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Objectives
Develop Macy’s first comprehensive, integrated sports marketing platform that will resonate with their target market in a cost-effective manner, while incorporating opportunities within the national platform for grassroots marketing applications in selected markets.

Solutions
SportsMark conducted market research and found that football (pro/college) was the top spectator and fan interest sport of the target market. SportsMark recommended a two-pronged approach that would provide Macy’s with a sports marketing platform with national visibility, as well as a local market sponsorship concept that provided assets to local market stores.

Working in a strategic partnership with Sports Illustrated and SI.com, SportsMark developed and implemented a web-based national marketing program, including sponsorship of SI.com’s Fantasy Plus web site, ownership of the “Rookie Blog” on SI.com, and eight full-page advertisements in Sports Illustrated. The program also included the use of Leon Hall in an Alfani national advertising campaign and store appearances and a national sweepstakes hosted by SI.com, Macy’s.com, and in-store with the grand prize of a trip for two to the 2008 Super Bowl in Phoenix.

To activate Macy’s desired grassroots programming in new Macy’s store markets, SportsMark negotiated sponsorship agreements with the University of Michigan, University of Missouri, and Texas A&M University. The football partnerships included rivalry game sponsorships, in-stadium signage, game day program and radio advertising, web presence, direct mail marketing to season ticket holders, and VIP hospitality creating awareness and community relevance in these Macy’s markets.

Results
The integrated football platform program launched in July 2007 and ran through February 2008. Through November 2007, the national marketing program on SI.com and Sports Illustrated, which included Alfani’s sponsorship of Fantasy Plus, the Rookie Blogs and on-line advertisements, had generated over 61 million impressions and over 26,000 click-throughs to the macys.com website.

The grassroots college sponsorship program, which launched in August 2007 and ended in January 2008, generated over 50 million marketing impressions.