Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Usually smooth Giants make marketing error

Marketing error
Marketing is a tricky thing, and though the Giants have mastered it in many ways, in one glaring instance, they've messed it up.

This is a team that is no hard sell, compelling enough to be the focus of a Showtime series ("The Franchise," premiering Wednesday), and tied tightly – sellout after sellout testifies – to its community and fans.

But a contest on the Comcast website involving the team seems to be an unnecessary step toward tastelessness.

The contest seeks a baby to be born of Giants-fan parents as close as possible to nine months after the team's Nov. 1 World Series victory. OK, fine.

But whenever the contest is promoted during game broadcasts, it goes from babies-are-fun cuteness to (in not so many words), "So, you had sex the night the Giants won the Series. Tell us about it."

The Comcast Sports on-air talent charged with pushing mom- and dad-to-be to dish about their night of championship and – possibly – contest-winning passion, the otherwise suitable Amy G, comes off as a microphone- toting peeping Tom.

Saturday night, she interviewed a very pregnant woman and her significant other and pressed for details. The woman giggled, the man stammered something about champagne and things getting fuzzy after that, and Amy G leaned in to get the scoop.

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