Two of the GOOD GUY's - but the NFL missed it

With the NFL pre-season in full swing this weekend, without the likes of troublemakers Michael Vick or Pacman Jones, it's time to highlight two of the GOOD GUYS - Jason Simmons and Ahman Green of the Houston Texans.

Just in case you missed the story (watch the video -it is priceless)- and in all likelihood you did - as the NFL really missed on capitalizing in pitching this story to ALL media outlets, I'll give a quick overview.

As sports players go, they are a superstitious bunch. So when Ahman Green found himself on a new team - The Texans - in 2007, he wondered HOW WOULD HE GET HIS #30, as that number was already the property of one Jason Simmons. A number Simmons had worn for as long as the Texans were in existence (Since 2002). Unlike some athletes who are already making millions in salary, and just looking at it as an opportunity to make MORE $$ by charging their new teammate the right to get their old number such as Clinton Portis of the Washington Redskins did....

When Portis was traded to Washington, 26 was worn by Ifeanyi Ohalete. They worked out a $30,000 payment, signed a contract and everything. Then Ohalete was cut, and Portis refused to pay. Ohalete kept nagging him about it, Portis suggested they settle things with a boxing match, and Ohalete sued him. He did eventually get his money.

Jason proved his is MORE than just a football player, and leveraged his celebrity to the good. So with Green looking for his #30, Simmons, made a "deal".....If Green would pay him $25,000 (which was then matched by Houston owner Bob McNair) Simmons would donate it to a single mother, who's son has autism, and she would then be able to put a down payment on a home, so her son could have a yard to play in.

Needless to say - with all the other things that were happening to the NFL during the off season (Mostly BAD)..how did they not trumpet this story nationwide and then challenge the other teams in the league to do similar things with their players in similar positions wanting to regain their precious numbers.

Jason Simmons is definitely the NFL Man-of-The-Year before it even begins!...

Marketing Takeaway - Look at opportunities that present themselves, such as the Simmons / Green deal and extend that message to build off of. Good news, makes good will...and goes a LONG way in offsetting Bad Press.

PART 2 - Throw the penalty flag!!! - More sponsors pile on Michael Vick

The hits just keep on coming for the embattled QB......Rawlings drops Vick......A note to the companies still hanging on - Last one out, please close the door

HBO's ENTOURAGE - Marketing Genius

HBO's ENTOURAGE - Simply one of the most entertaining shows on TV today, has created a unique and intriguing marketing extension from one of their story lines.

Vincent Chase, the up and coming acting star,has been cast in the lead of a movie titled - Medellin - the story of drug lord Pablo Escbar. His manager, and Co-Producer on the film, Eric Murphy has been out trying to sell the distribution rights to Hollywood studios, while the director of the film, Billy Walsh, has gotten it entered into the Cannes Film Festival.

Well HBO has brilliantly designed a website for the movie, including a theatre trailer, which is still to be rated. So the writers of the show, have the fans asking, will this movie really be released?....Did they actually shoot the film during their hiatus?...The cast WAS in Cannes this year? was it to distribute the film, or just carry through on the storyline?.....

Marketing Takeaway - Make your brain storming session come to life! -

Utilizing their own content, HBO has created a unique brand extension, which they are marketing. They are using word of mouth buzz about the "possible" release of a fictional movie...and have even created a licensing extension with Medellin T-Shirts, Movie Posters etc....

Throw the penalty flag!!! - More sponsors pile on Michael Vick

RUN - Don't Walk........

First it was Nike, then Reebok, now the Trading Card companies (Upper Deck, Donruss) have pulled Michael Vick's cards from their rotation into the 2007 NFL Football card sets.

Not sure why any other companies would ride out the storm with him, unless they are just trying to decipher their out clauses in their endorsement contracts.

Marketing Takeaway - It repeats mentioning - but when securing an endorsement contract , make sure to have an exit strategy, that is in plain English...because the more time it takes for the company to cut ties, the more it looks like they are standing behind the embattled endorser.

Glamour Girl is a winner! In Golf and Marketing

A winner at last! Natalie Gulbis, LPGA glamour girl finally got her first win on tour - The Evian Masters -. Although Natalie has been close and won over $2.6 million in career earnings (and is still just 24 years old) this will move her marketing value meter even more. With endorsements that currently range from Adidas to 24 Hour Fitness, to MasterCard along with having her own calender , Natalie's sponsors can now create campaigns that play off her success....

Marketing Takeaway - Strike while the iron is hot! (and yes while her playing is also)

Experiential Marketing at it's best ABERCROMBIE and FITCH stores

Experiential Marketing at it's best - ABERCROMBIE and FITCH Stores

A bit sexist (Yes) but having your customers "Feel" your brand the moment they walk into your store, all the way through the purchase cycle, and then help spread your brand message through viral marketing to family and friends in nothing short of brilliant!.

A recent trip past the A&F flagship store on 5th Avenue in NYC witnessed A&F clad customers using a number of new media tools to get their experience moment - from cell phone pictures to digital and video cameras to an IPhone....all were being used to carry the marketing message and experience to a new level.

And now with the recent news of A&F expanding into the European market, only time will tell on what news experiences are in store for their stores!...

Marketing Takeaway - The more you can bring the brand to life, through leverage opportunities, the more the traditional media and marketing messages will resonate with the consumer. Once they have actually experienced the brand, they will have a better idea of what your brand positioning is really all about.

NBA - Marketing to embrace their audience

The NBA (National Basketball Association) has undertaken a unique marketing program to highlight an under served property of theirs, The D-League.


Having partnered with Miller Lite, the NBA is using multiple touch points to reach their core audience - People who aspire to be a Pro .

1) User generated video was requested to be posted to the NBA.com/gopro website, stating why the person believes they could play professionally, along with actually showing video of their talents. 29 of 30 contestants were chosen by a panel of experts to participate in the upcoming D-League pre-draft camp.

2) Fan voting / Poll - another unique marketing element now increasing in popularity, was used to select the final contestant. By engaging the consumer to select a player, they now have a stake in the game. It also gives the marketer (NBA) a natural follow-up strategy to keep those customers engaged for repeat visits, and thus repeated marketing messages.

3) Content - After the camp, some of the prospects will be featured in five-minute vignettes on NBA TV leading up to a one-hour special on Sept. 24. That special will track the players who excel and those who don’t in taking a shot at their dreams of playing pro basketball.

Marketing takeaway - Multiple touch points to a passionate audience, should produce a Winning Marketing campaign for the NBA - D League program

Nike Suspends Release of Shoe Tied to Michael Vick - ENOUGH SAID

Nike Suspends Release of Shoe Tied to Michael Vick

ENOUGH SAID.....Suffice it to say that he is the 180 opposite of David Beckham. They both play "Football" but Vick has no idea of what it means to have the privilege to play for a TEAM. The marketing world (i.e. NIKE) is starting to realize that even if their brand is positioned as having an edge to it, dog fighting goes a little to far for most consumers...

Glad to see NIKE - "Just Doing It"

Marketing Takeaway - When negotiating a marketing endorsement contract make sure to have an exit strategy.

THE MARKETING PHENOM - DAVID BECKHAM

OK, so tonight we here in the US get a chance to experience the marketing power of one of the most recognizable sports icons in the rest of the world - David Beckham.

His first official game is not until Sat. June 21st, but during the ESPN broadcast of the MLS (Major League Soccer) All-Star game, Beckham is the "Major" story. A game in which Beckham is only a spectator, watching the game from a luxury box. They promo his appearance of a "LIVE" interview during their halftime break from the very start of the game and promote his upcoming 1st game on Saturday night (of course broadcast on ESPN).

Adidas has used this platform to launch their "Impossible Is Nothing" marketing campaign with a 60 second spot featuring the unseen human side to Beckham. Adidas has already shipped 250,000 Beckham soccer jerseys to sporting goods stores around the country, with a reported "Sellout" of them already reported.

Beckham is HUGE throughout the world and US companies who have only had the opportunity to market with him overseas are drooling. ....With Beckham here only 7 days, he already has visited In N Out Burger twice (Are you listening Marketing Dept!)

If each utilize the full marketing mix available to them, they will cross demographic and psychographic lines and insure that their new product launches will provide bottom line results for all involved - Scoring one overwhelming GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL.....

The Marketing Maven - A little history

So a little history on The Marketing Maven. Having worked in the marketing world for the past 20 years across a number of different area's (Sports, Media, Entertainment) I have a unique view on marketing and the results that are expected by the businesses who utilize a true MIX of all disciplines available to them.

From my time in the NY Yankees front office (Yes George Steinbrenner was my boss) to the non-profit sector and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (Yes Jerry Lewis was my boss) to a Cable TV programmer - The Food Network - Bamm - (no Emeril was not my boss) a cable distribution service - Cablevision - (Yes James Dolan was my boss - I'm recognizing a theme here) to a New Media Software start-up (VENACA - A Digital Asset Management Co.) to an ISP (AOL - America Online), I have experienced marketing with all levels of budgets, teams and philosophies...but all had the same end game - get the customer to notice the brand and buy the products.

So the Sports, Media and Entertainment worlds are certainly of interest and a passion in my everyday life.

My blog posts will reflect some unique insight into these worlds, with an understanding of the changing marketing and media worlds and how consumers are now digesting their media, as evidenced by the need for this blog.

My view on things will for the most part be with a twinge of humor, as to me this is always the most entertaining way to convey a message