2007 NCAA® Men's Final Four® - Integrated Marketing PR Campaign
Challenge
c21 chaired the public relations and promotions committee for the nonprofit Atlanta Local Organizing Committee (ALOC) responsible for planning and executing the NCAA® Men's Final Four® in Atlanta, March 31 - April 2.
The 2007 tournament was featuring an array of ancillary events, a drastic change since Atlanta last hosted in 2002, which would require heavy publicity and promotion to educate local residents and college basketball fans. In addition, only 10,000 tickets (of 60,000) were available to the public, and those were sold through a drawing that closed in May 2006.
Solution
c21 assembled a powerhouse PR committee, including the local CBS affiliate station manager, two sports radio stations, the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB), Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) and more - all who committed to regularly disseminating media information to their constituents, audience viewers/listeners, etc. As well, an integrated communications program was developed, which included media relations, e-mail marketing, Web site development and maintenance, promotions and a video.
- Media Relations
c21 developed and disseminated a constant stream of calendar items, media alerts, press releases and evergreen pitches over the course of 11 months to a variety of entertainment, metro/community, lifestyle and news media. Early on, we gave the Atlanta Journal Constitution sports writer open access to people and materials regarding "how to put on a Final Four," which proved fruitful for stories and other media contacts. We created an in-depth press kit and held a "100 Days Out" press conference, and two additional conferences for proclamations by the Atlanta Mayor and Georgia's Governor.
We released information on The Big Dance® Weekend line up of free entertainment in Centennial Olympic Park, The Dome Dribble®, the Web site launch, the Mayor and Governor proclamations, Art4Atlanta art contest, Middle School Madness®, security and parking information, the RazorGator Fan Experience, Krispy Kreme's basketball donuts, the food of the Final Four and much more - consistently arranging live TV remotes, interviews, print and online coverage. All media information was disseminated through c21's Direct DialogueSM e-mail marketing system to track open and click through rates, allowing for targeted media follow-up. We also used Atlanta Daybook, a daily e-blast media and marketing subscribers, to drive registrations for free events like The Dome Dribble and the YES® Basketball Clinics. c21 also provided on-site media support for the week of and throughout the weekend of the tournament.
- Web Site Development/Maintenance
c21 created a Final Four Web site, which included information on events, volunteering, tickets and more, as well as an e-newsletter sign up, and we updated it weekly and daily as the event drew closer.
- E-Mail Marketing
We used Direct Dialogue to develop and disseminate a monthly HTML and text e-newsletter to opted-in recipients, and those files were shared with committee members to incorporate into their own e-mail marketing efforts. We sent press information to media, and training information dates/locations to the volunteers. Finally, we handled mailings for the ALOC to corporations that purchased hospitality packages. The initial results were so successful, the NCAA asked c21 to manage their e-communications to confirmed ticket holders, Corporate Partners and Champions, and to disseminate information surrounding NCAA-run events The Big Dance and the Road to the Final Four 5K.
- Promotions
We developed PSAs to air on the PA system of local Atlanta college basketball games during the regular season - all driving fans to the Web site. In addition, the sports radio stations used them for on-air PSAs.
With 53,000 visitors coming to Atlanta for the event, c21 worked with the ACVB to coordinate the development of a four-page insert in the Atlanta Journal Constitution as a guide for local residents and visitors alike. We developed the content, which included information on the events, transportation, City Pass, local attractions and more and it was inserted the week before and the week of Final Four. More than 60,000 overruns also were delivered to downtown hotel concierges to distribute to guests.
- Video
c21 developed a video, shown on shuttle buses, which welcomed the members of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and other VIPs to Atlanta. We drafted a list of images, and worked with Brand Atlanta, CAP and others to cull video images. CBS 46 volunteered its time to produce the final video.
Results
c21's consistent efforts resulted in more than 80 non-sports related media placements in local print and electronic media, totaling 58 million impressions with an advertising equivalency of $1.45 million.
Our e-mail marketing efforts drove registration for events such as the YES Clinics and The Dome Dribble. Industry standards for open rates consider 16% to 30% as "excellent." Our results included: volunteers mailings averaged 68% open rate; fan mailings - both ticket and non-ticket holders were 37%; Corporate Partners and Corporate Champions averaged 42% open rates; and media mailings averaged an open rate of 16%.
c21's media efforts drove traffic to the Final Four microsite. Visits went from 2,300 in Dec. to 233,000 in March, and page views jumped from 20,500 in Dec. to 520,000+ in Jan. The media placements helped drive 120,000 fans to The Big Dance, sell out the YES Clinics with 200 children participating, register 2,000 children for The Dome Dribble, and encourage more than 500 runners to participate in the inaugural 5K Road Race.
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