#RoadLessons

[uptownbxbiz]

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[mattwellsey-blog]

#RoadLessons: Trip to Myrtle Beach

Whenever I go on the road, whether it be for fun or work, I try to pay attention to the unfamiliar surroundings and notice some new ideas/old mistakes.  This weekend, I took a trip to watch my younger brother play in his first collegiate baseball contests in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

#RoadLessons 1: Billboards are great in tourist destinations, but black print on a red background will never work no matter where you are.

Myrtle Beach is peppered with outdoor advertisements for good reason.  Those from out of town have no clue what the local scene offers.  What better way to inform tourists of the fun they could be having than huge signs on the roads they will be traveling? Many boards were very elaborate (extensions and lighting), echoing the attractions they were advertising.

One board, however, struck my attention because it is an issue we struggle with at Ball State.  Black letters on a red background are IMPOSSIBLE to read up close and even MORE IMPOSSIBLE to read from far away while in motion.  A billboard like that has lost all value and the client will see no return on investment for their advertisement. This means lost business in the end. Yikes.

#RoadLessons 2: Foul (or should I say, "Fowl") balls can be fun!

The games this weekend that I attended were hosted at the Ripken Experience and they have a plethora of sponsors that they work with.  One element that was really cool was rewarding fans with coupons to Chick-Fil-A for bringing a foul ball back to the press box.  "Fowl" ball coupons allow the sponsor to see their sponsorship in action (specifically marked coupon being returned to the store), plus it drives down cost in purchasing baseballs for Ripken.  One thing that I would add to the idea would be announcing over the PA when a "Fowl" ball was brought back to the box.  Just another reminder that fans can win while at the park!  Advertising and baseball go hand in hand, after all.  So much dead time.

Example PA:

Fans, another Chick-Fil-A "Fowl" Ball was brought back to the press box and Steve received $2 off his next entree. Stay alert and keep your wings outstretched; the next Chick-Fil-A "Fowl" Ball could be headed your way.

#RoadLessons 3: Involving clients in what they pay for makes a big difference.

On the way back last night while driving through terrible conditions, the family had the IU-Ohio State MBB game on the radio and I caught the tail end of IU's halftime on-air feature involving their gameday sponsor.  A pre-recorded interview with a local hotel partner gave the sales manager a chance to relay his passion about IU alumni and the Bloomington community.  There might not be a true way to measure this element and its effectiveness.  But at least good rapport was maintained with the client.  Sometimes being included in the creative process is enough to keep a client coming back!