T-Mobile is using its sponsorship of Monday’s MLB Home Run Derby to build retail traffic and push sales of Samsung’s virtual reality hardware. T-Mobile beginning tomorrow is offering a VR version of the contest featuring White Sox 3B Todd Frazier, winner of last year’s Derby, on Samsung hardware. The VR offering will be available at the MLB Fanfest in San Diego and in T-Mobile's 2,200 stores in the U.S. At its Times Square store, T-Mobile will broadcast the competition live on a large outdoor screen. The wireless carrier has been an MLB corporate sponsor since '13. Its renewal included sponsorship of the Derby, last held by Gillette. Last year, it was the first presenting sponsor of the All-Star Game. Under its first MLB deal, T-Mobile had title sponsorship of the ASG Fanfest. T-Mobile Senior Dir of Sponsorships, Entertainment & Events Meredith Starkey said, “The Home Run Derby gives us national scalability, but still with some local extensions.” T-Mobile also is using the Derby to generate social media content and will host two on-field "social lounges" for players and guests and will run a Derby bracket challenge sweepstakes, offering a trip to the World Series as top prize. T-Mobile will give all fans at the Derby a pair of sunglasses in its trademark magenta.
 |
Pepsi will release team emojis as part of its All-Star Game activation
|
DRINK TAB: Beverage companies are among the biggest activators around the ASG. A-B and Pepsi are behind an expanded concert lineup that goes over several days and includes performances by Gwen Stefani and Tori Kelly. At Petco Park and other on-premise locations, A-B is trying to stimulate beer sales with an ASG souvenir cup as a gift-with-purchase that doubles as a baseball stand. Pepsi, which will be sampling its rebranded Mist Twist at and around the concerts, is again sponsoring activation Sunday through Tuesday with its emoji-filled “Say It With Pepsi’’ summer campaign. All 30 teams will have emojis released, and among the attractions will be emoji temporary tattoos and customizable T-shirts. Pepsi Sports Senior Marketing Manager Melissa Duhaime said that ads in the ASG will include the brand’s “infamous five-second emoji ads.” Pepsi will also debut baseball-themed creative and is working with MLB Productions and TV personality A.J. Calloway to produce custom content for its social sites.
BRAND AWARENESS: MasterCard, an MLB sponsor since '97, got a presenting sponsorship of the ASG with its offseason renewal. MasterCard will have a mobile marketing vehicle on hand demonstrating new tech, and will back a "Stand Up 2 Cancer" moment during the ASG. It also will sponsor a "Priceless" moment before the game, when youth ambassadors will escort starters onto the field. Meanwhile, Esurance will bring 18 contest winners to the ASG. Along with a “shareable immersive baseball video’’ at Fanfest, Esurance will also have a social media push at the Block Party, including a vending machine with prizes for social engagement. Esurance Dir of Brand Partnerships & Social Engagement Chris Lee said, “As an online company we felt good about affiliating with a league that is digitally focused and we’re still seeing great numbers, as far as awareness and engagement.” Finally, in tandem with MLB's overall initiative, Chevrolet, another offseason renewal, is highlighting youth baseball with most of its ASG efforts. It will back the red carpet parade of players in vehicles on the day of the ASG. Those 70 vehicles will be signed by players and auctioned at dealers. Another fixture is the presentation of a car to the ASG MVP.
