Activation Plan

Charm City Run Sponsorship

Case #3

John Beasly

As the new product manager for our (Nike) latest innovation in footwear, the new Nike men’s running shoe, it is my responsibility to make sure people know about our product as well as purchase it. Due to our key account manager getting us connected with all of the Charm City Run stores in the Baltimore, MD area, I now have a great opportunity to market and sell these shoes through a very well respected retailer in the area. In the following essay, I will address my marketing plans and activation strategy using a 360-degree marketing chart I have created to amplify the success of this product.

The first step in creating an activation plan is to develop the objectives I would like to meet. “Companies that garner the most value from their sponsorships are the ones that attempt to achieve specific business results via the sponsorships” (Lynde, 2007, p.143). In my case, that would be achieving high levels of sales, and increasing customer awareness of the product.

The ultimate goal of my plan is to get as many people as I can into the Charm City Run stores, looking for my shoe. Therefore, I have devised a 6-step plan that I believe best suits our product as well as our retail partner Charm City Run. The six-step plan includes: Media, direct mail, event marketing, public relations, in-store promotions, and direct revenue.

First, the key to any activation plan is to get awareness out about the product. It is imperative that consumers not only know about my product, but also where they can find it. “If a company doesn’t take the time to tell consumers that the brand exists and why they should purchase it, the new brand won’t have a successful launch and probably won’t be around for long” (Lynde, 2007, p.139). As a result, I will implement a full on media marketing campaign that includes television, radio, and online advertisements. The reason I chose these specific forms of communication is because I believe they...