Leveraging its $24M-a-year NFL corporate sponsorship
and "looking to drive its core Sprint Sense long-distance
service, Sprint is readying its most aggressive promotional
stunt to date, a phone card blowout backed" by $6M-plus in
media, according to Terry Lefton of BRANDWEEK. Sprint will
offer 32 10-minute phone cards, each with the likeness of a
ticket from a Super Bowl game. Consumers switching to
Sprint will receive four free phone cards and an extra four
cards every four months after that. Lefton adds the promo's
"resulting signup volume likely will help Sprint determine
whether its renews the big-ticket deal" (BRANDWEEK, 12/15).
NOTE: Coors is "preparing an assault promo" on next
year's MLB All-Star Game that will give one fan a chance at
hitting a home run for the reward of $10M. Sources say
Coors will hold the event at Coors Field the day after the
All-Star Game on July 7, with "expected participation" from
Nolan Ryan. Terry Lefton adds that the Coors contest "is
the first in what will doubtless be numerous assaults on
official game sponsors because of a discordant lineup of
official sponsors (like Bud) and Rockies sponsors (Coors).
The Rockies also boast Coke, versus MLB's Pepsi; US West to
MLB's MCI, and Visa to MLB's MasterCard" (BRANDWEEK, 12/15).
