Grand River Racetrack Marketing Guru Kelly Spencer is known inside of this industry as a woman with great ideas... and a lot of them have worked to expose our sport to the masses. This time we asked Kelly to steal a few ideas from others, and see if she could put a twist on them to make them work for harness racing.
By Kelly Spencer
“Turkeys Away” was the final episode in the first season of the television sitcom WKRP In Cincinnati, and is still considered one of the finest 30 minute segments of TV comedy ever created. The laughs are non-stop as radio station manager Mr. Carlson organizes what he believes will be one of the greatest Thanksgiving promotions in radio history: dropping live turkeys from a helicopter into the arms of adoring listeners. The rub, of course, is that turkeys do not fly.
Unbeknownst to the sitcom’s writers, Turkeys Away was an actual promotion executed with the exact same results in the early ‘70s in Texas.
The only thing worse than a promotion that ends in turkey carnage and horrified housewives is a promotion that ends in nothing at all.
Promotions are one just part of an overall marketing strategy. They should be consistent with the rest of the product’s branding and the company’s character. Some popular promotion tactics include value-added designs, such as contests, sampling, and coupons. All in all, promotions should stimulate demand for a product, increase knowledge of a product, or differentiate a product from a competing brand.
Sometimes, though, the promotion just takes on a Frankensteinian life of its own, as evidenced by Mr. Carlson’s well-intentioned Turkey Drop.
In short, promotions add spark to the marketing sizzle, or sometimes, the whole damn place just goes up in flames!
Harness racing is a product which is not a part of the mainstream psyche in the North American consumer’s mindscape. Other jurisdictions, such as France and Sweden, do not suffer these ailments, in part because the sport horse never stopped being relevant in those cultures. But somewhere along the way (the late ‘70s most say) we dropped the ball and are now immersed in an unenviable game of catch-up.
While they have the immense benefit of mainstream and cultural relevance, other sports products share many of our marketing challenges. Increasing attendance, boosting sales and cultivating brand loyalty are tackled by sports marketers across many organizational and league levels in many different sports.
Here are some of the best of the craziest, which contain elements or fundamental ideologies which could apply with some success to harness racing.
1 | Cash Drop Night
Original Promotion:
In 2006, the West Michigan Whitecaps (the ‘A’ affiliate of the Detroit Tigers) dumped $1,000 from a helicopter onto the field. A seven-year-old boy wound up in the hospital, caught between cash-crazed fans. Team officials reportedly brushed it off, saying “It’s for fun and games. This is why we have everybody sign a waiver.”
Harness Racing Twist:
Helicopters — no. But racing patrons do savour interaction with the horses and/or drivers, no matter how brief. They especially enjoy when drivers bring their horses close along the tarmac fence before or after the race. With the help of an extra pair of hands, perhaps horse-and-driver could safely deliver prizes in a manner that won`t maim bystanders or draw lawsuits.
2 | Speed Dating
Original Promotion:
The Lowell Spinners (the ‘A’ affiliate of the Boston Red Sox) hosted a Speed Dating promotion during one of their games. The star attraction was the Boston Bruins’ Tyler Seguin. Fans were offered a private suite with Boston’s most eligible bachelor, with the opportunity to eat, drink and ask anything they pleased.
Harness Racing Twist:
Harness racing fans have real questions they want answered, and harness racing newbies need to see the characters of the sport. For a twist on this promotion, take your pick of young, successful drivers and trainers; with a little polish, there`s several who would be camera-ready for an event like this one.
3 | Flash Card Football Night
Original Promotion:
“I knew it was either going to be phenomenal, or I was about to become the biggest goon in sports marketing.”
Steven ‘Dream’ Weaver was the Director Of Promotions for the Portland Breakers (a USFL team from the mid-eighties) when he said those words and pulled off this original, gutsy stunt. During Portland’s 1989 season opener, 1,500 fans were given flashcards. These Section 5 and Section 6 fans were then required to vote for either a run or a pass during the Breakers’ second series of downs in the third quarter.
First they voted for pass, then for a run. Success.
Harness Racing Twist:
How many armchair coaches are in the stands of a football game? About the same percentage as there are armchair drivers on the tarmac at a racetrack. Can you imagine these flashcards bobbing up and down along the fence, urging the driver of the favourite to go to the top, stay on the rail, or tip three-wide? Ridiculous? Maybe. In this case, it’s more about drawing attention to the art and science of strategy and using it as an opportunity to promote the intricacies of the sport. Bundle this stunt with a post-race interview with the driver and a draw prize for the most avid flashcard holder. Food for thought.
4 | Pregnancy Night
Original Promotion:
The Brooklyn Cyclones (the ‘A’ affiliate of the New York Mets) introduced this epic evening event. Feature menus included pickles with ice cream and anchovy pizza. There was a pregame Lamaze class on the centerfield grass, and participants were highlighted on the field in the seventh inning, singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Finally, promoters promised free Cyclones Season Tickets for anyone who gave birth before the end of the game.
Harness Racing Twist:
Breeding and gestation are actually very relevant to the daily goings-on of our sport. A night dedicated to educating people about how Standardbreds are bred and raised would foster a deeper understanding of the industry. Show people both the science and emotional elements involved in breeding, foaling and raising horses. A mare and foal display, and sperm mobility from under the microscope and onto the big screen: Home run.
5 | Second Chance Night
Original Promotion:
In 2007, the minor league Fresno Grizzlies (the ‘AAA’ affiliate of the San Francisco Giants) hosted a night of redemption for violators in the Fresno area.
Those who brought in traffic violations were able to purchase two game tickets for the price of one (after signing pledges of their renewed commitment to follow the law).
There was free admission to all probation officers, a mug-shot slideshow with celebrity faces and on-field contests that left losers temporarily in holding cells.
Harness Racing Twist:
Play on the elements of speed and regulation in harness racing. For the amount of time Standardbred horsepeople spend on the road, there must be a bevy of heavy-footed escapades. Let`s regale the masses with your colourful tales, Anthony MacDonald!
6 | Jay Buhner Buzz Cut Night
Original Promotion:
Bald eagle Jay Buhner was a beloved slugger for the Ken Griffey Jr`s Seattle Mariners of the ‘90s and his popularity peaked when he hosted Buzz Cut Night.
The annual event had fans who shaved their heads (or were already bald) earn free admission and a free shirt. Occasionally, Buhner himself was there with his clippers.
Harness Racing Twist:
I wouldn`t let him near my head with something sharp, but plenty of others would. Jody Jamieson could totally pull this off. And, he wouldn`t be bothered by the subtle shave-your-head-for-the-cult-leader tone of it all either. Talk about a promotion with buzz!
7 | Action-Based Offers
Original Promotion:
Many pro sports teams partner with hometown sponsors to offer ticket-holders a value-added product if certain stars align during the game:
Philadelphia Union and Seattle Sounders: If either team scores three goals at home, fans are eligible to receive a free haircut from Great Clips with coupon and ticket.
Purdue Boilermakers football: On fall Mondays, the Purdue Bookstore gives a five percent discount for every Boilermakers touchdown.
Montreal Canadiens: If the Canadiens score five goals at a home game, each fan wins eight free chicken wings at La Cage Aux Sports.
Detroit Red Wings: Free order of curly fries at Arby’s when a Red Wings player scores a hat trick. Fans need to print out a copy of the box score from the game.
Los Angeles Lakers: Two free Jack in the Box tacos every time the team wins and keeps the opponent under 100 points.
Toronto Raptors: Every ticket stub is redeemable for one free slice of pizza from Pizza Pizza every time the Raptors score at least 100 points on their home court.
Harness Racing Twist:
The possibilities are endless as individual tracks can connect with local vendors to increase foot traffic after the races or prior to the next race card based on number of wins by a certain driver, winning horse number, track record, etc.
8 | Cleveland Indians’ Free Money Day
Original Promotion:
Upon entering the ballpark, each fan receives an envelope containing between $1 to $10,000.
Harness Racing Twist:
Tracks often run Mystery Voucher contests akin to the Indians’ free cash grab. When placing a wager, the Mystery Voucher pops out after the transaction. Aside from the cost of prizing, many tote companies make these promotions expensive for track operators to offer with restrictive programming fees. Too bad, because it’s popular, and one of the few initiatives in which you can easily demand a pari-mutuel purchase in order to potentially win.
9 | Lake County Captains’ Are You Smarter Than an Umpire?
Original Promotion:
The Lake County Captains (the ‘A’ affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) created a promotion replicating the popular show, Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader by creating a promotion where fans can test their sports IQ head-to-head against an umpire between innings.
Harness Racing Twist:
Granted, most of us in Ontario are a little short on humour these days. I expect the Ontario Racing Commission might be uninterested in having one of their judges go head-to-head with a race participant or avid fan. Fact is, people would be amused, and it would be good face-time for the regulator to promote their role in one of the most highly policed sports in the world.
10 | NASCAR Green Initiatives
Original Promotion:
NASCAR is launching two programs this year to help reduce the sport’s carbon footprint.
‘NASCAR Race to Green’ galvanizes teams, tracks, drivers, Official NASCAR Partners, and fans, around the theme of protecting and preserving the environment. The ‘NASCAR Green Clean Air Tree Planting Program’ is in partnership with UPS, which will plant trees to absorb carbon emissions equivalent to all of the racing in NASCAR’s three national series for the entire season.
Harness Racing Twist:
Harness racing is inherently green. Of our many unexploited attributes, our au naturel angle is one of the biggest. NASCAR and UPS engage in green corporate promotions because their core business activity offends the environment. Ours enhances the environmental and slow-life movements. Maybe it’s time we cash in on that collectively?
Kelly Spencer is the Manager Of Marketing & Communications at Grand River Raceway in Elora, ON where she has occasionally dropped a turkey from a helicopter.
Nice article Kelly! I still
Nice article Kelly! I still quote the WKRP in Cincinatti episode about the turkeys to this day.
I very much agree that promotion and advertising is key in any business. I have emailed and spoken with Kelly in the past. In those contacts I could see that her hands were tied in many respects by the individual track owners. some didnt even want to pay for video streaming so you can imagine that any other promotion is going to be difficult. Some owners actually want you to pay a fee for a CD (produced by a family member)of the race that they will mail to you. Many things wrong right there (CD and Mail).
Just like the turkeys that couldnt fly, lets give our promoters wings that work. If I could ask for one thing it would be to bring horse racing into this century. Our fans like to come out to the races but when they can't they want to watch on TV or on-line. Why charge them extra when everyone else is giving it away?
Georg Leber-ICR Racing
Kelly really good at this.
Kelly really good at this. Why do we not have a promoter who does similar things for all the tracks. Promotional nights,give aways, etc. at a different track each week. Maybe we could drop betting vouchers from a helicopter over T.O. where they don't seem to know anything about harness racing. Also need a tv station that won't cost viewers to watch.