The producer of a women’s sportswear line is delighted to find that her sponsorship of
the Women’s Softball World Series came with some extra benefits. It provided
opportunities to entertain clients, recruit new customers, motivate employees, meet real
consumers, and distribute small premiums. All of these were a result of:
a. connecting the sponsorship to other elements of the advertising plan.
b. distributing product samples.
c. leveraging the sponsorship.
d. a successful product placement.
Scenario 18-3
For some years now, enterprising individuals have gotten their own ideas, forums, and
entertainment programs out in front of the public with no help from big tech firms,
media conglomerates, or ad agencies. They simply posted their creations on the
Internet. It began with blogs, moved to podcasts, expanded to social networks, moved
on to YouTube videos, and transferred to Twitter. Audience members can download
these technological tidbitstext, visual, and audio formatsto their laptops as well as to
cell phones, Blackberries, iPods, iPads, and every other mobile gadget that hits the
market. Eventually, public relations companies started getting into the act.
An athletic supply manufacturer is about to launch a new sports sock made of an
innovative fabric that cushions the foot, reduces impact, absorbs moisture, and supports
high-intensity sports. It creates short video spots and posts them on its home page,
Facebook page, YouTube, and other sites for viewing and downloading. Since this
video is generated by the company, intends to gain positive publicity, and hopes for free
exposure of a new product, it works in much the same way that the more traditional
______ does.