The two quickly struck up a conversation about how the National Aquarium could provide more reach to the Costa Rica Tourism Board.

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1 PACKAGING Birds Of A Feather: Properties Team Up To Gain New Sponsor Rightsholders can increase their value to sponsors by partnering with like-minded organizations. Two years ago, the National Aquarium in Baltimore faced a challenge. The property had secured the interest of the Costa Rica Tourism Board as a potential sponsor, but Burson- Marsteller, the board s PR agency, wanted the aquarium to provide additional reach before committing to a deal. Enter the Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens. At IEG s 2010 annual conference, Jeff Dow, the National Aquarium s director of marketing partnerships, met Brian Levitz, director of corporate giving and sponsorships with the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Assn., the non-profit organization that supports and funds the L.A. Zoo. The two quickly struck up a conversation about how the National Aquarium could provide more reach to the Costa Rica Tourism Board. I showed Brian my proposal, and it matched everything he was doing. I went back to Burson-Marsteller and told them they could double their reach by affiliating with both organizations, said Dow, noting that the price tag was higher due to the partnership with two properties instead of one. The agency liked what it saw and signed contracts with both properties. The partnership marks the first time the National Aquarium has aligned with another organization, said Dow, who plans to make similar arrangements with other properties where it makes sense. The aquarium draws the right audience, but many companies want national reach. I can bring more value with partnerships with other organizations, he said, pointing to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Calif. and the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago as examples of potential alliance partners. The partnership also has been a success for the Los Angeles Zoo, a result Levitz attributes to shared values among the two properties, the Costa Rica Tourism Board and Burson-Marsteller. The partnership was a success from the very start. It all came down to our shared values: a commitment to education, conservation and family-friendly activities. 1

2 In addition to shared values, the zoo and aquarium also were able to leverage each organization s administrative and operational strengths, another factor that helped make the partnership a success, he added. The National Aquarium is strong in audio-visual and graphics, and we have strength in marketing copy and positioning, Levitz noted. While the Costa Rica Tourism Board signed a contract with each organization, the National Aquarium received roughly 55 percent of the total expenditure, Dow said, noting that the aquarium brought the organization to the table and wanted to recoup costs associated with its sales pitch. The tourism board activated the National Aquarium and Los Angeles Zoo with a Get Going in Costa Rica sweepstakes that dangled an all-inclusive eco-adventure trip for a family of four. Costa Rica ran the promotion from January through April at the National Aquarium and from April through June at the Los Angeles Zoo. The two properties touted the sweeps through multiple media. For example, the National Aquarium promoted it on its Facebook page and a 60-second spot shown prior to its dolphin show and 4-D theater experience. The aquarium also promoted the program through digital signage, blasts, a freestanding sign in the venue s rainforest exhibit, box office window clings, buttons worn by employees and volunteers, and Costa Rica-themed gift shop and window displays. The tourism board this fall will activate the tie by hosting a special event for travel agencies located in the Baltimore/ Washington, D.C. region, Dow added. Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Tel: 323/ National Aquarium, Tel: 410/

3 EMERGING CATEGORY An Unlikely Partnership: Natural History Museum Sponsors Los Angeles Galaxy Rightsholders should not discount museums and other nonprofits as a source of sponsorship revenue. While alliances between nonprofits and pro sports teams are not unfamiliar, the new sponsorship of the MLS Los Angeles Galaxy by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County adds a new twist: a cash fee paid by the nonprofit. The museum signed an estimated mid-five-figure deal with the AEG-owned Galaxy to raise visibility for the July 16 opening of its new Dinosaur Hall. We want to reach families with small kids, which is the same demographic that goes to Galaxy games, said David Arambula, the museum s marketing director who spearheaded the tie. The partnership also reaches consumers across the greater Los Angeles area, he added. The Natural History Museum is located in the middle of Los Angeles, which is very spread out. The sponsorship provides a way to reach families who otherwise probably wouldn t make their way downtown. The sponsorship affords TV-visible LED field board signage, presenting status of a game on July 20, in-game promotional features and the opportunity to distribute collateral marketing material, said Bill Pedigo, senior vice president with AEG Global Partnerships. The museum is activating the tie with a Dinosaur Hall Lucky Row video board promotion and appearances by the Galaxy s street team. In addition to the Galaxy, the museum initially considered partnerships with the MLB Los Angeles Dodgers and NBA Los Angeles Lakers. It ruled out the Dodgers due to the team s financial situation and the Lakers due to cost constraints. We re a museum, so we don t have a huge budget; the Galaxy give us the most bang for our buck, Arambula said. Julia Rivera, the museum s director of marketing, signed off on the tie. National History Museum of Los Angeles County, Tel: 213/ AEG Global Partnerships, Tel: 213/

4 Category Update CATEGORY UPDATE Constellation Energy Throws Switch On Sponsorships Energy deregulation opens doors to new prospects for properties. Sponsorship activity on behalf of competitive energy suppliers ( Competitive Energy Markets Power New Sponsorships, 9/27/10) continues to heat up. The latest player to get involved: Constellation Energy Group, Inc. The company has signed three new ties over the past several months: The NHL Washington Capitals and MLB Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox. Like other competitive energy companies that sponsor pro sports teams and other types of properties, Constellation is using the ties to build visibility and educate consumers about electricity options. Case in point: Constellation is using the Cubs and White Sox to promote green energy plans that offer at least 10 percent of electric power from wind and other renewable sources. Constellation is promoting the plan by hosting green energy days/nights at Cubs and Sox games and purchasing renewable energy credits to offset electricity usage at those games. The company is conducting the program at 12 White Sox games at U.S. Cellular Field. We are excited to begin this long-term effort with the Chicago White Sox to promote clean energy and enhance the environment. This new effort signifies our commitment to provide green electricity choice to more than two million Chicagoland residents, said Bruce Stewart, Constellation Energy s chief marketing officer, retail energy, in a statement announcing the partnership. The company uses on-site tabling at Cubs and White Sox games to educate consumers about electricity options. Constellation does not typically look for exclusivity. For example, the company sponsors the Cubs alongside Commonwealth Edison Co., the region s incumbent electricity supplier and longtime Cubs sponsor. ComEd parent Exelon Corp. in April announced plans to purchase Constellation Energy in a $7.9 billion deal. Because of regulation, there weren t any other players in the market and the electricity category didn t have much opportunity until now, said Sam Coghill, the Cubs managing director of corporate partnerships. 4

5 Constellation s partnership with the Capitals afforded presenting status of the team s playoff run this past season. The company activated the tie by promoting power play savings on its two electricity plans in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Peter Stern, president of sponsorship agency Strategic, spearheaded the ties on behalf of Constellation Energy. Constellation Energy Group, Inc., Tel: 410/ Chicago Cubs, Tel: 773/

6 Category Update SEEKING DEALS Now Hear This: Polk Audio Signs With Baltimore Marathon To Promote New Headphone Line Endurance sports events should consider putting Polk Audio on their prospect list. Audio products manufacturer Polk Audio has entered the sports marketing space with a sponsorship of the October 15 Under Armour Baltimore Running Festival. Success may prompt more ties with endurance sports events, said Al Ballard, the brand s vice president of marketing. Polk aligned with the marathon in its hometown to promote its new line of UltraFit headphones, a product designed for athletes and other active individuals. The line will launch in September and feature four products priced between $49 and $99. Our target audience is active consumers and athletes; the Baltimore marathon is a perfect place to demo the product in front of a prime target, said Howe Burch, managing director of TBC, Inc., an ad and PR agency that is helping Polk launch the headphone line. The marathon date also played a key role in the sponsorship evaluation process, said Ballard, noting that the event will take place just a few weeks after the product is launched. The timing is perfect. It s a good time to get out and make a splash. On site, Polk will sponsor a music stage and gain sales rights at the marathon s celebration village and health and fitness expo, said Lee Corrigan, president of Corrigan Sports Enterprises, a sports marketing and event management company that owns and operates the running event. Polk also plans to distribute UltraFit headphones to elite athletes and as prizes to top finishers. The company will track on-site sales to measure success, Ballard said. We don t expect the event to be fully self-liquidating, but we d like to see a pathway. Polk Audio is owned by DEI Holdings, Inc., which also owns the Definitive Technology loudspeaker brand and Autostart, Clifford, Python and Viper vehicle security and remote start systems, among other brands. Polk Audio, Tel: 410/ Corrigan Sports Enterprises, Tel: 410/ TBC, Inc., Tel: 410/