Over a year and a half ago, when new owners bought the Boston Red Sox, they immediately pledged to fans that they would make the ownership group, the team and Fenway Park more fan-friendly.
This season, the Red Sox launched a campaign targeting the five surrounding New England states (New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont) to do just that.
Dubbed "Paint New England Red," the campaign consists of one-day trips to surrounding states, where club officials (principal owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner and CEO and President Larry Lucchino) and ex-Red Sox players (Rico Petrocelli, Luis Tiant and others) hold rallies involving local business people, political leaders, media types and fans. The team mascot, Wally the Green Monster, hosts trivia games and giveaways before the dignitaries and Sox owners address the crowd.
After each rally, most being held at the state capitol or at a community event hall, Red Sox officials meet with the media and then visit a local children's group home. The goals of their PR campaign:
1. Introduce the new owners to the media and state officials.
2. Increase the Red Sox's fan base and take away some of the New York Yankees' market share in the New England region, particularly Connecticut.
3. Attract a younger Red Sox fan base.
4. Introduce a program (called "State Days") that acknowledges each New England state at a 2003 Red Sox home game.
The plan was to have tickets available for fans from each state who wanted to attend their specific state day at Fenway. Few tickets were available this season, however, partly because the campaign launched after the season began and extra tickets were not planned for.
Instead, for each 2003 state day, the Red Sox will invite elected state officials, dignitaries and celebrities to partake in pregame activities. Tickets for state day fans will be available for purchase during next year's planned campaign.
A few days before each event, the Red Sox blast-fax a press advisory using the Red Sox and Boston-based PR firm Rasky/Baerlein's media lists. Follow-up calls are placed to major print, radio and TV stations requesting the media's attendance.
To make each state visit as media-friendly as possible, the Red Sox have offered newsworthy elements. In New Hampshire, for example, Henry announced that the Red Sox would provide laptops to all of the 21 children in a group home, along with a $10,000 donation.
In Rhode Island, Henry, who was made an honorary member of the state Senate, announced that the Red Sox would buy the group home a wide-screen TV as well as donate $10,000.
In New Hampshire and Rhode Island, each governor issued a proclamation declaring the day "Red Sox Day."
The donations, senatorial honor and proclamation were all picked up by the local press.
In New Hampshire, most of the local TV stations went live from the statehouse. The Manchester Union Leader devoted four stories in the next day's edition and followed up with an editorial. Multiple radio talk shows and sports call-in shows did interviews with Henry and other Red Sox officials.
In Rhode Island, the event appeared on local TV stations at noon, 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. The Providence Journal devoted three stories to the event, and the Red Sox granted live interviews to more than a half-dozen radio stations.
Interesting PR campaigns can be sent to Wayne Henninger (whenninger@sportsbusinessjournal.com), a PR professional and writer in Washington, D.C.
