Week 2 Case Study: From 70 Thousand to 7 Million; Integrated Activation as a Driver of Sponsor and Property Reach

See the following guide for more information about this assignment: Case Study #1 Guide (PDF) Pasted below. Please note: all information must be included in each section. Failure to do so will result in a reduction of the points awarded to each section.

Read the following Case Study

From 70 Thousand to 7 Million: Integrated Activation as a Driver of Sponsor and Property Reach Gary Pasqualicchio, Norm OReilly, and Ed Elowson Ohio University For years, sport properties and corporate sponsors have struggled to develop strategies to activate their expansive partnerships, particularly those without high-ranking national media coverage. This case analyzes a successful, multilayered sponsorship activation tied to the 2012 retirement of Philadelphia Eagles star Brian Dawkins. The Eagles, in partnership with AAA and Marvel, created and promoted a unique weekend around Dawkins retirement that included a NASCAR race, an NFL Sunday Night Football Game, and a meet-and-greet with Dawkins; this weekend was marketed extensively across various modes of media. The partners goals were to engage 7 million regionally-based Eagles fans, not just the 70,000 fans who would witness Dawkins retirement ceremony inside Lincoln Financial Field during the game. This case illustrates how the partners came together to achieve common goals, using Dawkins image, presence, and positive affinity with Eagles fans. The case details sponsorship and activation trends, the activation ratio, and other examples of sponsorship activation tied to athlete retirement. The case asks students to take what they have learned about sponsorship activation and analyze the Dawkins retirement, discussing what was successful, what was not, and what could be done for future sponsorship activations in similar situations. Keywords: sport sponsorship, sponsorship activation, sports advertising, professional sports It was a cool, late summer evening in Philadelphia. The date was September 30, 2012, and the National Football League (NFL)s Philadelphia Eagles had squeaked out a 1917 victory over the rival New York Giants, who missed a last-second field goal that would have won the game. Off the field, the Eagles had recorded an even more resounding win. In partnership with the American Automobile Association (AAA), and featuring elements with NASCAR and Marvel Entertainment, the Eagles had pulled off an innovative and effective sponsorship activation centered around legendary safety Brian Dawkins retirement (DiChiara, n.d.). AAA, an automobile service provider and long-time sponsor of the Eagles, was in the sixth year of a seven-year deal and had just finishing working with the team and a number of other partners on a major and innovative marketing initiative. AAAs goal was clear and simple: They wanted their activation to reach the entire Eagles fan base, not just the television-targeted audience. Following the game, an executive with AAA (personal communication, February 10th, 2014) recalled telling Eagles staff that, We are thrilled with the outcomes thrilled. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears [went into this activation]. NASCAR, a stock car racing league founded in 1948, was able to capitalize on the timing of Dawkins retirement ceremony to feature a local sports legend at one of their races. Marvel, an entertainment company that started in the comic book industry in 1939, combined one of their famous superheroes with a famous athlete to concurrently reach a mix of comic book and sports fans. Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are an NFL club based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the fifth largest city in the United States (see Appendix D [all appendices available online]). A vibrant city, Philadelphia is known for its arts and culture, tourism, technology cluster, and history. The Eagles franchise has won three NFL titles (1948, 1949, 1960) and has made two Super Bowl appearances (losing in both 1980 and 2004). Established in 1933, the club is known for its devoted fan base (considered one of the most passionate in the NFL) and has been home to many high-profile stars, including 22 Pro Football Hall of Famers (as of 2016). Owned since 1994 by entrepreneur Jeffrey Lurie, the club was valued by Forbes in 2016 at US$2.5 billion. Market research agency Scarborough provided data on the Eagles fan base. Three 2 Pasqualicchio, OReilly, and Elowson This content is copyright 2017 Human Kinetics, Inc. and is not to be distributed, disseminated, or reproduced without permission. demographic metropolitan areas (DMAs) combine to make up what the club calls Eagles Country. They include the Philadelphia DMA, the Harrisburg DMA, and the Wilkes-Barre DMA. Scarboroughs research indicates that approximately 56% of adult residents in these DMAs describe themselves as Eagles fans. In the Philadelphia DMA specifically, that number rises to 64%. Appendix D provides further information on the three DMAs. As noted, there are more than five million adult fans in the three DMAs; when extended to the entire population, including youth, the estimated fan base in these DMAs grows to seven million. AAA Often called Triple-A or AAA, the American Automobile Association is a federation of independently-operated motor clubs throughout the United States. Its partner, the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), extends the organization throughout North America. AAA is a service provider with offerings in automotive, travel, insurance, finance, and discounted products. Founded in 1902, the organization has headquarters in Florida and has provided services to drivers for over 100 years, ranging from mapping to safety programs to automobile racing support to driver training to conservation efforts to lobbying.

Answer the following the best you can

• Section One - Background
  • State the salient FACTS of the case. Provide a thorough background and history of the company. Be concise and precise.
• Section Two - Problem Statement
  • Thoroughly state the central problem, NOT the symptoms of the problem, found in the body of the case.
  • Length: One paragraph
• Section Three - SWOT analysis
  • LIST in rank order the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats relating to the company which is the subject of this case study.
  • Create four lists with at least 4 points under each category (SWOT).
• Section Four - Alternative Solutions
  • List a minimum of four alternative solutions and a minimum of two benefits (pros) and two consequences (cons) associated with each alternative solution.
  • Create four alternative solutions with 2 pros and 2 cons each.
• Section Five - Conclusion and Recommendation
  • Design an action plan to solve the original problem.
  • Include a minimum of three recommendations which addresses the original problem statement.
  • Evaluate the risks and rewards of each of your recommendations.
  • Write a conclusion of the outcomes you foresee from your recommendations.