Support Materials
Beach2Battleship
Challenge: Launching an inaugural iron-distance triathlon. C&P was challenged with:
- Creating the event's name and brand
- Announcing the event nationally
- Positioning the event in an extremely competitive market
- Create and sell sponsorship packages
- Execute PR and media strategy to garner event awareness
POA (plan of action):
- Led team of committee members to ultimately name the event Beach2Battleship
- Secured large national ad buy with number one triathlon media group in the country and executed multiple viral and guerrilla marketing tactics to spread word organically
- Created the “Destination is the Difference” campaign to distinguish itself from two other long standing national triathlons within the same week:
- Campaign included multiple video, print and web components
- Properly price sponsorships based on industry standards, identify realistic top-tier sponsors, create sponsorship sales collateral and close sales
- Event media announcement one year prior to event, in conjunction with multiple ad buys strategically combining non-paid and paid media for maximum exposure and effect
Results:
The launch of Beach2Battleship has been an enormous success in the sports world due to three critical results:
- Beach2Battleship sold out all 1,000 entry spots in 12 days an unprecedented result.
- Beach2Battleship garnered major media support nationally, regionally and locally during the announcement of the event, leading up to the event and after the event.
- Beach2Battleship’s sponsorship sales achieved over 100% of its sponsorship sales goals.
Other results directly related to the POA:
- The Beach2Battleship name is easy to say, iconic, describes the key attributes of the event and can be shortened to B2B while retaining its characteristics – reaction to the name has been overwhelmingly positive throughout the Endurance Sports industry.
- The Beach2Battleship logo matches the iconic feel of its name and was designed with all potential usages in mind including: print, video, web and all types of merchandising. Sales of Beach2Battleship merchandise have been excellent.
- Beach2Battleship takes place in one of the top coastal destinations on the East Coast and nationally so the “Destination is the Difference” campaign has provided incentive for participants not only to sign up for the event but to turn the event into a family vacation bringing a larger economic impact to the Wilmington, NC area.
- Sponsors not only provided much needed revenue to help launch the event, but have also leveraged their sponsorships for budget relieving in-kind trade, additional media and even event volunteers and services
- Media services have resulted in better event awareness nationally, regionally and locally positively benefiting Beach2Battleship in entries, sponsorship sales renewal requests, event volunteers and spectators