The banners feature dynamically pulled in tune-in information for every upcoming Orioles/Nationals game, listing who and when they will be playing next. Once expanded, the user can find all the news and match-up info they need to enjoy the game, and they can search by zip code to find the MASN channels on their cable provider. But perhaps the most helpful and user friendly aspect of this campaign is the game reminder functionality. Users can sign up to receive email reminders for games that interest them. They can pick all games, divisional games or cherry pick the specific teams they want to watch.

According to PointRoll, “with over 1,000 campaigns running per month, Beanie award winners represent less than 1% of all PointRoll campaigns. The award is distributed by PointRoll on a regular basis and is highly selective to recognize the best uses of rich media technology.”

Most importantly for RP3, the campaign is delivering results for MASN. According to a recent article in the Baltimore Business Journal, ratings for Orioles games are up 11% this year, while the Nationals are up a whopping 139%. (Although pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg probably deserves some of the credit there.)

“This work has won already numerous advertising and marketing accolades, but we’re proud to be honored by the television industry as well. It’s a testament to our extremely collaborative relationship with MASN,” says RP3 Creative Director Jim Lansbury. “We both share a passion for baseball, and MASN’s prowess in production and editing allows us to get the most out of our budgets and create campaigns that look and feel bigger than other regional networks.” The campaigns also extend beyond television into print, online, promotions, events and social media.

Other collaborators on the campaign include Director Peter Churchman of Churchman Productions, and Shooters Post and Transfer.

For more information on the show and a complete list of winners, click here.

RP3 announces a business win called Draftix, the world’s first web site dedicated to facilitating the sharing of sports season tickets. RP3 will help launch the brand, create awareness, engagement, and grow the subscriber base within the sports marketing industry.

Draftix’s mission is to put season tickets within the reach of all fans. RP3′s mission is to put all fans in the reach of Draftix. As a season ticket owner, the site’s founder, Mike Tobin, realized the demand for an online tool to help populate and manage season ticket groups. “The idea started from my own season ticket experiences with friends and family,” said Mike Tobin, Draftix chief executive officer and founder. “That’s why I am thrilled to have RP3 on the case. Their knowledge of the sports industry, social media, and creative ways to build fan engagement sold me. Not only are they charged with driving big subscriber goals in test markets but we’ve brought them in as investors and advisors because of their experience in online marketing, sports marketing and their intimate understanding of the sports fan mindset.”

“When I first heard the idea, I knew I wanted in,” said Jim Lansbury, RP3 founder and creative director. “There couldn’t be a better product for the serious sports fan, an audience we know very well from working with brands like EA Sports and MASN. I’m confident we’ll help them attract new members. In fact, I’ll be the next to sign up.”

Draftix plans to introduce their service to hard-core baseball fans during the preseason season ticket buying frenzy in key markets at http://draftix.com/baseball. RP3 will develop an integrated marketing plan using traditional, new, and social media, together with promotions and unexpected tactics, to engage baseball fans, communicate the benefits of the service, and sign up subscribers. The campaign will run until the opening of the 2010 baseball season and then refocus on the next professional sport.

“We really like the business model and the people behind it. Mike and Alan Taffel, also a Draftix founder and former CMO of MCI and WorldCom, are laser-focused and well prepared to achieve their aggressive goals. Even more exciting is having an ownership stake in the company. Our success is tied directly to Draftix’s success. I have no doubt that my team has the experience and creativity to make this a big win for all of us,” said Beth Johnson, RP3 founder and president. Draftix is launching an aggressive test marketing effort in key cities beginning with the 2010 Major League Baseball season and expanding with each major sport season throughout the year and across the nation.

Mid-Atlantic Sport Network (MASN) is the home of every Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles telecast. With both teams fielding youth-laden rosters and struggling in the standings, our challenge has been to keep fans engaged and ratings strong throughout the grind of a 162 game season.

To achieve this elusive goal we’ve focused our efforts on the core fan, crafting campaigns that harness their passion and put them in the middle of the action. Last year, our MASN Fantasy Camp campaign used TV, radio, blogs, contests, social networking and viral video to build a vibrant community of fans.

This year, we reached out to that the same community with a simple, yet provocative question: What’s your favorite Orioles or Nationals moment? The enthusiasm, creativity and sheer volume of responses inspired what became the Defining Moments campaign. Blog posts and video submissions poured in. Chat rooms raged with discussion and debate. Fans auditioned on camera during games. (Some more successfully than others.) From all those  stories and opinions, dozens of TV and radio spots were created throughout the season–each with a unique, personal twist that no traditional campaign could capture.

Online, rich media hubs were built to serve up a variety of engaging content and tune-in messaging. Including the latest Defining Moment spots and fan-generated videos along with timely polls relating to the latest match-ups, and even downloadable Outlook calendar reminders so fans could save the date for important upcoming games.

A Twitter feed called “Tweet the Moment” was also established to alert fans who were stuck somewhere away from their TV when they could be missing a moment in the making. Tweets went out whenever there were runners in scoring position or two down in an important inning.

By the midpoint of the season, the conversation was going strong. And so were the ratings. In fact, viewership for Nationals games was up an amazing 56%. Of course, we’d trade it all for a bullpen that could hold a lead.

]]> http://rp3agency.com/masn/feed/ 2 http://rp3agency.com/hd-everyday-viewers-like-it-players-love-it/ http://rp3agency.com/hd-everyday-viewers-like-it-players-love-it/#comments Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:06:05 +0000 lansbury http://s71067.gridserver.com/?p=185