Sports

Click here to purchase the Spring 2012 Partnership Activation Newsletter, connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the month!

If you are interested in signing up for the newsletter, please send an email with "Subscribe" in the subject line to [email protected]. In the body of the email, please include your name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing.

December 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter

Welcome to the December 2011 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter! Thank you for your continued interest and support for Partnership Activation and the monthly newsletter.

Click here to purchase the December 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter for $7.99.

After reviewing the newsletter, please take a moment to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other platforms and modes of communication. Here is a shortened URL that you can use to include in tweets, etc: http://bit.ly/tg9WZ3

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• 20 Non-Traditional Bowl Game Sponsors in 2011-12
• 2012 - GMR Marketing's Social Media Channels
• Ohio University Center for Sports Administration
• 2012 National Sports Forum
• Navigate Research Industry Spotlight
• Barclays 20,000th Goal Celebration
• Sevilla Sells Space on Team Jerseys to Fans
• Adidas Launches an Augmented Reality Initiative in Scotland
• Audi Gives a Nod to the Barcelona-Real Madrid Rivalry in a Commercial
• Oregon Athletics Play Up the Civil War Rivalry
• All Blacks Fans Experience Rugby in a New Way
• The Manhattan Sports Business Academy
• Creativity In the Sports Marketplace
• December 2011 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• The Old Spice Classic's Social Media Efforts
• A Close Look at the 2011 Grey Cup
• 5 #SportsBiz Handles You Must Follow on Twitter
• 50 of the Most Creative Ideas in Sports Business in 2011
• Zlaty Bazant Beer Encourages Fans to Drink Responsibly
• Baylor IMG Gives Fans a Suite Seat for the Game
• The Western Bulldogs' Capture Their Brand Story
• The New BC Place Showcases the Future of Stadium Lighting
• Red Bull Soars Over Moses Mahiba Stadium
• Four (4) Creative Ways to Engage Fans with Interactive Walls
• Idea Box

Click here to purchase the December 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter, connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the month!

If you are interested in signing up for the newsletter, please send an email with "Subscribe" in the subject line to [email protected]. In the body of the email, please include your name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing.

Webinar Alert: "Measuring Sponsorship ROI"

Sports Business Colleagues,

The team at Navigate Marketing is hosting a terrific webinar on "Measuring Sponsorship ROI" on Wednesday, November 16th at 12pm CST and I wanted to take a moment to encourage you to attend/participate.

The Navigate team, including AJ Maestas, Dr. Mark Friederich, and Matt Balvanz will provide webinar participants with an in-depth look at the various ways ROI is being measured and calculated in the sports and entertainment sponsorship space.

With measurement playing a key role in all phases of the sponsorship life cycle, it's an extremely valuable session that will surely pay dividends for you and your organization.

The team will specifically be discussing a number of topics, including:

• Bounceback and Sales Tracking
• B2B Hospitality Tracking
• Market Research Driven ROI Estimates

Click here for more information: http://navigatemarketing.com/services/navigate_webinars/

If you have any questions about the webinar, feel free to reach out to Chris Todd at [email protected].

I look forward to hearing your personal feedback about the webinar!

Best Wishes,

Brian

October 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter

Welcome to the October 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter! Thank you for your continued interest and support for Partnership Activation and the monthly newsletter.

Click here to purchase the October 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter for $7.99.

After reviewing the newsletter, please take a moment to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other platforms and modes of communication. Here is a shortened URL that you can use to include in tweets, etc: http://bit.ly/rmRwRk

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• A List of the Top Paid Global Athletes in 2011
• SportShadow.com
• Adidas' New Marathon Face Cam
• Best Practices from the National Hockey League
• The Tampa Bay Lightning's New Microchip Technology
• Navigate Marketing Spotlight: The Impact of Conference Movement on College Sponsorships
• Adidas' New UEFA Ultimate Access Campaign
• Heineken Starvision
• Tottenham Hotspur's New Augmented Reality Offerings
• Iowa State's Social Billboard Campaign
• BMW Mini's London 2012 Olympics PR Stunt
• Activ8Social's #Sports Newsletter
• Creativity in the Sports Marketplace
• October 2011 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• Mastercard's Witnessing History Social Media Campaign
• Creating Powerful Marketing Messages Using Statistics
• A Close Look at the 2011 MLB Playoffs
• 5 #SportsBiz Twitter Handles You Must Follow
• The NFL's Breast Cancer Awareness Efforts
• Manchester City FC's Family Zone Activation
• The Portland Timbers' 2012 Fan Draft
• Women and Kids Invade Istanbul Soccer
• The Tampa Bay Lightning Use Coils to Create Lightning In-Arena
• Audi Lets Fans See What Life of a Le Mans Driver Is Like
• Creatively Using Time Lapses in Sports
• The Throwable Panoramic Ball

Click here to purchase the October 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter, connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the month!

If you are interested in signing up for the newsletter, please send an email with "Subscribe" in the subject line to [email protected]. In the body of the email, please include your name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing.

Endesa Leverages Title Partnership with a Game at Its Corporate Headquarters

It's become very interesting to see how brands across the globe are leveraging their title partnerships in new, innovative ways.

In Spain, an International utility company named Endesa recently signed on as a title partner of a premier Spanish Pro Basketball League. To celebrate the partnership, Endesa built a basketball court inside their corporate headquarters and organized a game featuring some of the league's star players, cheerleaders, music, and live entertainment. Over 1,000 people enjoyed the live basketball game, which was played in the mail hall of Endesa's company headquarters in Spain.

Players were also invited to tour Endesa's facilities and have an opportunity to meet with 57 accredited media companies that were on hand for the event. Endesa's unique celebration served as a unique way to generate buzz around it's title partnership of the Spanish Pro Basketball League, which will be called "Liga Endesa", and demonstrate that it's fully engrained and committed to the sport.

A special thanks to Jean-Paul Forsans for bringing this terrific initiative to my attention. Please take a moment to join his "Brands and Sports" group on LinkedIn, which is dedicated to sharing best practices and innovative ideas in the world of sports!

Check out a video of the action below as well:

September 2011 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter

Welcome to the September 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter! Thank you for your continued interest and support for Partnership Activation and the monthly newsletter.

Click here to purchase the September 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter for $7.99.

The coolest thing in this month's newsletter is the Nike Film Room... I HIGHLY recommend you check it out!

After reviewing the newsletter, please take a moment to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other platforms and modes of communication. Here is a shortened URL that you can use to include in tweets, etc: http://bit.ly/opnJZs

 This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• A List of 10+ College Rivalry Sponsors
• LSU's new Microbrew - Bandit Blonde
• Best Practices from Formula 1
• The State Farm Territorial Cup Series
• Chelsea FC TV
• Heineken's OOH Billboard Displays
• ESPN UK's Billboard Twitter Engagement
• Major League Soccer's Fathers Day Twitter Contest
• Vitaminwater's "Are You Nash Enough?" Campaign
• Sport Teams and Social Impact
• Creativity in the Sports Marketplace
• September 2011 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• Using Foursquare to Support the Local Community
• "Going Big" With Your Activation
• A Close Look at the 2011 Rugby World Cup
• 5 #SportsBiz Twitter Handles You Must Follow
• Create Ways to Generate Awareness in Tennis
• The Nike Film Room
• The Denver Broncos' Corporate Partner Pick 'Em Challenge
• Adidas Calls on Dwight Howard to Dunk on a Giraffe
• Red Bull Gives Surfing a New Viewpoint with Flares
• Five Non-Traditional Ways to Leverage QR Codes in Sports

Click here to purchase the September 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter, connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the month!

If you are interested in signing up for the newsletter, please send an email with "Subscribe" in the subject line to [email protected]. In the body of the email, please include your name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing.

5 Ways Flickr Can Serve as a Marketer's Best Friend

Marketers often overlook Flickr as a pivotal resource in the social media space, when in reality the photo-sharing platform is a valuable resource to access millions of consumer viewpoints from all across the globe.

Flickr certainly has its critics, as well as hefty competition in the photo management and sharing space (including the likes of Facebook, Google+ and Instagram), but the site is still considered an industry leader due to its simplicity, speed, search functionality, high-quality visuals and seamless social media integration capabilities. Flickr currently has 40 million active users, hosts 6 billion images, and has increased user uploads 20% year-over-year for the past five years.

Flickr can be a marketer’s dream as long as you know the five points of value that it can deliver.

No. 1 Gaining Insight

One of Flickr’s greatest advantages is that it has a large International user base, which allows marketers to gain industry, competitive and consumer insights from across the globe. Marketers can search within this database of photos in English and other foreign languages to access photos pertaining to their brand, target market and industry.

For example, shoe industry executives looking to gain insights on consumer behavioral habits in Beijing can use search for “Nike” “Beijing” to access thousands of photos of consumers wearing, engaging and demonstrating interest in the brand. Marketers can even specify whether they would like to see recent, interesting, or relevant photos to narrow their search.

No. 2 Unique Consumer Viewpoints

Consumers use Flickr as a social medium to post and share photos of people, places and things that are of interest them. As a result, marketers can rely on Flickr to serve as a reliable resource to get insights on consumer experiences, interests, styles and reactions in relation to sports, music, events, lifestyles, brands, campaigns, etc. By simply searching for names of specific brands or events using Flickr’s recent search functionality, marketers will discover a firsthand perspective of how consumers interact.

No. 3 Social Media Marketing and Integration

As a service platform, Flickr offers a simple, well-tooled interface that allows consumers to seamlessly tag, group, link and share their photos. As a result, it serves as a powerful SEO platform for marketers because the posted photos, videos and related content are heavily indexed by search engines and often surpass non-image links. While marketers may find that it takes time to tag, group and share their photos and videos, they can deliver considerable value from an SEO standpoint as it allows users to include links, descriptions and comments with their posted content and provides the ability to syndicate photos across other websites and channels.

Flickr also serves as an incredible resource for supporting social media efforts. The site allows consumers to seamlessly integrate their photos into their preferred social media and online channels, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and blogs. Marketers can use Flickr as a one-stop shop to post photos and videos from their campaigns and use URL shorteners (bit.ly, is.gd) to easily disseminate the content through their social media channels.

No. 4 A Brainstorming Mecca

With clients constantly looking for fresh ideas, insights, and perspectives on how to incorporate new technologies, marketers can turn to Flickr to get their creative juices flowing prior to a major brainstorm. Flickr hosts thousands of photos showcasing new services and technologies (QR codes, augmented reality), examples of guerrilla and ambush marketing tactics, creative billboard displays, mesmerizing product launches, creative activation tactics and content. By simply setting aside 15 to 20 minutes to scroll through several hundred photos during a quick lunch break, marketers can walk into a brainstorm or client work session with a fresh state of mind and a slew of new ideas.

No. 5 Quality Photos for Recap Purposes

Marketers can tap Flickr as a resource to find high-quality photos that can be included in status updates, program recaps and end-of-the-year reports. With consumers in every corner of the globe taking photos of their experiences and posting them online, brand marketers now have thousands of eyeballs on the ground sharing high-quality visuals … use these to your advantage!

This article, written by Brian Gainor of GMR Marketing and Partnership Activation, was featured in PromoMagazine.com. Check it out HERE. 

August 2011 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter

Welcome to the August 2011 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter! Thank you for your continued interest and support for Partnership Activation and the monthly newsletter. I appreciate your patience this month with the slight delay!

Here is a link to the August 2011 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter.

The coolest thing in this month's newsletter is Manchester City's unique collaboration with Liam Gallagher and the band Beady Eye ... I HIGHLY recommend you check it out!

After reviewing the newsletter, please take a moment to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other platforms and modes of communication. Here is a shortened URL that you can use to include in tweets, etc: http://bit.ly/nvvfSu

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• A List of NFL Training Camp Sponsors
• The Captain Morgan Sky Bar
• Toyota's "Mark & Me" Website
• The New York Giants Historical Wiki
• The Bills Backers Map
• Navigate Marketing Industry Spotlight on Nike Logo Valuations and Analysis
• Manchester City FC's Partnership with Liam Gallagher
• Virgin America's #FlyTheBeard Promotion
• Newcastle's Trapped in a Schooner Display
• The SGI Weekly Intelligence
• The August 2011 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• CanesAllAccess
• Ways to Drive Fan Engagement on Facebook
• A Close Look at Copa America 2011
• Retail Thought Starters
• Liverpool and adidas' Home Away From Home Events
• Manchester United's Tour Treasures

Click here to check out the August 2011 Partnership Activation 2.0 Newsletter, connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the month!

If you are interested in signing up for the newsletter, please send an email with "Subscribe" in the subject line to [email protected]. In the body of the email, please include your name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing. 

July 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter

Welcome to the July 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter! I really appreciate your continued interest and support and think that you are going to really enjoy this month's newsletter.

Click here to purchase the July 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter for $7.99.

The coolest thing in this month's newsletter is the Red Bull Hare Scramble video... I HIGHLY recommend you check it out!

After reviewing the newsletter, please take a moment to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other platforms and modes of communication. Here is a shortened URL that you can use to include in tweets, etc: http://bit.ly/on6seF

 This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• Gila River Casino's KaChingKo
• 10 Building Blocks To Help You Become Everything You Can Be
• Eyes on the Industry: Australian Football League
• Navigate Marketing Spotlight: 5 Questions With Mark Friederich
• Using Augmented Reality to Engage Fans
• Drive Merchandise with Virtual Stores
• Leverage Airspace on Gameday to Engage Fans
• LG Uses a Unique Rugby Branding Play to Wash Away the Competition
• Continental Tire Displays The Cage
• IBM Uses Sponsorship Technology to Engage Airport Travelers
• The Sport Industry Daily
• Creativity In the Sports Marketplace
• July 2011 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• NACMA Spotlight
• A Close Look at Creative Marketing in Major League Baseball
• Creative Tactics From the 2011 College World Series
• The Cincinnati Reds' Dusty Days
• Showtime Delivers a Unique Foursquare Vending Experience
• Idea Box

Click here to purchase the July 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter, connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the month!

If you are interested in signing up for the newsletter, please send an email with "Subscribe" in the subject line to [email protected]. In the body of the email, please include your name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing.

June 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter

Thank you for your continued interest in Partnership Activation.

Click here to purchase the June 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter for $7.99.

After reviewing the newsletter, we would really appreciate it if you would be willing to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other channels of communication. To keep things simple, here is a shortened URL that you can use: http://bit.ly/kEwld3

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• Ford Focus Cam
• A List of Official Partners and Suppliers of the 2011 French Open
• Creative Tactics From Across Major League Baseball
• Manchester City FC's Lift The FA Cup Initiative
• Trinity Displays
• Nike's People's Republic of Corinthians
• The Mercedes-Benz Performance Center
• The Durex Guerrilla Marketing Soccer Campaign
• The Vodafone Recharge Truck
• Enticing Fans with QR Code Prizing
• The Cynopsis Sports Newsletter
• June 2011 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• Major League Soccer's National Sales Center
• Mountain Dew's Pinball Machine Skate Park
• Ole Miss Athletics' "100 Things in 100 Days" Campaign
• A Close Look at the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Finals
• A Look at the 2011 UEFA Champions League Finals
• Adidas' "Football Paintball" Initiative
• Red Bull USA's Cubed Pipe
• Sports Like You've Never Seen It Before
• Idea Box 

Click here to purchase the June 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter, connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the month!

If you are interested in signing up for the newsletter, please send an email with "Subscribe" in the subject line to [email protected]. In the body of the email, please include your name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing.

Alaska Air Partners With the Timbers To Create Hilarious Ads

Alaska Air is leveraging its designation as the Official Airline of the Portland Timbers with a series of hilarious commercials that incorporate team stakeholders. The airline's first commercial features Timbers head coach John Spencer giving seat belt instructions to passengers and the second spot features the team's iconic mascot, Timber Joey, helping a passenger with his luggage.

The ads have been very well received by soccer fans, especially amongst the Timbers' loyal following of fans. Check out the two (2) spots below and consider new ways that you can take team partnerships to the next level with a dose of humor. 

Alaska Air Commercial Featuring Timbers Head Coach John Spencer

Alaska Air Commercial Featuring Timber Joey

A special thanks to Alan Cassinelli of UC Santa Barbara Athletics for his insights and contributions to this column!

50 Ways Sports Teams Fans Can Engage Fans on Facebook

Sports leagues and organizations are turning to Facebook to offer fans more content, access, and interactivity than ever before. As sports entities begin to fully understand the value of social media, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have become critical channels in the marketing mix to promote messaging, drive participation and interest, and engage fans on a 24/7, 365 basis.

Teams can no longer rely on Wall posts, photos, and shareable videos to drive consumers to frequently visit their Facebook pages and stay for awhile. As a result, it's important that teams identify and share best practices in the social media space both internally and externally.  

Here are 50 creative ways that teams are engaging fans on Facebook outside the traditional elements:  

1. Fans Map - FC Barcelona (Find FC Barcelona fans across the world)

2. Real Madrid Avatars - Real Madrid (Fans can create their own virtual avatar)

3. Arsenal "Like the Players" - Arsenal FC (Fans can easily like all the players on the team)

4. Spread the Word - Manchester United (Fans can easily invite their friends to join the Manchester United Facebook Page  

5. Fountain Tire Shootout - Vancouver Canucks (Fans can play a virtual hockey game to win prizes and coupon vouchers)

6. 3-Point Play - Boston Celtics (Fans can compete in an interactive stats-related game to earn points)

7. Summer Salute - Team Lowe's Racing (Fans can post a military salute or message to troops overseas)

8. Polls / Quizzes - NASCAR (Fans can test their NASCAR IQ via a number of quizzes and polls)

9. NBA Ball of Fame - NBA (Fans can click on basketballs to relive famous moments from the NBA Finals)

10. NBA Turnstile - NBA (Fans can "check-in" to NBA games on Facebook to chat with fans, win tickets and merchandise, and earn badges)

11. Support Your Team on Facebook! - NFL (Fans can scroll through an interactive tab to see where their favorite team ranks in popularity and intensity amongst all teams and within conference/division).

12. Shopping - Liverpool FC (Fans can quickly scroll through ultimate shopping ideas and can get easy access to the team's mobile application) 

13. JetBlue FaceOff - Boston Bruins (Fans can access game information, play games, win prizes, and more)

14. Mavs Spirit Photo Upload - Dallas Mavericks (Fans can submit their best photo wearing Mavericks gear for the chance to have it featured on the team's Facebook page)

15. Fan Zone - New England Patriots (Fans can interact with polls, listen to live broadcasts, post comments, share virtual gifts, play trivia, and more)

16. Share Your Story - San Francisco 49ers (Fans can share why they are a Faithful Fan for the chance to be featured on 2011 season tickets or in a team commercial)

17. Tickets & Promotions - Philadelphia 76ers (Fans can closely follow current ticket specials and promotions using a tab integrated into the team Facebook page)

18. A Date with SFC - Seattle Sounders (Fans can watch video dating profiles of different players on Seattle Sounders FC and partake in a date auction via Ebay.

19. Guess the Kit - Tottenham Hotspur (Fans have to correctly guess what the team's new kit (uniform) will look like)

20. Broadcast Schedule - Portland Timbers (Fans can easily see which networks will be carrying the team's upcoming soccer matches)

21. Locker Room - Los Angeles Lakers (Fans can take a virtual tour of the Lakers locker room)

22. Flickr - Milwaukee Bucks (Fans can scroll through photos of the Bucks' gameday experience posted on their Official Flickr page)

23. U-Stream - Golden State Warriors (Fans can watch a live webcast with a Warriors player each day during Training Camp

24. Trailblazers.tv - Portland Trail Blazers (Fans can watch exclusive interviews, shows, highlights, pre- and post-game shows, and more)

25. AC Milan Jersey - A.C. Milan (Fans can create their own virtual A.C. Milan Jersey (with a custom name and number) and share it on their Facebook wall)

26. Fantasy Manager - A.C. Milan (Fans can create and manage a virtual team of players and compete against friends for the chance to win team prizes)

27. Ice Dancers - Florida Panthers (Fans could vote on their favorite Ice Dancers in a bracket competition that gave away a free cruise!)

28. Stars Text Alerts - Dallas Stars (Fans can easily sign up to receive basic text alerts or student rush text alerts)

29. Leafs on YouTube - Toronto Maple Leafs (Fans can watch a series of YouTube clips directly within a tab on the team's Facebook page

30. Photo Pick-Up - Phoenix Suns (Fans can have their picture taken by Suns personnel at a game and retrieve it for free on the team's Facebook page)

31. Match of the Week - Sporting KC (Fans can receive in-depth information about a premier MLS game each week)

32. Meet the Team - Denver Nuggets (Fans can vote for their favorite players on the Nuggets by "liking" them on the interactive Facebook tab)

33. Letter to Fans - Buffalo Sabres (Fans can read a letter sent from the team's owner Terrence M. Pegula thanking them for their support)

34. Which Cap Are You Like? - Washington Capitals (Fans can take a quiz to see what Washington Capitals player they are the most like and win an autographed jersey)

35. Foursquare – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Fans can view the team’s Foursquare profile and access tips and insights on whose checked-in at Raymond James Stadium)

36. Draft Party Sweepstakes - Charlotte Bobcats (Fans can sign up on Facebook to win a VIP experience at the Bobcats Draft Party courtesy of Donatos Pizza)

37. Fan Forum – Dallas Cowboys (Fans can participate in an interactive forum where they can participate in a live discussion board)

38. Showcase – Sacramento Kings (Fans can scroll through to see all of the Kings’ hottest merchandise in their online team store up close)

39. Host UpClose Contest – Indianapolis Colts (Fans can upload a video of themselves hosting a sports segment for the chance to fly to Indianapolis and host a segment on Colts UpClose)

40. Scarf Yourself! – New York Red Bulls (Fans can add an official New York Red Bulls scarf to their profile picture and feature it on the team Facebook page)

41. Support – Atlanta Falcons (Fans can post questions/ideas/problems that they have and a Falcons customer representative addresses them for all fans to see on a live discussion board)

42. Give Your All – All Blacks (Fans can watch a series of vignettes where the All Blacks players talk about giving everything they’ve got when they enter the pitch)

43. Fan of the Week – Chicago Bears (Fans can submit a message/photo detailing why they are the biggest fan for the chance to be featured online)

44. A’s Kids Club – Oakland A’s (Fans can sign up for an Oakland A’s Kids Club Membership directly through the team’s Facebook page)

45. WTA Extra – WTA (Fans can easily scroll through high-res images of the top WTA players and also see information about their world ranking and Twitter feed)

46. Giving – Tampa Bay Rays (Fans can read about the Rays Baseball Foundation and make a donation)

47. Fanographies – Cleveland Browns (Fans can submit their Browns story for the chance to win 2011 season tickets)

48. Bulldog Club – University of Georgia Athletics (Fans can read about the Bulldog Club, make donations, invest in educational opportunities, and more)

49. Charity – PGA (Fans can read about the PGA’s new partnership with Darius Rucker and download a song which benefits PGA Tour Charities, Inc.)

50. UStream Live – Colorado Avalanche (Fans can watch broadcasts throughout the season and sign up to receive email alerts every time they take place)

The Sounders Score with a Humorous Dating Campaign

The Seattle Sounders recently teamed up a local advertising firm named Wexley School for Girls to create a brilliant marketing campaign that is generating a notable amount of buzz around the team's Official Facebook page.

The campaign, entitled "Make a Date with a Sounder", serves as a humorous marketing ploy that introduces fans to the teams' players via mock dating profiles. The campaign features outdoor billboards, TV and radio spots, personal ads in newspapers (under the headline "Sounders Seeking Fans"), video dating profiles on Facebook, and more.

The heart of the "Make a Date with a Sounder" campaign will live on Facebook:

• Six (6) Sounders players feature video dating profiles where they discuss their best qualities, hometowns, pets, hobbies, appearances, and more
• Several Outtakes
• Links to an Ebay site where fans can bid on a "Date with a Sounder", with proceeds benefiting five (5) of the Sounders' charity partners
• Facebook ads will provide a list of dates and make-a-date links that drive fans directly to ticket sites

Check out an example of the Sounders players' video dating profiles below:

Check out the "Make a Date with a Sounder" campaign on the Sounders' Facebook page below:

The NBA Strikes Gold with a Mini Movie Series

In recent years, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has done a remarkable job producing a series of mini movies that truly magnify the league's biggest games and events of the season. Each of the mini movies provide fans with an all-access look that creates an elevated sense of excitement, drama, and star power.

The NBA's mini movies have been very well received in the online community. The league's NBA Finals Game 1 mini movie attracted 215K+ views in just two (2) days and the 2011 NBA All-Star Game mini movie attracted nearly 750K impresssions.

It would be great to see more leagues and major events replicate the NBA's mini movie concept - notably the NCAA. There is so much drama and excitement surrounding March Madness and the BCS Bowl Games that it would be great to see more of the behind-the-scenes happenings first hand.

Check out a breakdown of some of the NBA's mini movies below:

2011 NBA FINALS MINI MOVIES

2011 NBA ALL-STAR GAME MINI MOVIES

May 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter

Thank you for your continued interest in Partnership Activation.

Click here to purchase the May 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter for $7.99.

After reviewing the newsletter, we would really appreciate it if you would be willing to share it with friends via email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, personal blogs, and other channels of communication. To keep things simple, here is a shortened URL that you can use: http://is.gd/UssJ3S

This month's newsletter features a collection of insights, including:

• Fan-Centric Signage
• The Top Sports Advertisers of 2010
• Creative Sports Business Tactics from Major League Soccer
• Navigate Marketing Spotlight: Five Questions with Matt Balvanz
• Three Things You Need to See
• The Carrier Classic
• The Heineken Star Player
• Miami Heat - Kumho Tires Partnership
• #SBChat
• Creativity in the Sports Marketplace
• May 2011 Partnership Activation Rising Stars
• Manchester City FC's 'His and Hers' Suites
• Standley Systems OSU/OU Licensed Copiers
• Vineyard Vines' Activation at the Kentucky Derby
• A Close Look at the Carolina Panthers 2011 NFL Draft Party
• 5 People You Must Follow In #SportsBiz
• Creative Tactics to Leverage a Tecate Partnership
• AC Milan Uses Jersey Launch to Showcase New Technology
• The Minnesota Twins Feature Twins O-Grams
• Sports ... Like You've Never Seen It Before
• Idea Box

Click here to purchase the May 2011 Partnership Activation Newsletter, connect with other readers in the official Partnership Activation LinkedIn Group, and follow Brian Gainor on Twitter for additional sponsorship/marketing tactics throughout the month!

If you are interested in signing up for the newsletter, please send an email with "Subscribe" in the subject line to [email protected]. In the body of the email, please include your name, company affiliation, and contact information when subscribing.

The San Francisco Giants Deliver a "Best in Class" Fan Experience at AT&T; Park

Thanks to our friends at the San Francisco Giants, Partnership Activation recently had the chance to attend a game at AT&T Park, one of baseball's most beloved ballparks.

The Giants organization has created a "best in class" ballpark experience for fans at AT&T Park, delivering non-stop entertainment for fans of all ages, social media/technology enhancements, seamless corporate partner integration, and an array of destinations and unique concessions areas for fans to enjoy. Check out a complete gallery of the AT&T Park fan experience here (99 photos).

Enclosed below is a recap of some of the highlights of the fan experience and incorporation of corporate partners at AT&T Park.

Unique Elements at AT&T Park Include:

• Interactive Coca-Cola Kids Area in Left Field (Slides, Mini-Ballpark, Giant Glove, Giant Coca-Cola Bottle, Photo Station, etc.)
• Variety of Themed Food Kiosks Located Throughout the Concourse
• Levi's Landing Splash Zone
• Virgin America OF Wall Buildout
• Coors Light Silver Bullpen - An OF Destination Where Any Fan Can Watch the Game
• Unique Ghirardelli Chocolate Kiosk and Cable Car
• Elaborate AT&T Fan Zone Display
• Build-a-Bear Workshop in Left Center Field
• Clos Du Bois California Wine Bar Concourse Kiosks
• Elaborate Use of Text Messaging Campaigns via LED, Concourse Signage
• Cable Car Bars Located Throughout AT&T Park
• LED Messaging Welcoming Fans of Hispanic Descent to the Ballpark (Bienvenidos)
• Dynamic Pricing Deals
• Advertising of Upcoming Promotional Giveaways/Team Shop Offers on Television Displays Located Throughout the Concourse
• Scoreboard Twitter Integration (Team Trivia Via Twitter)
• Chevron Car (Rides Along Warning Track During Select Inning)

Non-Traditional Corporate Partners Include:

• Adobe, Salesforce.com, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Sony Playstation, Emerald Snacks, Yahoo!, Charles Schwab, RE/MAX, Genentech, See's Candies, Pop-Secret, Clos Du Bois, Box, FusionStorm, Virgin America, Kettle Chips, Guinness, Camarena

Traditional Partners Include:

• MillerCoors (Coors Light), Visa, Safeway, Chipotle, Anheuser-Busch, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, Comcast SportsNet, AT&T, StubHub, United, Corona, Lexus, Chevron, Audi, Toyota, PG&E (Utilities), CHW (Hospital),

Video Board Features Include:

I. "Guess the Actor" Jumbotron Feature Presented by Sports Authority

II. "Share the Love Kiss Cam" Presented by the Monterey Bay Aquarium

III. Fist Pump Cam Jumbotron Feature

IV. McCovey Cove Boat Race Jumbotron Feature

From a social media standpoint, Bryan Srabian of the San Francisco Giants recently sat down with the Row Show and shared some unique insights. Check out his special feature here.