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 February 28, 2007

Volume 6, Issue 2

Pistons Debut "Silver" Bobbles

Contact: David Wieme

                 Director of Strategic Communications, Detroit Pistons

                 [email protected]                 

Team:  Detroit Pistons                  

Program Title: Bobblehead Fridays

Objective:Bobbleheads have come a long way since their first appearance in the sports industry in the1920s. Short, squat bobbles evolved into more lifelike figures, soon adding voice boxes for talking bobbleheads, and even bobbleheads with removable parts (such as a magnetic trophy). Over the years, the challenge to reinvent the ever-so-popular bobblehead has inspired marketing execs in teams all over the nation.

In a meeting last summer the folks over at the Detroit Pistons came together to discuss promotional ideas for the upcoming season. The Pistons have given away more than 500,000 bobbleheads in the past five years, so this year they thought "let's do something special.”

While watching Tim Burton's film entitled "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," David Wieme came up with the idea of using bobbleheads as a "golden ticket" to a meet and greet with a player. They thought this "ticket" would be a valuable and easy way to connect with the Pistons' fans. After reviewing the gold and bronze versions, they ultimately decided on the silver prototype of the bobblehead. 

Program Description: Every Friday home game, 10 silver bobbleheads are mixed into the 10,000 that are given away at the game. Inside the box is a business card size piece of paper telling the lucky fan that they have won. The fans who receive the silver bobbleheads win a meet and greet session with the Pistons player whose likeliness is featured on that night's bobblehead.  

Every Thursday, executives at the Palace take the ten silver bobbleheads and mix them into the 10,000 that are delivered Friday. The employees handing out the bobbleheads to fans don't even know which ones are silver! The process is completely random and fans getting the silver specials can come from any section, any price level of ticket and from every walk of life.

Partner: For each Bobblehead Friday, the Bobbleheads are sponsored by a different partner. Domino's Pizza sponsored the first silver bobblehead giveaway on November 11th, which featured Chauncy Billups. Talk America and The Detroit News sponsored the Antonio McDyess bobblehead on November 25th.  Meijer and The Detroit News sponsored the Tayshaun Prince bobblehead given away on December 1st.  On December 29th, Walgreen's and The Detroit News sponsored the Nazr Mohammed bobblehead. 

January 26th the bobblehead featured Rasheed Wallace and was sponsored by Marathon and The Detroit News.  On February 2nd, Chevrolet and The Detroit News sponsored the Rip Hamilton bobblehead, which was seated in a Chevy Silverado. And on March 30th, the last bobblehead will be sponsored by Wireless Giant, Verizon Wireless and The Detroit News and will feature the "Masked Rip Hamilton" bobblehead.

Results: The Pistons have had six very successful Bobblehead Friday silver bobblehead nights already this season.On November 17 after the Pistons played the Wizards, seven  lucky winners ranging in age from nine to 40 had the opportunity to meet and take pictures with Chauncey Billups.
After a great game with the Charlotte Bobcats, eight lucky fans got to enjoy a post game meet and greet with Antonio McDyess, where he signed bobbleheads and their boxes and posed for pictures with the winners.

The third bobblehead night was on December 1st when the Pistons played the New York Knicks. 10 lucky fans had the opportunity to meet and be charmed by Tayshaun Prince.

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