March 24, 2008
BL Hoops Campaign for Anheuser-Busch’s March to the Championship
Company: ipsh! [part of The Marketing Arm]
Brand: Bud Light
Objective
Build brand engagement with consumers 21+ through an interactive retail promotion surrounding the March tournament. Leverage basketball enthusiast’s interest in the sport and of course, love for Bud Light! Create a program that offers a strong incentive for consumers to enter the contest and create excitement about the campaign.
Strategy
Engage consumers through a sweepstakes promotion that Bud Light will sponsor throughout the 2008 college basketball playoffs. Incorporate text-in and on-line registration to reach as many consumers as possible and engage wholesalers and local bars to promote the contest. Continue the dialogue and build a relationship with the consumer throughout the three weeks of the tournament with mobile campaign alerts.
Execution
Consumers, 21+, will receive a scratch ticket while at a bar, or when they purchase a specially marked 12-, 18-, or 20-pack of Bud Light at participating retail locations. Each ticket has five scratch-off jerseys that become your “team.”
Consumers can text in or visit www.blhoops.com and register to win! At blhoops.com, consumers can track their daily scores and compare their rank amongst other competitors within their local region. The site also contains a series of “DUDE” spots, a PC-based Basketball game and mobile downloads )i.e. Wallpapers, mobile basketball game and a Bud Light tournament bracket). To enhance consumer touch-points, a WAP site was created with similar capabilities to track/monitor progress from their handsets.
When the tournament begins, anytime players with your “team” jersey numbers score – you score! The player in each market with the highest score at the end of the Elite 8 wins a trip for two to Las Vegas to attend a Bud Light VIP party at Caesar’s Palace, full of basketball and Bud Light.
Results
As of March 19, more than 3,900 participants have engaged in the game. We are expecting a huge weekend with a major media push on ESPN/Yahoo and activation at the bar level.
