Promo-Palooza

I went to the Mets-Padres game last light and was treated to an avalanche of promotions. Here’s the play by play:

Pre-game

1. A teenage Mets fan read the team lineups as winner of The DHL Hometown Heroes contest.
2. Ceremonial throwing out of the first pitch by the V.P. of Sales for DHL

1st Inning

3. Video-taped Mets players read the TrueGreen Ground Rules to being a courteous and considerate fan. TrueGreen is a lawncare company.
4. State Farm Insurance sponsored the Visiting Team Defensive Alignment introductions - this is where they tell you where each of the Padres are positioned out in the field.
5. HIP Health Plans panned the seats during the Greatest Fans Search
6. The Snapple Replay treated us to a replay highlight of a first inning base hit by one of the Mets
7. Topps Trading Cards gave a nice video boarder to the Mets lineup as each player came to bat

2nd Inning

8. Champion Mortgage reminded people to enter the Champion Mortgage Sweepstakes to win a trip to Houston.
9. Bubba Burger sponsored a video rendition of the Mets player introductions accompanied by the catchy little tune ‘Meet The Mets’
10. Fidelity investments panned the seats for the Family of The Game – who knows how they were selected as the family of the game.
11. Pepsi put up a static image of their logo - boring
12. Fidelity Investments came back with a Twentieth Anniversary Celebration of the Met’s ’86 World Series Win. People still sing D-A-R-R-Y-L.
13. Dream Seats introduced the Fans of the Game - again, we don't know how they were determined.

3rd Inning

14. Verizon Wireless sponsored the Mystery Met Contest - a fan was given a clue and asked to identify which current Met player the clue described.
15. Sports Authority showed the Junior Mets-Caster Winner - a contest where kids got to read a play by play recording at the Mets broadcasting booth.
16. Pepsi had another billboard on the Jumbotron
17. Waste Management showed the winner of their Make A Deal Contest – once again, I missed the point.
18. Acela showed a highlight reel of Mets players out in the streets visiting the people.
19. Snapple did another replay of yet another Mets hit.

4th Inning

20. Cascarino’s Pizza did a Race to Shea contest. This is the Mets version of the three colored dots racing around an oval track on the Jumbotron. In this case it was three colored delivery trucks to tie in with the pizza restaurant.
21. Azek Trimboard did some promotion. I was busy trying to find out what a trimboard is. Evidently it’s wood molding you put along your floor and ceiling.
22. DVT.net played a commercial using Tony Gwynn talking about the hazards of Deep Vein Thrombosis.
23. The island of Barbados sponsored a Lucky Home Run Raffle. I don’t think anybody won.
24. 2K6 Sports did a video game demonstration using a kid who won their contest.
25. Steiner Collectibles ran an ad on the Jumbotron.
26. Ameritrade had a First Inning Flashback. In case you had forgotten by now that the Mets scored a run in the first inning.
27. The Budweiser Designated Driver of the Game was introduced. I don’t want to know how that honor was bestowed.
28. 1-800-Flowers wished a few fans a happy birthday by putting their names up on the Jumbotron.
29. 1-800-Flowers came right back with the Kiss-Cam. Always a crowd pleaser.

5th Inning

30. PC Richards asked a fan to indentify a few Hit Songs From the 80’s. The fan they chose failed to guess any.
31. Delta Dental panned the crowed and asked people to Flash Your Smile.
32. Ameritrade did another replay of a Mets run being scored – this time from the third inning.

6th Inning

33. The Pepsi Patrol shot T-shirts into the stands.
34. Just For Men did some Inside The Mets thing where they went into the batting cages under the stadium. Not sure what that has to do with hair color kits.
35. Newsday sponsored the Masterpiece Theater Movie Challenge. The contestant was asked to guess what movie “May The Force Be With You” comes from. He guessed right.

7th Inning

36. WFAN radio asked a contestant to complete the phrase ______ Relief. He won a $100 gift certificate to Uncle Jacks Steakhouse.
37. The Pepsi Game Break showed highlights from another MLB game.
38. Fisher Nuts sponsored the 7th Inning Stretch - no God Bless America, just Take Me Out to The Ball Game.

8th Inning

39. Champions Mortgage repeated their promo from earlier.
40. Verizon Wireless asked a fan to guess the Mystery Met based off some clue about him. I missed who it was.
41. Gilman-Ciocio Taxes ran a Taxing Your Brain contest.
42. Carvel Ice Cream showed a bunch of employees and called them the Fan Magic Team
43. Verizon posted the names of all the relief pitchers available for the Mets. Not sure what the tie-in was.

9th Inning

44. The Brooklyn Cyclones, the Mets minor league team gave away some tickets to their game
45. Dunkin Donuts did another Game Break highlight from an earlier game.
46. XM Satellite Radio chose a Song of The Game
47. Armitron sponsored the Guess The Attendance contest. It was 49,979

Final score: 47 sponsored promotions from 36 companies in 9 innings.

Oh, and Pedro pitched, Piazza hit two out (for the Padres) and the Mets won 4-3.

Comments

[jeffre]

Wow. When John Wannamaker (supposedly) despaired, “I know half my advertising budget is wasted. The trouble is I don’t know which half.”, it's a good thing he didn't look at his sponsorship budget.

[Alan]

Same at a NHL game - sucks the atmosphere right out of the building. Most counter-productive are the beer ads. Don't care how much you taut the brew when the vendors are charging twice as much as the local tavern.

[David]

I agree with you on the beer ads Alan. There's two things that bother me about these ads in the stadium.

First, is it necessary to advertise the brand of beer in the stadium when you're not given a choice at the concession stand? I'm fairly certain fans will still choose the only beer available on tap without having to sit through a barrage of signage and anemic tie-ins during the game.

Second, It seems to me that having a beer at the stadium is a ritualistic purchase, rather than spontaneous one. So advertising its availability or refreshingness seems like a moot point.

It may be time for beer companies need to re-think their exclusive pour sponsorships with stadiums. Exclusive, by defintion, means we don't have a choice.

[claudinho]

Oh boy! 47 sponsored promotions!? That will bore me to death and would really take my mind from the game. I think this is counter-productive. But what do I know. I'm an american and I have never been to a baseball game. Although, I would love to attend one.

[Dave Weaver]

WOW - one of the single best descriptions of media clutter i've ever seen. great post.