Gatorade and Michael Jordan - The Making-of

The previous post (Gatorade and Michael Jordan – Fair and Beautiful Tribute) making-of:



Thanks to Brian Gainor.

Gatorade and Michael Jordan – Fair and Beautiful Tribute

Celebrating Michael Jordan’s induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame, Gatorade, one of his partners, has launched a celebratory range of products with pictures of him on the labels.

Moreover, to promote this limited edition, a scene of Jordan playing was reproduced using around 19,000 bottles of the drink (picture below, illuminated during the night).

Gatorade, intelligently, is still taking advantage of its relationship with of one of the biggest sports and sports marketing icons in the world, using another chance to promote its relationship with Jordan, generate spontaneous media and boost sales.

Note: I would like to quote one of MCE Insurance’s executives talking about the company’s British Superbike Championship sponsorship, since it is spot on with my beliefs about sports activation and fits with what I said in the Bridgestone and Formula 1 post: “... we have also launched Club MCE, giving existing and new customers money can’t buy BSB opportunities, such as grid walks, pillion laps and walk the track tutorials with leading riders”.

Burger King and Getafe – Guaranteed Buzz

Burger King is now Getafe, the top flight Spanish football team, sponsor. And, just like in its communication, the company shows that creativity is a Burger King hallmark.

The company, apart from displaying its logo on the front of the jersey, as it is traditionally done (above), put the image of the King in the inner part of the jersey. Thus, if an athlete celebrates after scoring putting his jersey over his head, like the Brazilian Rivaldo used to do (below), the image of the King will appear (below).

FIFA curbs this kind of celebration, telling referees to give a yellow card to players who do so. Still, I’m positive this will become a fever among fans, or, as told earlier, a guaranteed buzz! I want mine, and it even comes with instructions (below).

Thanks to Fábio Kadow.

Bridgestone and Formula 1/Felipe Massa – No Need to be (so) Creative

Bridgestone is the official Formula 1 tires supplier and sponsors Felipe Massa, the Brazilian driver current world championship runner-up.

Taking advantage of these relationships the company has launched a promotion that will surely increase sales: every consumer who buy a pair of Bridgestone tires in one of the official retailers will enter a draw to win tickets for the Formula 1 Brazilian GP.

The campaign includes TV ads (below - sorry, it's in Portuguese) and a website (http://www.arquibancadabridgestone.com.br/) in which consumers must activate their coupons and can get more information about the promotion.



Although I don’t like the TV ad and think the campaign could have offered priceless prizes (paddock access or an event with the driver, for example, even in a smaller amount), the promotion will certainly reach good results.

Olympikus and Flamengo – Arriving in Style

Nike is really a lot more present and exploring better its properties in Brazil. One of the reasons for that is probably the lost of one of the biggest sports properties in Brazil, Flamengo, the Brazilian soccer team with the biggest amount of fans.

Olimpikus, the new club partner, did not take long to start promoting its relationship, what was more than necessary, since the brand is out of soccer for over 20 years and needed to start marking its (new) territory.

Apart from the new uniform launching party (picture above), the company released a new ad promoting the relationship (below). However, in my opinion, the highlight of the campaign is the company’s website (http://www.olympikus.com.br/), in which there are videos with fans, generating an almost instant relationship with the brand, since it makes that particular fan a brand ambassador because it “perpetuates” his passion for the club to the others (not mentioning the very low cost, since, if there was a payment, it was certainly irrelevant) - I´m sorry these videos are not in English.

Nike Federer and Bryant – Taking Advantage of the Opportunity

A few posts earlier, I talked about Nike being more active in Brazil and how positive it is to the Brazilian sports market.

Today I will talk about two examples of how the company works so well around the world, taking advantage of the various opportunities its many sponsorship deals provide.



The first is the excelent, fun Kobe Bryant and Lebron James Most Valuable Puppets campaign (above the last video, right after the Lakers title) and that led to its own line of products (below). Again showing how sponsorship can (and should) be used to increase revenue.

The other is the tribute to Roger Federer, after the tennis player won his 15th Grand Slam title, becoming the biggest Grand Slam winner. With this quick video, Nike stated that it is not only Federer’s biggest partner, but also of many other top sporting stars (from the past and the present).

GM Camaro and Dale Jr. – Something(s) missing

Very good post on the Dynamic Sports Marketing blog about a not so good activation: http://dynamicsportsblog.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/dale-jr-endorsement-for-camaro-contest-falls-short/.

Nike in the Brazilian Football – Ownership Attitude

Nike has got two of the most important properties in Brazilian football: the National Team and Corinthians, the team with the second biggest amount of fans in the country and the biggest amount of fans in the largest Brazilian market (São Paulo).

The most curious fact is that the company is partner of both for quite a long time, but has recently become a lot more active in its activations (or at least it seems like).

Corinthians was the unbeaten regional champion and Nike, among other actions, launched the opportunity ad below, joking with Santos, the finals rival, and its mascot, a fish.

Months later, the Brazilian National Team won the Confederations Cup and Nike did it again, this time joking with the National Team nickname (canarinho*) and the dogs way of marking territory (below).

Now, with the Corinthians victory in the Brazilian Cup Nike releases a motivational video, similar to Barcelona’s in the Champions League final, that was supposedly shown to the players prior to the game (below).



I am very happy to see Nike, a benchmark company in sports activation, being more active in the Brazilian market.