I hate to sound cynical, as I am a hardcore baseball fan and a lifelong Yankees fan, but tonight’s first game of the 2009 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies is not just about baseball, but also multimillion dollar advertising and marketing campaigns.
From the TV commercials to the green-screened ads on the backstop to the players’ uniforms and equipment, the entire event is being delivered to you on the behalf of the world’s leading companies—and thus, by the world’s leading advertisers and marketers.
Again, I hate to sound cynical, but without the support of the game’s sponsors, there would be no motivation for the networks to spend what it costs to deliver the action to you (in high-definition, no less!).
Hopefully, you won’t dwell too much on this notion and will enjoy what should be an exciting World Series. But even if you aren’t a fan of either team or aren’t all that interested in baseball, as a healthcare marketing—which you most likely are if you are reading this blog—there is a lot that can be gleaned from tonight’s telecast.
Major League Baseball—and most other professional sporting organizations, such as the National Football League and the National Basketball Association—is a master of integrated marketing, which is something we’ve been advocating all year in this blog.
For example, when you see an advertisement that says the product or service is the “official this” or “official that” of Major League Baseball, you are witnessing an expertly crafted integrated marketing campaign.
When you put on your favorite team’s baseball jersey, hat or any other officially licensed merchandise, again, you are participating in world-class integrated marketing.
Then, of course, there are the commercials. Although perhaps not quite as spectacular—or expensive—as Super Bowl ads, pay close attention to how they will attempt to encourage viewers to engage with the brand—especially online at their Website, with social media, etc.
When you return to your office tomorrow, reflect on what you saw tonight. Do you use any similar techniques or strategies? Would you do things different if you were in charge of marketing that brand? What might you do different in marketing your hospital?
And one more thing: Yankees in six.
Derek Rudnak | Communications Specialist | AVID Design
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on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 3:41 pm and is filed under Industry Trends, Marketing, Pop Culture, Social Media, Things 'n' Stuff.
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