Several Cincinnati-based branding experts indicated that despite the fact the Bengals lost their Wild Card game against the Chargers, Procter & Gamble and Kroger, who bought thousands of tickets to ensure the game was not blacked out locally by the NFL, “walked away as winners,” according to Andy Brownfield of the CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER. Cincinnati-based brand consulting firm Landor Associates Client Dir Chris Hall in an e-mail wrote, “It shows that each company is invested in their city, and want to show their support. And not only are they being good stewards for the city, they donated the tickets to military personnel and vets. So who can complain about that?” Cincinnati-based consumer marketing firm Brandery GM Mike Bott said that the companies’ motivation “was probably twofold: the ticket purchase engenders goodwill by demonstrating good corporate citizenship in the Cincinnati community and the brands benefit in a more direct manner in that Kroger probably saw a spike in sales from viewing parties and P&G’s NFL-related ads hit the local market around the game.” Brownfield wrote it "doesn’t hurt that P&G is a national NFL sponsor either.” Bott said, “It wouldn’t have been good for relations to have the local market game blacked out” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 1/6).
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS: Meijer CEO & co-Chair Hank Meijer yesterday appeared on CNBC to discuss his company's purchase of 1,200 tickets to the Colts-Chiefs Wild Card game to ensure the game was a sellout. Meijer said, "We've got a lot of customers in our part of the world ... who not only can't get flights or don't dare drive, but can't get out of their homes. So the Colts, with whom we've got a terrific relationship, called us and said, 'We don't know how to get this on the air unless we get some help.' We couldn't resist. It was just a great opportunity to connect with our customers." Meijer added that "buying the tickets felt great but it is hard to quantify how much goodwill it generated in the community and I don't think you ever can." Meijer: "It's part of the relationship we want to have with our communities and when there was a chance to be part of the game, we jumped at it" ("Squawk on the Street," CNBC, 1/6).
