case study - @charlottemll name the team campaign

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May2011|SportsMediaChallenge©2011

Name the team campaign | community buzz building Charlotte major league lacrosse team

A Case Study Campaign goals

• Increaseawarenessoftheteamthroughabuzzworthycampaign• Generatefanengagement/investmentintheteam• Identifytheteamnameandcolorschemethatfanslikebest• Capturefanprofileinformationfordatabase• Buildexcitementandmomentumintothelaunchofseasonticketsales• ServeasthelaunchpadforCharlotteMLLtogrowandownthesocialmediaspaceforLacrosseintheCarolinas

The campaign

AswordgotoutaboutthenewprofessionallacrosseteamcomingtoCharlotte,fansofthesportstartedtojointheCharlotteMLLFacebookcommunitywheretheycouldreceivethelatestinformationontheteamfromPresident,JimMcPhilliamyandHeadofMarketing&Sales,WadeLeaphart.PassionatefansbegancommentingontheFacebookPage,offeringinputonthenewteamnameandcolors.JimandWadewerelisteningtotheirfansandwiththeseasonstillayearaway,theydecidedtobuildbuzzfortheteamandcreateavestinginterestintheirfansbylettingthemnametheteam.TheyhiredBuzzManager,Inc.tohelpexecutethe“NameTheTeamCampaign.”Sponsor:OrthoCarolina

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May2011|SportsMediaChallenge©2011

Stage 1: define geographic agenda April1‐10CharlotteMLLaskeditsFacebookFanstovoteanddiscussthegeographicareatheteamshouldrepresent:CharlotteorthebroaderCarolinas?Howitworked:Wednesday,March30th:TeamPresidentJimMcPhilliamyreleasedalettertothefansontheCharlotteMLLFacebookPage,thatoutlinedthecreativeprocessandreasoningforthe“NametheTeamCampaign”andinwhichhestated,“Wewantourfansinvolvedwiththeteamfromtheverybeginning.Webelievesportsteamssucceedbecauseacommunityofpassionatefanswantstobeengagedonanemotionallevelwiththeteam.Wehopetofosterthattypeofactiveengagementwithourfansfromtheoutsetbyinvolvingtheminour“NameTheTeamCampaign”poweredbyOrthoCarolina.”(Letterreceivedfeedbackfrom15fans)April1­10:AcustomizedFacebookTab(usingtheWildfireApp)launchestodrivetraffictoamicrositewherefanscansubmitvotesthroughembeddedfieldsconnectedtotheCharlotteMLLCRMdatabase.Thedatabasecollectscontactinformationforfanswhoareoptingintoreceivedinformationaboutseasontickets.Thosethatvotedwererequiredtofillinthefollowingselection:

The Numbers FacebookFans:April1:1,364April10:1,588+277in10days453votescast.294(65%)optedintoreceivemoreinformationabouttickets.

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May2011|SportsMediaChallenge©2011

Stage 2: identify brand attributes April11‐21CharlotteMLLaskedthefanstoexplorethebrand’semotivecharacteristicsanddiscusstheteamsidentify,lookandfeel.Howitworked:FacebookstatusupdatesandcommentspromoteddiscussionontheCharlotteMLLFacebookPage.ThosefansnotonFacebookcouldsubmittheirfeedbackthroughamicrositeintegratedwiththeteam’sCRMdatabase.

The Numbers FacebookFansApril11:1,605April21:1,789+184newfansin10days 648commentswerepostedonFacebookduringStage2,resultingin249uniquenamesuggestions.

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May2011|SportsMediaChallenge©2011

Stage 3: Vote on design concepts May2‐13BasedonfeedbackandvotinginStages1&2,CharlotteMLLpresented6namesanddesignconceptsforfancommentaryandvoting.Howitworked:FacebookstatusupdatesandcommentsdirectedfanstotheFacebookTabdisplayingthelogos.TheTablinkedtoacustombuiltFacebookappthatallowedfanstorankthelogos.Liveresultsgeneratedaheatedcompetitionamongstthenames.

OngoingdiscussionontheFacebookPageallowedfanstoofferfeedbackandinputonthelogosandcolors.

The Numbers FacebookFansMay2:1,917May13:2,400+483newfansin10days1107ballotscastinStage3

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May2011|SportsMediaChallenge©2011

Stage 4: Final vote June1‐10BasedonfeedbackandvotingfromStage3,CharlotteMLLpresentedthetopthreedesignconceptsforafinalfanvote.Howitworked:FacebookstatusupdatesandcommentsdirectedfanstotheFacebookTabdisplayingthreeversionseachforthreelogos.TheTablinkedtoaFacebookPollthatallowedfanstovotefortheirfavoritenameandlogoforthatname.TheFacebookPollpromptedfanstosharethepollontheirwallandinvitetheirfriendstovote.SeasonTickets:Duringthisstage,CharlotteMLLbegantakingdepositsforseasontickets.TheysentoutaFacebookstatusupdateannouncingthattheywereacceptingseasonticketdeposits.In2days,theyhad55deposits.

The Numbers FacebookFansJune1:2,784June10:3,487+703newfansin10days817votescastinFacebookPoll149votescastthroughmicrositeOfthe817votescastonFacebookPoll,258fans(32%)wantedmoreinformationontickets.15%ofthosevotingonFacebooksharedthepollontheirwallandinvitedfriendstovote.732friendswereinvitedtovote.

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May2011|SportsMediaChallenge©2011

Name the team Facebook Community growth

Publicity

• SportsBusinessJournal• CharlotteObserver• InsideLacrosse.com• FoxCharlotte• WSOCTV• WFAE• CharlotteBusinessJournal• MajorLeagueLacrosse.com

Picture:JimMcPhilliamybeinginterviewedbyCharlotteTVstation,WSOCTV.