Coyotes Riding Election Fever With Clever New Promo Campaign

By Jessica Collins, Staff Writer

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Barack Obama and John McCain figure to dominate the headlines over the course of the next month until the November 4 presidential election, but if the Coyotes have their way, an unheralded third-party candidate will begin to make some waves during these next four weeks. As a way to promote the start of the ’08-09 NHL season, the Coyotes have launched a new viral ad initiative featuring Pierre the Hockey Snowman in which the character is running for the presidency of the U.S. The team is supporting Pierre, who was first introduced last season through a series of ads, with an in-house campaign that includes print, online, outdoor and radio creative. The ads can be seen and heard in local Arizona newspapers, on multiple radio stations and on 14x48 billboards in and around Phoenix. The team is urging fans to support Pierre by visiting www.Pierre08.com. Some of the political taglines associated with the campaign include “Obama Has A Weak Slap Shot,” “McCain Is A Figure Skater” and “I Promise You Hot Pretzels And Nachos With Cheese.” The team is supporting Pierre’s bid by handing out bumper magnets, cheer cards and buttons at all home games during the month of October.

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ATTEMPTS TO GAIN NATIONAL ATTENTION: Coyotes Dir of Advertising & Media Ted Santiago admits the campaign is “a little out of the box and off the wall,” but the intention is clearly to capitalize on the unprecedented attention leading up to November’s general election. “The hope is of it becoming viral in nature and getting people who may not be avid fans of the Coyotes to spend some time with the brand and purchase tickets,” said Santiago. So far, the effort appears to be successful, with several local media outlets inquiring about Pierre. But the interest in the snowman with a plan extends beyond just the Arizona desert. “If we track where the visits are coming from, it’s getting national attention,” Santiago said. “It’s not just a local campaign, it’s spreading. We are seeing hits from Switzerland, Japan -- it’s taking on a life of its own. Hockey is not first and foremost here in Phoenix, so we judge [the promotion’s success] based on the feedback, buzz, hits and ticket sales in general.” While Pierre’s plans for the immediate future are up in the air -- no doubt dependent on his showing at the polls next month -- Santiago did say his platform “will continue to evolve.”

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