Now, two weeks into the NFL season, is a great time for marketers to reach out to fans who turn up at stadiums to cheer their teams on, and that doesn't necessarily mean spending huge dollars on signage in the stadium itself.
Another way to reach them, and at far less cost, is before the game starts when they’re tailgating in the stadium parking lot.
And besides cost, there are other advantages to targeting tailgaters. They're largely male, they're in a receptive mood, if not downright joyous in anticipation of seeing their team play, and they're not watching a game, as they would much of the time inside the stadium. They're talking with their buddies.
And the advertiser doesn't have to commit for the whole season. They can do one weekend or several, or all of the home games, and that makes it even more cost efficient.
In a typical tailgate campaign, street teams will be sent in to mingle with fans, talk up the product, and hand out fliers and samples. The advertiser might also hire a plane to tow a message around in the sky.
To find out how to get your client’s message in front of NFL tailgaters, read on.
This is one in a Media Life series on buying out-of-home venues. They appear weekly.
Fast Facts
What
Targeting tailgaters with ad messages before NFL games.
Who
There are a number of local and national agencies who can send out street teams to target and interact with tailgaters. Some of the larger ones offer advertisers the opportunity to run campaigns across a number of markets simultaneously.
How it works
Street team campaigns can run from the very simple--a local restaurant sends out a team of women dressed as cheerleaders to pass out fliers promoting its menu and specials--to the very elaborate, like a recent McDonald’s campaign in Pittsburgh to promote a DVD highlighting the Steelers' 2008 championship season that was on sale at area McDonald's.
Team members rode around on Segways wrapped with the McDonald’s logo and “I’m lovin’ it” tagline and equipped with 32-inch video screens that played clips from the DVD.
Had the fast food chain wanted to add a few more elements, it could have handed out food samples of a new menu item it was about to introduce, for example, or put on a drawing for a free copy of the DVD.
 |
It might also have coordinated the Pittsburgh campaign with those at other NFL stadiums, swapping out the Steelers' DVD for some other local element.
It might also have hired a plane to fly over or helicopter to hover over the area with banners inviting fans to join in on the tailgating. Planes and helicopters can only fly over stadiums up to an hour before kickoff.
But for that matter, all these elements, including the aerial banners, could just as well be done by a local restaurant or retailer. You don't have to be a McDonald's to be able to justify the expense of any of these elements. The cost is pretty moderate considering how effective a tailgate campaign can be.
Markets
NFL markets are New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Boston, San Francisco, Oakland, Dallas, Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, Phoenix, Seattle, Minneapolis, Denver, San Diego, Cleveland, St. Louis, Tampa, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Nashville, Jacksonville, Buffalo, New Orleans and Green Bay.
Each market is guaranteed 10 home games per year (two preseason and eight regular-season games), and more if the team makes the playoffs.
Numbers
The NFL averaged 68,241 fans per game in 2008, down slightly from 68,702 in 2007. Overall 17.5 million fans attended games in 2008, down a tick from 17.6 million in 2007. The Washington Redskins averaged 88,604 fans per game in 2008, tops in the league, while the Detroit Lions were at the bottom with 54,497 fans per game.
How it is measured
Street teams track how many samples or fliers are handed out. Game attendance and local traffic data can be used to estimate impressions for aerial campaigns.
What product categories do well
Frequent NFL tailgate advertisers include auto, financial, fast food, local restaurants, sporting goods, beverages and insurance.
Demographics
Among avid NFL fans, 13 percent have an annual household income of $25,000 or less, according to Scarborough Research, with 19 percent between $25,000 and $40,000, 13 percent between $40,000 and $50,000, 20 percent between $50,000 and $75,000, 16 percent between $75,000 and $100,000, 12 percent between $100,000 and $150,000, and 7 percent making $150,000 or more.
Making the buy
Pricing varies by the size of a campaign. The low end for a local advertiser using a small street team in one market could be around $1,000 or $2,000.
A more elaborate campaign spanning multiple markets could cost anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000. Aerial campaigns typically cost between $500 and $750 per hour.
Who’s already targeting tailgaters
Recent or current tailgate advertisers include McDonald’s, Chase bank, Hyundai, State Farm, Powerade, Sirius XM and TBS.
What they’re saying
“The tailgate audience has the right attitude. They’re not in a rush; it’s not a moving target. It’s someone whose defense is down and who is in ‘entertain me’ mode.” –
Adam Hollander, creative producer at Brand Marketers.
Web site info
Brand Marketers
http://www.brandmarketers.com/
GoGorilla Media
http://www.gogorillamedia.com/
Arnold Aerial Advertising
http://arnoldaerial.com
Aerial Media Services
http://www.aerial-media.com
Aviad
http://www.aviad.com/
GoMobile
http://www.beyondtraditional.com/
