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SEA DOGS "CUT" INTO SOCIETAL STRATEGIES DURING 2008 SEASON

Event brings an increase of high-energy and a positive atmosphere during Portland Sea Dogs baseball

CONTACT

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Liz Riley
Director of Group Sales
Portland Sea Dogs
[email protected]

ORGANIZATION

Portland Sea Dogs

PROGRAM TITLE

"All the Hair You Can Spare"

OBJECTIVES

When implemented correctly, an impressive societal marketing effort will have a balancing weight between three important aspects: consumer wants, marketing/profit goals, and the overall benefit to society. Wanting to keep these three important factors in sync, the Portland Sea Dogs marketing department saw an opportunity to do something different, while also doing something good. The Sea Dogs, an Eastern League Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, have always tried be to be active members in their community; so the idea for a hair donation promotion that would benefit cancer patients in need AND suffice both fan and marketer desires was a win, win situation.  

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

For the “All The Hair You Can Spare” initiative, the Sea Dogs invited all fans with “8-10 inches of non-chemically treated hair that is less than 5 percent gray" to have their hair cut at the game and donate it to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program. Those who donated to the Beautiful Lengths program, which provides wigs to cancer patients who have lost their hair while undergoing treatment, received two free tickets to the game, as well as a Sea Dogs hat. Furthermore, upon getting one's ears lowered, donors had the opportunity to get their new cuts styled by a professional stylist. Beyond the incentive of free tickets and merchandise, fans were given the knowledge that their donation went towards improving the life of a person struggling with a debilitating disease.

MEDIA

99.9 The Wolf, a local radio station, was the media sponsor for the event. Liz Riley, Director of Group Sales for the Sea Dogs, traveled to the station to chat with the station’s morning crew a week prior to the event. The event was also advertised as a banner on the team’s website, and on Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths blog.

PARTNERS

In addition to the help from Pantene Beautiful Lengths and the program’s sponsor, 99.9 The Wolf, Akari Salon contributed greatly to the event. The local salon had done events like this in the past, and knew how to make the night special.

RESULTS

The “All the Hair You Can Spare” event was a success as over 35 pony-tails from over 30 donors were gathered. All donors went on to enjoy a great baseball game with their new hair cuts. A staggering total of six pounds of hair was distributed to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, and made into wigs for women who have lost their hair while battling cancer. However, as the case is with most societal marketing efforts, what the night brought to the community was immense. “The social impact was the most important”, said Liz Riley, who donated 13 inches of her own hair for the special promotion, “everyone walked away with a great feeling from the event and it really created a high-energy and positive atmosphere in the park.”

LOOKING AHEAD

With its success in its first year, the Sea Dogs plan to make the “All the Hair You Can Spare” promotion into an annual event. Corporate sponsorships are amongst the organization’s list of goals, and will hopefully be secured in the future.

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