Hosts Of Divisional Playoff Games Ready Marketing Plans

By Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large

Baltimore Painting Town Purple Before Saturday’s Game Against Colts

The four cities hosting NFL Divisional Playoff games have finalized their marketing activation plans for this weekend. On the premium side of things, rally towels are again the weapon of choice — teams are using them as giveaways at three of the four games this weekend.

RAVENS: For their home game against the Colts, the Ravens have adopted a “Paint the Town Purple” campaign, which has downtown buildings lit up in violet and patches of public space decorated with Ravens logos. Fans are also encouraged to dress in violet today. Ravens Senior VP/Business Ventures Dennis Mannion said the team is also using a slogan popularized by LB Ray Lewis and other Ravens defensive players -– “It’s Time To Hunt.” Game sponsor Verizon Wireless has its name on rally towels being given to fans entering M&T Bank Stadium, and there will be some Reebok “It’s Time to Hunt” apparel on sale.

CHARGERS: The Chargers are selling towels at retail, rather than giving them away at their home game against the Patriots on Sunday. That’s the same formula that launched the original “Terrible Towel” during the Steelers’ championship runs in the ‘70s. Around 150 7-Eleven stores in the San Diego market are selling gold “Charger Power” towels from McArthur Towel for $7. About 11,500 of the towels were ordered initially. Again leveraging a sponsor with retail locations, the Chargers and Sprint are distributing 50,000 “Sound The Charge For A Championship” banners through San Diego-area Sprint stores, said Chargers Manager of Corporate Sponsorships Chris Lee. The 2-by-3 foot banners carry branding from Sprint, the San Diego Union-Tribune and Chargers flagship radio station KIOZ-FM. Sycuan Nation is the team’s presenting playoff sponsor.

Rally Towels Remain Popular Playoff Premium

BEARS: McArthur is also supplying 70,000 towels for the Seahawks-Bears game at Solider Field. The orange towels will carry the sponsors of the team’s 4th Phase playoff marketing platform — 7-Eleven, Comcast, U.S. Cellular and Toyota — in which fans can win the right to be on Soldier Field during a playoff pregame coin toss and participate in a halftime skills contest with a chance to win $100,000.

SAINTS: In New Orleans, where the Saints are hosting their first Divisional Playoff game ever, private equity firm Mirabilis Ventures is lead sponsor for the game against the Eagles. In addition to signage and hospitality, Mirabilis gets its name on 50,000 Saints pom-poms that will be given to fans, said Ben Hales, Saints VP/Marketing & Business Development. A four-hour music fest outside the Superdome will feature sponsored elements from a number of Saints corporate patrons, including Budweiser and Alltel.