Advertising in sports

[RoXer]

Now, I understand that it doesn't hurt the owners to give up the ad space to turn out more money, but why would a business do it? Seeing these products on boards of a hockey rink or on revolving boards in baseball and basketball doesn't really want me to buy that product. Also, calling something the official ________ of whatever sport or team also annoys me. The Phoenix Coyotes have an official tanning salon. And every time you go to a game it is always mentioned ("ABC Tanning Salon. (Forgot the name) Your official tanning salon of the Phoenix Coyotes.") and everybody laughs their asses off. I'm not shitting you. They even have an official battery of the Phoenix Coyotes.

Now, obviously, this shit does not work because I can't even remember the name of the tanning salon or the battery company. (I think it's Enigizer. Not sure.) So if it's to get the name of your business out there, it isn't working (on me...yet)


Lets take this for example:
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060615/capt.17b17cf9385a4c868895854b661e5c3d.giants_diamondbacks_baseball_azrd105.jpg

To be honest, I was searching for a picture of the Best Buy logo, but this will do because I have never once seen on TV the Gila River signs. I never knew they were there in the first place, so this can add to my mini rant even more.

Again, I have never been able to read the Gila River sign on TV and it does not make me want to go to the Gila River Casino any more.

And just to the right, out of the picture, is a large Best Buy logo attached to the green part of the dugout. Seeing the Best Buy logo randomly out on the dugout does not make me want to go out to Best Buy and purchase something. It actually pisses me off to no end because Best Buy is never mentioned during TV broadcasts or at the stadium. EVER. Their logo is just their for no fucking reason. Now if I was the owner and Best Buy wants to pay $1 mil to do that, well thats fine with me. But why would Best Buy do it? "Hey look at that, Best Buy is on that dugout over there. Lets go there after the game." Are there really people out there who think like that?

I'm not saying lets abolish ads from every single sport, but I know that I don't give 2 shits as to whether or not a product is the official sponser of whatever. So why do businesses do this in the first place?

[ClockShot]

Ads+NASCAR+Ads on wheels rolling around a track=Worse marketing ever.

I see Jeff Gordon pass the finish line and the next thing I wanna do is buy a can on paint. Just stick to one color and your number.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

I'll give you hint why they do it

http://www.undftd.com/event/aj4/shop_logos/jumpman.gif

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font color="#ff6600">I dunno about in America, but in Britain the brands that sponsor the sports get sold exclusively in the grounds. Like say Coke had a sponsorship deal with the league, it means Coke get their products sold in every ground in the country at half time, rather than Pepsi or whatever.

So instead of just getting a board by the side of the pitch saying "COCA-COLA", they also get their products sold to thousands of people at every game.
</font>

[ct2k]

Lets take this for example:
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060615/capt.17b17cf9385a4c868895854b661e5c3d.giants_diamondbacks_baseball_azrd105.jpg




:y: :y: :y: BUY STEROIDS TODAY AND LOOK LIKE BARRY :y: :y: :y:

[BCWWF]

You are underestimating the power of ads. I had to take a strategic communications (advertising) class, and the stuff you are complaining about falls mostly under brand recognition and brand loyalty.

The first concept is the easist to grasp. If you were going to go buy some web hosting, where would you go? Well how about godaddy.com, who happened to advertise during the Super Bowl. What if you are at the Mets game and you see an ad for Rays Pizza. Then later that night you are driving along and see a truck with a Rays Pizza logo on it. So then that night, you are in the city, kinda hungry, hey, theres Ray's Pizza, lets give it a chance. Or how about the lottery, that's usually advertised at sporting events. You look down and see it on the ice all game, you're at Kum N Go on the way home, why not pick one up? Think about the products and stores that you use, just about guaranteed that most of them are well advertised to keep you aware what they are doing.

There there is another type, the kind that isn't trying to directly sell you something but instead trying to get their name out there and better their image. That's why a company like Waste Management would advertise at events. You see their big WM logo written around, you don't give a fuck about garbage removal but damnit, now you know the biggest company to do it.

I dunno, I'm tired of writing, but it is clearly to the companies benefit to put their logos around stadiums.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

When you sponsor a professional team, you get more than just a saying. I know for example a local supplyhouse here in Mass/New England region has the "FW WEBB Red Sox pregame show" and they paid 8 millon dollars for that. They get a lot more than just the title of the pre-game show though, they get to hold events at their warehouse (which I actaully went to) where there was a tradeshow avaible for companies in the HVAC/pumbling field (what FW Webb does) as well as a huge Red Sox festival type thing going on, had the World Series trophy there, the pregame show girl (who is pretty smoking with some big ole titties) free Fenway Franks, the sausage cart etc. (Basically had the outside the ball park atmosphere inside the warehouse) So while FW Webb paid a lot to be associated with the Red Sox, they get a lot in return. My dad (who works in the industry that's how I found out about the event) is actaully now buying a toliet from one of the companys at the tradeshow, so the advertising works.

So while you may think "Wow that ad is so fucking small whats the point?" They are paying for more than just a billboard ad at the ball park. Companies are presented with sponsorship packages which provide them with a bunch of different things. Which reminds me of another thing for FW Webb, Webb owned a shitload of season tickets and as part of the deal FW Webb gave back some of them as a part of the 8 millon dollars in order to be associated with the Red Sox.

Another thing that RBF mentioned was the the exclusivity factor. Some companies will be willing to sponsor a professional sport frachinse if that franchise totally eliminates their competition from the equation, so it could be something like what type of soda is served in the stadium or even like making it so ABC Tanning salon is the only type of tanning salon to be advertised at the ball park. You see that a lot here in the states in terms of apparel, if you watch the NFL you will see that the only apparel company logo allowed to be showing is Reebok (except for Cleats) So lets say Randy Moss is wearing Nike reciever gloves, the Nike check is actaully not on the glove, just the NFL logo in its place. A company (such as Nike in this case) could try to swoop in and try to "steal" the association though by having one of their endorsed athletes wear a Nike hat at a post game show or something.

And yes, I did take a class titled "Sports Marketing" incase you where wondering haha

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

This post just reminded me that if I don't get a job relating to sports when I graduate that I will probably be living in my parents basement for the rest of my life

[RoXer]

Yeah, I figured you would know a lot about this. I did consider the exclusiveitivity deals but not some of those sponsership packages. But just some of the products being pushed is a joke. I just laugh when I hear Al McCoy say "in the zone with AutoZone" after every 3 the Suns make.

But I guess when it comes to just putting your name out there to get people to buy their product, I'm not really affected by it. I guess I'm not the target market.

[RoXer]

You should put some achievments on your resume. i.e., how your current Baseball Mogul situation is going and how many super bowls you have won on Madden. Also, list you fantasy sports accomplishments. They will love that.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Yeah I am sure there is something you buy though without even thinking about it. You hear AutoZone so much nowadays can you name another similar autoparts store? I can't

Where do I go when I need something stupid for my car like new windsheild wippers......AutoZone, and after thinking about it I came up with another autoparts store (Napa? or something like that)

But yeah, you are right about the target market - we really aren't in it for something like AutoZone. Something more for "us" is the EA Sports Madden draft thing it kind of gets you amped up for Madden. So while Madden is the only NFL game on the market right now, a lot of people are probably like "fuck it why would I buy Madden again? It's gonna be the same old shit" but than you see something on that commerical or something - that is what these companys are thinking anyway. Obviously some work and some don't but I'd say on a whole they are pretty succesful. I think some companies go a little too far with their advertising though, does Aniesher-Busch really gain that many more customers by airing 10 Superbowl ads? I don't know, I could see if they where using that to introduce a new beer under the Aniesher-Busch name but having 9 Budlight/Budweiser commericals and one Michelob commerical is kind of useless I think. (But buying 10 commerical they did elminate any other beer company from advertising during the game)

Having a tanning salon advertise at a baseball game is kind of dumb though, that company must have a pretty bad sponsorship director (or probably none at all)

[RoXer]

Not baseball. Hockey.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

That is even worse

Advertising at a hockey game is never a good idea, unless you are pushing hiking boots or something. Prob a big hit on the Outdoor Life network

[RoXer]

The Arizona Sting (Laccorse) have an official dance studio that their cheerleaders go to. And a few years ago there was an official pita of the Arizona Sting.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Dance studio makes sense since that could bring new consumers in due to the professional sports league association - even if it is just MLL.

Dunno about offical pita. Not even totally sure what pita is...isn't that like a type of bread?

[RoXer]

(NLL) Yeah and you put stuff in it. I never had one.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Pita bread is bomb my friend

[RoXer]

Wow. So I'm reading my guide I got here from U of A and there are two fan sections. The "Circle K Red Zone" which is cool. And at the other end is the "Brueggers Bagels Knothole Family Zone".

Knothole? Really? Thats what you want to call it?

[BCWWF]

Roxer, are you still in high school?

[RoXer]

Not in august.

[BCWWF]

Going to Arizona?

[RoXer]

Yesm

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>This thread rules because now I'm gonna sound really smart when I go into MY Sports Marketing class next year. :cool:

But yeah I'm pretty much in the same boat as Roxer. I'm generally not persuaded by ads I see in sports, but I'll probably remember the name when I actually need to buy a product of that nature.</font>

[Mike the Metal Ed]

I dunno about in America, but in Britain the brands that sponsor the sports get sold exclusively in the grounds. Like say Coke had a sponsorship deal with the league, it means Coke get their products sold in every ground in the country at half time, rather than Pepsi or whatever.

So instead of just getting a board by the side of the pitch saying "COCA-COLA", they also get their products sold to thousands of people at every game.

When Leicester had the Pepsi Cup or whatever it was pre-season tournament before the 2004/5 season, fans were banned from bringing in any rival product to Walkers or Pepsi, ridiculous.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

<font color=goldenrod>This thread rules because now I'm gonna sound really smart when I go into MY Sports Marketing class next year. :cool:</font>I got a 18 page marketing proposal for a lacrosse goalie replacement product (had to 'make up' a product that does not already exist)/a powerpoint presentation to go along with it (5 minute) if you ever need it lemme know

[Gonzo]

Whats the deal with companies having names on European football jersies? That shit is pretty ridiculous imo.

I would be really fucking pissed if I saw an advertisement on a New York Giants jersey or something.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

As ridiculous as it is, those companies probably pay ridiculous amounts to get onto those jerseys. I am sure it'll happen here in the States soon, maybe not on the jerseys themselves but I can see it somewhere on the uniform. Technically there already is a logo on jerseys here in the States, but it is like Reebok, Nike etc so that doesn't really count I guess.

[Evil Vito]

I got a 18 page marketing proposal for a lacrosse goalie replacement product (had to 'make up' a product that does not already exist)/a powerpoint presentation to go along with it (5 minute) if you ever need it lemme know

<font color=goldenrod>Thanks dude. :cool: Dunno how much work I'll be getting in that class anyway. It's a new class that's starting for next year (one semester), and the teacher is ridiculously chill so I dunno. We're gonna be taking trips to stadiums and shit too so that'll be hot

But yeah, unfortunately ads will only become more obvious. There are only a handful of stadiums now without corporate sponsors, and once they go down I'm sure they'll get corporate names. Can't imagine the Mets or Giants playing in Autozone stadium or some shit.

And I bet logos will end up on uniforms at some point. It's already slowly taking over the minor leagues. In the UHL (a minor league hockey team) the All-Star teams are basically Team Pepsi and Team Mountain Dew. Pretty retarded</font>

[BCWWF]

For some reason I can't see ads being on any of the major US uniforms. In Europe, it has become commonplace but I am pretty sure some teams, even at the highest level, need that stuff to survive. The NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB don't. The other difference is that soccer jerseys consist of a badge over the heart whereas basically all US jerseys have a dominant logo. There is much more emphasis on the team nickname than anything else.

Just think about how much people complained when they were going to put Spiderman ads on the bases during the All Star Game or whatever. Think if they tried to put that on a MLB jersey. I just don't forsee it getting to that point in the United States. People will care about that much more than Enron Park.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

There there is another type, the kind that isn't trying to directly sell you something but instead trying to get their name out there and better their image. That's why a company like Waste Management would advertise at events. You see their big WM logo written around, you don't give a fuck about garbage removal but damnit, now you know the biggest company to do it.Same goes for professional teams sponsoring charities, while I am sure you would like that think that the front office of the team is doing it just from the goodness of their heart that probably isn't the case. I am sure that has a lot to do with it, the fact that the money benefits the charity, but I am sure the image benefits that come along with being associated with the charity play a big role as well.