Major League Baseball corporate sponsors are finalizing activation plans for this week’s All-Star Game activities.
Cincinnati is MLB’s second-smallest market and the third small Midwestern city in the last four years to host the Midsummer Classic, but sponsors are looking to own the town, as has been the case in recent years.
“We’ll be everywhere, downtown and around the ballpark,” said Noah Garden, MLB executive vice president of business.
While it’s been an MLB sponsor for the past two seasons, T-Mobile added to its rights with a presenting sponsorship package for the All-Star Game — a first for MLB. Pricing was not revealed, but several sponsors said they had looked at a presenting package with a price tag of around $5 million.
T-Mobile will use those rights, largely Fox and MLBAM media, to push its newly expanded Simple Choice plan, which now includes calls to and from Mexico and Canada. New and dedicated creative will run on Fox: T-Mobile has five spots along with an LED/video board takeover before the first pitch. There also will be an in-game takeover of MLB.com and 20 MLB team sites, said Mike Belcher, T-Mobile vice president of media and consumer engagement.
T-Mobile also will offer a promotion that leverages the three-country plans with a contest offering 10,000 fans a $500 travel voucher if a three-run home run is hit.
Since Great American Ball Park and the Reds are sponsored by Coke, MLB sponsor Pepsi has to flex it marketing muscles elsewhere. Pepsi is title sponsoring the All-Star Week Music Series, continuing a strategy of combining its music and sports assets at large events.
“Music and pop culture’s in our DNA, and we [Pepsi and MLB] are both trying to reach a younger audience,” said Melissa Duhaime, senior marketing manager at Pepsi Sports. The focus will be on the brand’s new Pepsi Pass frequency/loyalty program.
Anheuser-Busch will produce a Bud and Burgers activation at the sponsor village, adjacent to Great American Ball Park. A-B also is distributing 1.2 million All-Star Game-branded cans and bottles of Bud and Bud Light in the Cincinnati market.
Chevy continues with one of the best branded-content plays in the business: Tuesday’s red carpet parade in which All-Star Game participants ride in vehicles to the ballpark. Chevy gets 70 moving billboards in the parade: 65 Silverados, three Corvettes and two classic Chevys. As always, the All-Star Game MVP gets a Chevy. This year the choice will be between a Gen 6 Camaro or Silverado Midnight Edition, and both vehicles will be on the field. Jack Morton Worldwide is Chevy’s longtime sponsorship/experiential agency.
New sponsor Esurance got an impressive turnout in what was the first all-digital All-Star Game balloting — around 70 million ballots were cast as of press time — the record was set in 2013 with 79.2 million. At FanFest, Esurance’s green-screen activation will allow fans to simulate a home-run-robbing catch. Esurance debuted an ad with San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey on ESPN’s
All-Star Game Selection Show that also will be in the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game. GMR is Esurance’s agency.
The byplay between packaged goods rivals Church & Dwight and Procter & Gamble, whose hometown is Cincinnati, has been an interesting sponsor sideshow. C&D secured a prominent right-field sign at Great American
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Esurance’s ad with Giants catcher Buster Posey aired on the All-Star Game Selection Show and will be in the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game.
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Ball Park when it signed with MLB last year. P&G subsequently underwrote a new 90-by-30-foot Daktronics video board in right field, which carries branding for multiple brands. P&G brands Gillette and Head & Shoulders are teaming to sponsor the now somewhat unwieldy Gillette Home Run Derby, Presented by Head & Shoulders. P&G also will be promoting its Gillette Shave Club mail sales and rewards program.
Church & Dwight will have its Strike Out Stains pitching attraction at FanFest and outside the ballpark.
For The Hartford, in the first year of a new four-year MLB sponsorship, the All-Star Game will serve as a springboard for a second-half campaign that will tie in top relief pitchers. In addition to taking presenting sponsorship to the AL and NL reliever of the year trophies, The Hartford has signed top relief specialists, including Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman: Nos. 1 and 2 in all-time saves. Appealing largely to its business-to-business audience of agents, The Hartford is building a platform that features “Closers” and “Prevailing Moments” with creative being developed and team deals with Texas, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis and Kansas City secured. On Monday, Rollie Fingers will host a Closers Clinic for top agents in the bullpen at Great American Ball Park. GMR is The Hartford’s sports agency.
