MasterCard's Baseball Road Trip; Jim Rome Gets Frank for Fox - Brief Article

Brandweek, April 23, 2001 by Hilary Cassidy

MasterCard's 2001 Major League Baseball-themed marketing plans combine a series of ads invoking the simple appeal of a summer-long baseball road trip with a discount ticket program to demonstrate the functionality of the card.

The TV spots, part of the "Priceless" campaign, play on the dream of millions of baseball fans to take the summer off, drive across the country and visit every Major League ballpark with a buddy. Two 20-somethings, "Nate" and "Rick," are seen motoring along byways in a VW bus, reading maps and munching on classic road-trip fare (Pop-Tarts, of course). The script lists such expenses as "Road maps: $11" and "Opening Day tickets: $18" before cutting to an image of Cincinnati's Cinergy Field and shots of friends in the stands watching the game. "1 stadium down, 29 to go" is "priceless."

The MLB campaign, via McCann-Erickson, New York, marks the first time the "Priceless" campaign is employing an ongoing storyline and recurring characters. "Nate" and "Rick" will be in at least four additional ads, with the next installment shot at Boston's Fenway Park and set to air in about six weeks. The ad buy includes prime time network programming and ESPN's Sports Center.

Without fabricating celebrity for the pair, MasterCard execs hope the campaign creates buzz among fans. Possible marketing platforms, such as appearances at the All-Star Game or a program where fans can track the friends' route online, are in development.

MasterCard also is offering discounts with 15 teams on four-ticket packages purchased online. The Grand Slam Ticket Pack, available exclusively to MasterCard holders, will offer discounts of up to 45% as well as vouchers for concessions.

"Not only do we want to continue the emotional connection with fans through 'Priceless,' we want to deliver a functional message and value for MasterCard cardholders," said Bob Cramer, MasterCard International vp-global sponsorships and events.

Fox Sports Net is unleashing an ad campaign this week for The Last Word With Jim Rome in keeping with the TV program host's outspoken reputation and frank approach to sports talk. The four ads, from FCB, San Francisco, imagine situations where people are as "brutally honest" as the opinions offered on the show.

"[The show] is all about brutal honesty ... but it's also very entertaining, smart and funny," said Clark Morgan, copywriter. "This campaign shows us people whose social taboo filter isn't working."

In one spot, upon meeting their son's fiancee at the door, the smiling faces of his parents fall and the mother says, "I was expecting someone pretty." In another, after a grizzled football coach blows out the candles on a birthday cake from his team, he announces his wish, "I wish I hadn't wasted my life, my dreams, my entire career, coaching a notalent Division III team." All the ads end with the tag: "Brutal Honesty It's Contagious," before cutting to quick shots of Rome.

Hyping its coverage of the Atlanta Braves, TBS Super-station is running ads and a sweeps based around the pivotal play when Francisco Cabrera singled Sid Bream home and put the Braves in the 1992 World Series. The program, focused on the question, "Where were you when Sid slid?," celebrates the "10 Years of Great Baseball" since.

TV spots produced in-house will air across Turner networks, and print from Blue Sky Design, Atlanta, will run in sports pubs and USA Today. Radio ads will air in seven markets.

During spring, Braves telecasts will tag the "Decade Awards," directing viewers to the team's Web site to vote for their favorite Braves moment. Each vote is an entry for a sweeps offering a trip to Atlanta for a barbecue with Bream, Cabrera and other retired Braves at TBS' lakeside "Man-made Movie House," a tour of Turner Field; a reception with Braves great Henry Aaron and a game. TBS also is partnering with local cable affiliates in 20 markets to offer a limited number of gift certificates for Braves gear.

Sources say ex-Cowboy and recent Fox hire Troy Aikman is in talks to become the newest spokesman for Coors.