Financial Services Firm Looks to Grow NFL Team Program

IEG Sponsorship Report

September 13, 2010 800/834-4850 | www.IEGSR.com

Strategy Financial Services Firm Looks To Grow NFL Team Program

Properties and other sponsors could emulate recognition overlay to reach targeted audiences.

Based on the success of its four-year-old partnership with the NFL Seattle Seahawks and a Heroes in the Classroom activation program, Symetra Financial Corp. has expanded the marketing platform with new ties to the NFL Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears.

The company also is considering deals with additional NFL teams, said Jim Pirak, vice president of corporate marketing and investor relations.

“We plan to expand the program in 2011 and beyond,” he said.

Symetra, which markets individual and group investment products and plans—including annuities, life insurance and retirement income instruments—launched its sponsorship push with the Seahawks in 2006 to accomplish two goals: raise awareness of the Symetra brand, and recognize outstanding teachers as a way to build relationships with school districts, one of the company’s markets for retirement plans.

“The partnership has hit on all cylinders,” Pirak said.

The company’s primary leveraging tool is Symetra Financial Heroes in the Classroom, a weekly program during the NFL season that recognizes teachers for exemplary leadership and instructional skills.

In the Puget Sound area, educators are nominated for the award by their school principals. Teachers in Atlanta and Chicago are nominated by the public online through a form on Symetra.com. The form is promoted on the Falcons’ and Bears’ Web sites and through local advertising.

Winning teachers are recognized in their classroom and at a game. They receive $1,000 for classroom supplies, tickets to the game, a custom team jersey and are recognized with a video message from a player.

Symetra—which sells through a national network of financial institutions, benefits consultants and independent agents—also uses the program to differentiate its products and services from others that also are represented by those distributors.

“Financial advisors sell based on the merits of each product,” Pirak said. “But if everything is equal, we hope the program will develop additional loyalty and help win business.”

Symetra partners with a distributor in each market to help execute the program. In Atlanta, that role falls to SunTrust Banks, Inc. and in Chicago, Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc.

Those partners are charged with alerting teachers to their victory through surprise presentations at their schools. They also host teachers at games.

Symetra expanded the program to Atlanta and Chicago based on growth opportunities in those markets and each team’s willingness to make Heroes in the Classroom a core component of its community outreach efforts, Pirak said.

The company partnered with NFL teams based on research that shows the NFL is the most powerful brand in pro sports, Pirak said. “If we associate the Symetra brand with the power and passion of NFL football, we can get a lift.”

NFL games also afford significant exposure for the Symetra brand and winning teachers, he said. “There’s no greater stage than in front of 70,000 screaming fans.”

The company also sponsors other properties located near its Bellevue, Wash. headquarters, including the Symetra Bellevue Family 4th and the MLS Seattle Sounders.

Symetra activates its Sounders sponsorship with Symetra Active Bodies Active Minds, a program designed to promote mental and physical fitness among elementary school students and improve their ability to learn and do well in the classroom.

The program features visits to area schools and afterschool clubs by Sounders players, as well as an online component (www.SoundersFC.com/getactive) that allows students to record reading and fitness goals and access information on ways to stay healthy.

Source Symetra Financial Corp., Tel: 425/256-8000

September 13, 2010 800/834-4850 | www.IEGSR.com

Category Update Solar Energy Companies Light Up More Properties

With interest in clean energy at an all time high, time is right to target solar manufacturers and installers.

Identified by IEG SR as a fast-growing sponsor category earlier this year (“Ray of Sunshine: Solar Energy Category Heats Up Sponsorship Activity,” 3/19/10), the solar energy industry continues to evolve its role as an active partner to many properties.

New deals continue to emanate from two types of companies in the category: manufacturers of solar wafers, panels and other components that comprise solar power systems, and installers of those systems.

On the manufacturing side, Canadian Solar Inc. has signed a handful of new deals over the past several months with U.S. and European sports teams, culminating in a recent tie with the MLB San Francisco Giants.

That deal follows presenting sponsorship of the NHL San Jose Sharks’ playoff run, jersey sponsorship of German pro hockey club EHC Munchen, and renewal for a second year of its title sponsorship of Italian pro basketball team Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna.

The category also is continuing to sponsor a diverse array of property types. For example, manufacturer SolarWorld USA has come on board as the renewable energy sponsor of Oregon’s Portland Fashion Week.

In addition to manufacturers, installers have also recently signed new deals. For example, Sunlight Solar Energy, Inc. has come on board as a new official patron of October’s Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, a tie that adds to a portfolio of other local events in areas where it operates.

Canadian Solar Taps Power Of Sports Teams Canadian Solar is aligning with sports teams as a platform to gain visibility, drive mainstream acceptance of solar power and build a prospect database.

“We are continuing to build our brand recognition by aligning with leading brands, in this case sports franchises, that can carry our message to our target markets,” said Jill Hansen, senior marketing manager for Canadian Solar (USA) Inc. “Sports fans’ passion is as contagious as our passion for solar, and we are looking for a convergence of that enthusiasm.”

Kitchener, Ont.-based Canadian Solar, which manufactures solar modules for residential, commercial and industrial use, also is using its Giants tie to build a database of homeowners interested in solar power.

The company is conducting a Score with Canadian Solar sweepstakes, a promotion that dangles two 2011 season tickets and other baseball prizes. Consumers who enter the sweepstakes can request a free residential or business solar installation quote, as well as opt in to receive emails from Canadian Solar installation partners.

The sweepstakes may be entered at www.SFGiants.com/CanadianSolar.

The partnership, which runs through the end of the season, also includes rotational signage behind home plate, a program ad and client hospitality, said Damien Beasley, the Giants’ account executive, corporate sponsorship.

The sponsorship does not conflict with the team’s existing deal with Sharp Electronics Corp., which in 2007 installed nearly 600 solar panels outside AT&T Park in a partnership with local utility PG&E Corp., said Beasley, noting Sharp uses the partnership to promote flat-screen TVs and other consumer electronics products, not solar panels.

Canadian Solar will track lead generation and media exposure to determine success, Hansen said.

SolarWorld Struts It Stuff The company’s sponsorship of October’s Portland Fashion Week includes providing its black high-performance solar panels to create the event’s runway.

“It’s a good opportunity to explore, test and gauge the potential interplay between fashion and renewable energy in terms of aesthetics, messaging and audience,” said Ben Santarris, SolarWorld USA’s public affairs manager.

The unit of SolarWorld AG will further activate the tie through a partnership with fashion designer Seth Aaron Henderson, the most recent winner of the Project Runway reality TV show and a Portland-area resident. Henderson will design a solar- technology-inspired collection under the theme Solar Is the New Black.

“Just as Seth Aaron and Portland Fashion Week are exploring the fashion implications of renewable energy, so, by association, are we,” Santarris said. “In effect, we are introducing the aesthetics of our all-black module, which is fairly new, via an aesthetic forum.”

Tips On Selling Solar Energy Companies Below, advice for properties seeking sponsorship from solar energy manufacturers and installers:

Keep an eye open for new installations. When prospecting, properties should look for firms involved in local residential and commercial solar projects.

That tactic paid off for the Sharks, which pitched Canadian Solar after learning about the company’s work at the new rental car terminal at the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Int’l Airport.

“They had a huge win, which prompted us to approach them and ask about their work in the Bay Area,” said Eric Mastalir, vice president of corporate partnerships for the Sharks and the team’s home venue, HP Pavilion.

Leverage existing ties with utilities. If a property has a current partnership with an electric power company, such relationships can be leveraged to secure deals with solar energy companies that work with the utility, or companies that may be interested in working with the energy provider.

For example, Canadian Solar may use its Giants partnership to build relations with PG&E, an existing customer.

Help generate leads. Solar energy companies are looking to identify potential customers interested in clean energy alternatives, so properties should propose ways to help build prospect databases.

To encourage hand-raisers to request an installation quote through their Giants sweepstakes, Canadian Solar is offering an autographed baseball to the first 100 consumers who ask for an estimate.

Offer marketing platforms during sunny months. Solar energy companies typically look to marketing platforms during the late spring, summer and early fall in the Northern Hemisphere, when sunshine is plentiful.

Given that fact, properties not naturally aligned with those seasons may have to get creative, for example not seeking a season-long partnership for hockey or basketball teams, but perhaps a connection with the spring playoff period, as in the case of the Sharks.

Highlight community involvement. In the case of hometown properties, solar companies frequently use sponsorship to demonstrate corporate citizenship and/or promote job opportunities.

Case in point: SolarWorld USA uses its sponsorship of Portland Fashion Week and its jersey sponsorship of the United Soccer League Portland Timbers to promote employment at its manufacturing facility in Hillsboro, Ore.

Sources Canadian Solar (USA), Inc., Tel: 925/866-2700 SolarWorld USA, Tel: 503/844-3400 San Francisco Giants, Tel: 415/972-2000 San Jose Sharks, Tel: 408/287-7070

September 13, 2010 800/834-4850 | www.IEGSR.com

Category Update Mattress Retailers Not A Sleepy Segment When It Comes To Sponsorship

Properties should provide benefits including on-site sales opportunities and traffic-building promotions.

Although it may not be a category that generates much excitement, a rebound in sales is prompting new sponsorship spending from specialty mattress retailers.

According to the Int’l Sleep Products Assn., U.S. mattress shipments and the wholesale dollar value of those shipments will grow by 4.5 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively, in 2010. ISPA expects those numbers to rise another 6.3 percent and 10 percent in 2011.

The increase follows a 7.4 percent decline in units shipped and an 8.9 percent drop in dollar value from 2008 to 2009, according to the association, which also noted in a report earlier this year that specialty mattress retailers continue to take market share from furniture stores, where mattresses “represent 10 to 11 percent of sales and 35 percent of profits.”

The sales turnaround has helped prompt new sponsorship spending from a number of mattress retailers as a platform to build visibility, drive traffic and access new sales channels.

Case in point: Mattress Firm, Inc.—which operates 580 stores in 22 states—has signed new partnerships with 13 properties this year, including state fairs, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the Memphis in May festival.

In addition, Sit ‘n Sleep recently came on board as a new sponsor of the Los Angeles County Fair, while Sleep Country USA, LLC earlier this year purchased naming rights to the Sleep Country Amphitheater, an 18,000-seat music venue in Ridgefield, Wash.

On top of that, Select Comfort Corp.—both a mattress manufacturer and a national retailer with its own stores—will sponsor next month’s Taste of Atlanta on behalf of its Sleep Number by Select Comfort brand. The company has sponsored a number of other properties, including the Ohio State Fair and Denver’s National Western Stock Show.

Mattress Firm Expands Portfolio After Successful Tie With Texas State Fair Three good years partnering with the State Fair of Texas led Mattress Firm to look for other sponsorship opportunities.

Satisfaction with the state fair tie was based on the company’s ability to promote its brand to thousands of consumers and gain on-site sales opportunities, said Sunni Williams, Mattress Firm’s communications manager.

“It was a good opportunity to get our name out and sell product at the same time. We are now involved with more state fairs and looking for other opportunities.”

Indeed, Mattress Firm has created a multi-channel sales department dedicated to sponsorship, under the direction of Walter Kinzie, national manager of multi-channel sales.

At each sponsored event, Mattress Firm sets up an area to interact with consumers and display its mattresses. It also uses the events to promote Sleep to Live Diagnostics, a patented technology that assists consumers in choosing a mattress based on their sleeping needs.

The privately held retailer also uses sponsorship to showcase new products. For example, Mattress Firm reportedly plans to promote its new Yume line of mattresses at the September 24-October 17 State Fair of Texas. The line features proprietary technology that uses ambient air to heat and cool the surface of the mattress.

Mattress Firm also distributes coupons at each event to drive store traffic, Williams said.

“Mattresses are not always a top-of-mind purchase. We have seen great success in using sponsorship to get our name out and drive incremental business.”

Making Good Bedfellows Below, tips on selling sponsorship to mattress retailers and manufacturers.

Help build visibility. Mattress retailers use sponsorship in part to gain a point of differentiation from other companies in a highly competitive category that traditionally has relied on in-your-face TV and newspaper ads touting low prices and quality service.

Retailers frequently look for title or other high profile status to rise above the marketing din of other mattress stores.

Provide on-site display. Like furniture retailers (“Properties May Find Value In Discount Furniture Retailers,” 2/1/10), mattress companies frequently use sponsorship to interact with consumers and gain sales opportunities outside the showroom floor.

Properties should provide ample space for displaying and sampling mattresses.

Help support community positioning. As a segment largely comprised of regional, privately held companies, mattress retailers frequently use sponsorship to demonstrate community support and highlight local connections.

Consider franchisees. Like other chains, many mattress retailers are franchise operations. Thus local properties can consider pitching franchisees, many of whom use sponsorship to support corporate marketing initiatives.

For example, a Mattress Firm franchisee sponsored the Wisconsin State Fair presented by U.S. Cellular this year on behalf of the corporate brand, said Williams, noting that roughly 65 of the company’s 580 stores are franchised.

Don’t forget manufacturers. While mattress makers have focused more on licensing deals to produce co-branded products, they should not be overlooked as a source of sponsorship dollars.

When pitching manufacturers, properties should offer promotional platforms that drive traffic to retail partners and build relationships with their sales staffs.

Serta, Inc. late last year became a partner of the National Home Furnishings Assn., a trade group representing about 2,500 retailers.

Serta leverages the tie by offering NHFA members exclusive national promotions designed to increase store traffic and mattress sales during key selling periods.

For example, the company earlier this year ran a Serta American Idol sweepstakes that dangled trips to the show’s finale at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. To spur trail, consumers had to take a “Rest Test” on a Serta mattress to receive a contest entry code.

Source Mattress Firm, Inc., Tel: 713/923-1090

September 13, 2010 800/834-4850 | www.IEGSR.com

One-on-One Professional Bull Riders Charge Ahead With New Sponsorship Initiatives

PBR has managed to maintain value of sponsorship deals through flexibility in meeting partners’ changing needs.

Since private equity firm Spire Capital Partners took controlling interest in 2007, the Professional Bull Riders has undergone some major changes, including strengthening its leadership ranks and emphasizing the recruitment of sponsors in nonendemic categories.

The organization earlier this year hired sports marketing veteran Jeffrey Pollack as executive chairman after Randy Bernard, who had been PBR CEO for 15 years, left to take the same position with the Indy Racing League.

More recently, the PBR hired former Bank of America and MillerCoors sponsorship executive Dockery Clark (“Dockery Clark: Sponsors Should Return To Brand Building,” 10/5/09) as chief marketing officer and promoted Kevin Camper to chief partnership & sales officer.

IEG SR recently spoke with Camper about the changes at the PBR, new deals signed over the past year and other topics. Below are edited excerpts from the conversation.

IEG SR: What is your role at the PBR?

Camper: I joined the PBR in September 2009, and partnership marketing and sales is where I live. My goal is to keep and grow the partners we have, as well as attract new partners. The PBR has done a good job getting endemic partners, and we have branched out and pulled in some nonendemic partners over the past several years.

I want to attract blue-chip companies without alienating any of our core partners in the Western industry. I want to show them how we can help market their products and drive retail traffic.

One of the things that attracted me to the PBR is the product. We have the best two hours and 15 minutes of sport with entertainment intertwined. The PBR is literally the original extreme sport. Our guys are unbelievably brave, courageous and a little insane. It’s an extremely genuine and authentic sport, which is something that resonates right now.

IEG SR: How have things changed since the Spire Capital investment?

Camper: In the past, Randy Bernard and Sean Gleason (PBR COO who has added the CEO title) led the charge on almost every front. When our ownership changed from 20 cowboys to Spire, one of the first initiatives was to make sure we have the right leadership in place, as well as people to build our business lines and maximize revenue.

IEG SR: Looking externally, what sponsorship trends are you seeing?

Camper: The sports and entertainment industries have to be more diligent in terms of research. Companies are conducting more analysis and establishing metrics to determine the return on their investments.

That is no different from the past several years, but it is even more important today as a result of tighter marketing budgets.

The value proposition also has to be there. The PBR has been a very nimble organization over the past 16 years. If the needs of a sponsor change, we will change with them. If something isn’t working in the second year of a five-year contract, we will figure out what do differently. That may include giving them new assets.

That type of approach will become more important as we move forward. Technology and social media changes incredibly fast, and the world we live in today may not look the same 12 months from now. The days of “buy this billboard” and “this is what you get” are long gone. You have to reinvent yourself as the marketplace changes.

IEG SR: What has been happening in the last year for the PBR in terms of new sponsors?

Camper: We brought on Dish Network and Tecate Light beer (“What’s Behind Flurry Of Activity From Mexican Beer Imports,” 2/26/10) in a deal with importer Heineken USA. The beer category has been open for the past couple of years since Bud Light stepped away, and we are excited to have it filled.

We also brought on Rockstar in the energy drink category. The sponsorship makes all the sense in the world. Our athletes are young and they resonate with the energy drink category.

We are also fortunate to have a new national partner in Bad Boy Mowers, which is a strong up-and-coming brand, and we did a nice hospitality deal with Lincoln Electric, which is in place for the next couple of years.

IEG SR: How about renewals?

Camper: We extended our partnership with Brown Forman and the Jack Daniel’s brand, as well as our partnership with the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, which has been another longstanding partner.

We also extended our partnership with apparel manufacturer Williamson-Dickie for the next several years.

Everyone talks about “flat being the new up.” From a financial standpoint, we have kept our partnerships above or at similar levels without giving away the farm. That speaks well about our growth over the past three or four years.

IEG SR: What categories are you exploring?

Camper: We are focused on a handful of categories, including tools—which makes a lot of sense based on our customer base—wireless, insurance, and timing and scoring.

Timing and scoring is a ripe category for what we do. Everything revolves around an eight-second ride. A sponsor in the timing and scoring category would be spot on, and there are a lot of ways that we could activate the partnership.

The nonalcoholic beverage category also is open. We have a partner in the energy drink category, but not a Coke, Pepsi or Dr Pepper. That’s something that makes a lot of sense as well.

IEG SR: How is your sponsorship sales effort structured?

Camper: We begin our approach from a global perspective. We have events in the U.S., Brazil, Canada, Mexico and Australia, and we look for companies with a presence in those markets.

We have 28 to 30 Built Ford Tough Series stops, which is our tier one product, much like the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Our national team sells against that platform for the entire season. Our national partnerships can also include TV inventory on Versus, as well as NBC and CBS.

We have one person in New York City who sells those packages, and we are about to fill another position there that has been open for the past month to give us two people pounding the pavement.

We also work with two agencies: Brian Corcoran’s Shamrock Sports Group and Patrick Connors’ Gravitate Sports Marketing. I brought them in this year to give us more bandwidth.

On the local level, I have three people who sell against events in their regions.

The local and regional programs they work on are typically built around traffic-driving elements with quick-service restaurant chains, supermarkets and home improvement companies. We send riders to the stores for autograph sessions, and bring out our merchandise haulers and mechanical bulls.

Source Professional Bull Riders, Tel: 719/242-2800