Welcome to Active Network!

Marketing Innovation through Access and Insight.

Active Network’s Media + Marketing division provides media and marketing services that connect brands with people who play. With a 10 year history of automating activity in America, we can leverage our relationships within communities nationwide to help brands connect with millions of active-minded consumers. We provide high-reach, high-engagement programming that maximizes ROI for our clients.

With leading digital media assets, a national network of partners and deep integrated marketing expertise, Active Network creates authentic connections that drive brand value. Services include Online Advertising, Product Sampling, Direct and Database Marketing, Brand Ambassador Teams, Sponsorship Activation and Field Marketing, Market Research and Consulting, and more.

For seven consecutive years, Active Network has been named a Top 50 promotions agency by PROMO Magazine.

For more information, visit www.ActiveNetwork.com or call 877.228.4808

The New Marketing Business Model

A recent Advertising Age article entitled, “Agencies: 15 Risks You Can’t Afford Not to Take,” by Tim Williams, and subtitled “Forget the Recession, This Is No Time to Ignore Changes to the Agency Business Model,” really resonated with me. It discussed what the future may hold for marketing agencies and how many traditional models need to be changed. Williams could have been describing the Active Network.

After a decade of automating sports and activity in America, Active has developed a new media model with the kind of national scale and local targeting needed by big brands to connect with consumers. Active provides clients with a different way of thinking about how their brands can, and should, connect with consumers.

5 Ways Active’s Different

1. We’ve Developed a Media and Marketing Model Around Engagement, Rather Than Interruption
If you can connect the right consumer (your target), with the right product or message, at the right time (when they need it), you’ll generate converts to your brand. Think receiving a sports drink during a workout, an energy bar before a hike, or running shoe tips when you’ve signed up for your first marathon.

2. Our Core Competencies Are Focused on “One-on-One” not “One-to-Many”
Williams notes that agencies must think “narrowcasting” vs “broadcasting.” I think of this as utilizing peer influencers to showcase your brand and tell others about it. If your personal trainer recommends a healthy meal option, aren’t you more likely to buy it. How about if a local running club leader suggests a new kind of performance socks? Our research shows that consumers are 70% more likely to buy products based off of word-of-mouth recommendations.

3. Create Consumer-to-Consumer Communications Instead of Brand-to-Consumer Communications
Most brands understand that word of mouth marketing is important. But it’s also really hard to achieve with a) scale and b) authenticity. Consider implementing programs that provide WOM marketing with scale while not compromising on authenticity. If your customer target is female, try sampling at women-only fitness centers – you can generate mass impressions AND ensure your female target will tell their friends about the product they’ve just tried. Or leverage a team of brand ambassadors in your priority markets. They become the face and voice of your brand, authentically connecting with your target customers. Your message spreads out to their friends and followers, increasing brand awareness and influencing purchase behavior. Again, authenticity with scale.

4. Focus on Developing Brand Relationships Instead of Brand Transactions
This is so important! Find consumers who are apt to be heavy users and repeat purchasers and spend your marketing dollars finding and building relationships with them. The transactions will follow. Your brand will grow. Any marketer can find a one-time consumer. But great brands focus on creating customers (and achiving profitability) through a long-term customer approach. If you are a men’s health and beauty product, you should be sampling at gyms, at triathlons or at similar places where there are significant groups of younger, affluent men who truly care about (and spend significant dollars against) how they look and feel. Joe Blow lazy guy sitting on the couch watching TV all day is not paying $6.99 for your product and doesn’t care if his skin is dry.

5. Utilize the Correct Analytics and Tools to Measure Effectiveness
Without measurement how do you know if what you are doing is working? Should I rely on sales lift or do I need to incorporate market research? One of the great things about being in my role is that I get to see all the different ways that brands evaluate their programs. Active can provide detailed analytics around sampling and promotions programs to ensure clients receive the data they need to measure ROI to demonstrate program succes. In an age of online media, it’s easy to forget that in-person sampling & promotions campaigns have impact and are measurable. We’re happy to show you how.

Am I biased? Of course. But after reading this article and thinking about where Active is as it relates to “new marketing models,” I believe Active is ahead of the pack in delivering on this new media and marketing model. When a consumer commits to doing something – whether it’s signing up for their first 5K, booking a campground for a family vacation, or enrolling their daughter in a soccer league, it’s part of an overall participation journey and triggers specific needs and purchase behaviors. Active has developed turnkey points of engagement, both online and offline, along each point in this journey ensuring brands receive authentic connections that building customer relationships and drive sales. Want to learn more? Give me a call. I’m happy to discuss how we might be able to help your brand tap into our turnkey marketing model to achieve your goals in 2010.

To read the entire AdAge article, click here. Please note that you do need to be an AdAge subscriber to view it.

Written by:
Greg Sonzogni
VP/GM, Sampling & Promotions
Media + Marketing
Active Network

Direct Line:
T 858-605-4770
E Greg.Sonzogni@ActiveNetwork.com

2010 Spring and Summer Sampling Promotions are Here!

It’s a new year and that means it’s time to kick your planning for spring / summer promotions into high gear. Active has done the heavy lifting for you by creating turn-key sampling packages. Each of these packages is targeted, scalable and can be integrated with other marketing services we provide like online advertising, email marketing, word-of-mouth ambassador programs, event marketing and more. We’ll work closely with you to create a completely customized program that aligns with your brand goals.

Active’s 2010 Sampling Packages include:

Earth Day / Go Green
Cause/ Charity Events
Spring Into Fitness
Camping / Get Outdoors
Running, Triathlon & Cycling

o Earth Day / Go Green Sampling Program –
Did you know it’s the 40th anniversary of Earth day on April 22nd? Active can help your brand associate with this important event through our relationships with Earth Day runs, walks and other community activities.

o Cause/ Charity Events Sampling Program –
Thousands of events nationwide are organized in support of important causes – from the Susan G. Koman for the Cure® events to less recognized, but equally important events for other causes. Cause events are an ideal way to reach women, ages 35-59, and Active has more relationships that anyone in the industry – nationally, regionally and at the local level. This is the ideal way for a brand to align itself with great causes without having to find additional sponsorship dollars.

o Spring Into Fitness Sampling Program –
Spring is an ideal time to reach health club members. Gyms have recovered from the chaos of the New Year Resolution-minded consumer onslaught to a more consistent and dedicated member base that’s staying healthy, relieving stress and maybe losing a few pounds before summer swimsuit season hits. Consider reaching millions of these health conscious consumers in the Spring with products that have the opportunity to become a part of the consumer’s daily summer routine – cold beverages, on-the-go snacks, body wash, suncare products, etc.

o

Active Marketing Group to Speak at WOMMA

Active Marketing Group is speaking at this year’s WOMMA conference!

With over 10 year’s experience connecting brands with the active consumer set, we’re excited to share one our success stories at this year’s event.

We invite you to join us!

Thursday, November 19
1:45 pm – 2:30 pm

“Leveraging Brand Evangelists to Authentically Position Your Brand to New Consumers”

Seven years ago, if you didn’t visit your doctor for a skin problem, you probably had not heard about Aquaphor.  Learn how the brand was able to tap into a groundswell movement among runners to create a team of brand evangelists who utilized word of mouth marketing to successfully take the brand into new channels.  Is a team of brand ambassadors the right strategy for you?  How do you make your program authentic among target consumers?  Find out as we share key insights around this tried and true word of mouth strategy.

Guest Speakers -
Stephany Cavatoni, Active Marketing Group, Director, Business Solutions
Lisa Carnevale, Beiersdorf, Inc., Marketing Manager
Nicolas Maurer, Beiersdorf, Inc., VP of Marketing

Visit the WOMMA website for more information and conference details.

Visit the Active Marketing Group website for more information about our digital media and marketing services.

New Year, New You! Is Your Brand Positioned to Take Advantage of the Resolution Mindset?

100 million Americans make New Year’s resolutions every year, with 2 of the top 4 goals being to lose weight and develop healthy habits. This annual migration and re-commitment to health and fitness lends insight to the new-enrollment spike in health clubs each January. Over one million new members join U.S. health clubs every January, 50% more than any other month of the year.

This annual quest for a fresh start, a “new me,” provides brands with a unique opportunity to reach consumers who are actively seeking new products and brands that can help them achieve their goals. These consumers need help and seek brands that can play an integral role in this personal journey, this quest for personal improvement.

60% of members shop directly after visiting their fitness facility
Health club sampling through Active Marketing Group enables brands to reach over 15 million health club members via its nationwide network of over 6,000 health clubs, YMCAs and other community and collegiate recreation centers. We have long-standing relationships with partners in 48 of the 50 states (excluding only Alaska and Hawaii), and over 60% of our facilities are located in the top 25 DMAs. Most importantly, over 60% of members will shop directly after visiting their health club. What better way to position your brand than 1:1 sampling to customers with high-purchase intent, in the markets you need to succeed.

Expect Solid ROI from Your Sampling Program
For over 10 years, Active Marketing Group has provided outstanding results to clients who execute sampling programs during the “resolution” window. The combination of ideal timing, category exclusivity and our ability to fine-tune targeting by gender and geography, ensures brands can take full advantage of the “New Year, New You,” enthusiasm.

>> Client One – 22% Overall Lift and 30% Intent Increase
One of our clients, a major CPG company, executed a women-only fitness center sampling program to females 35- to 54-years-old during the resolution window. Campaign results included a 12% increase in conversion rate for their new health and beauty brand extension, along with a 22% overall conversion lift for the base brand.

>> Client Two – 20% Overall Lift
Another client, a major CPG company, saw a 20% conversion rate lift for a new on-the-go, health-conscious brand extension. We helped them identify facilities that matched their top DMAs and further targeted the sampling effort to busy, health-conscious, working adults.

2010 Health Club Sampling, PLUS Popular Add-Ons
Reaching the “New Year, New You,” consumer has never been easier. Active Marketing Group provides brands with high-impact, turn-key product sampling solutions that reach customers within this critical resolution window: January – February. In addition to sampling, we can extend your brand reach with popular add-ons like online advertising across our network of sites and database or direct mail marketing. But space is limited. Active Marketing Group ensures brands receive category-exclusivity, thereby limiting the total number of brands we can help at one time. Prime spots during the first six weeks of the year typically sell out by the end of October. Be sure to contact us right away to brainstorm on the right sampling and marketing mix for your 2010 goals.

Contact us to talk about how our Product Sampling Services can help you!

Active Marketing Group
10182 Telesis Court
San Diego, CA 92121
Toll-Free 1.877.228.4808
amg@activenetwork.com
© 2009 ActiveNetwork,Inc.

Top 3 Reasons Brands Should Sample to Outdoor Enthusiasts

Let’s face it. Outdoor enthusiasts are hard to reach! They’re out hiking, climbing, canoeing and otherwise enjoying the great outdoors. But they are a unique group of consumers, with specific needs and purchase habits that are worth pursuing. From bug spray and sunscreen, to bottled water, breakfast bars and easy-to-pack snacks, they need and purchase specific products that help them pursue their outdoor lifestyle. When brands sample within this outdoor experience, they make valuable connections that influence future purchase behavior. Here are three reasons (plus a bonus tip) why:

1. 1:1 sample distribution via park staff provides brand endorsement – Product samples are delivered hand-to-hand by park rangers and staff providing an authoritative brand endorsement at the point of distribution. And our nationwide network of over 4,000 national, state and private parks, ensures 1:1 distribution, with national scale reaching 200 million outdoor enthusiasts

2. Uncluttered environment – The great outdoors is exactly that…the great outdoors. 75% of campers say they’re coming to spend quality time bonding with friends and family. Sampling in this context, provides brands a unique opportunity to make a connection in a relevant, authentic, and most importantly, unobtrusive way. Category exclusivity further ensures an exclusive brand connection in an uncluttered environment.

3. Immediate trial – 91% use sunscreen, 86% use head-ache remedies, 87% drink bottled water, 69% eat breakfast cereal bars, and the list goes on and on. These consumers are in vacation-mode and ready to buy products that fit their immediate and future outdoor needs.

Bonus Tip: 75% of campers say that coupons or other purchase incentives influence their buying decisions. Boost your program ROI by adding a coupon to your sampling campaign.

Reaching the Outdoor Enthusiast Is Now a Walk in the Park
For over 10 years, Active Marketing Group has been the leading marketing firm for brands targeting active consumers. Active’s recent acquisitions of ReserveAmerica and Infospherix have positioned us as the dominant provider of online reservations to the recreation industry, resulting in thousands of new sampling relationships coming into our fold. We’ve now extended that reach by over 200 million outdoor enthusiasts – hikers, backpackers and camping families!

Target Consumers at Every Point of their Outdoor JourneyThe outdoor journey begins well before a consumer picks up their map at the ranger station. Active Marketing Group can use its suite of marketing services to help your brand make connections at every point of this outdoor journey – from researching and booking the trip online, to checking-in at their campground destination. Offerings include:

– Online advertising to 27MM/mo visitors on ReserveAmerica, the leading provider of online campground reservations in the U.S.

- Sponsorship of ActiveOutdoors enewsletter: 80K+ opt-in subscribers

- Targeted direct mail marketing and custom email marketing

- Product sampling on-site to promote trial, awareness and purchase

Contact us today to learn more about our new Outdoor Channel and our 2010 Sampling and Promotional Opportunities.

Active Marketing Group
10182 Telesis Court
San Diego, CA 92121
Toll-Free 1.877.228.4808
amg@activenetwork.com
© 2009 ActiveNetwork,Inc.

5 Brand Categories Ideal for Winter Sports Sampling

While November through March is historically the slowest time of year to reach active lifestyle consumers through activities like marathons and triathlons, there’s no shortage of winter sports activities to help brands connect with active consumers. And our data is telling us they’re out there participating in greater numbers than ever. Participatory sports activity registration is up more than 14% in 2009, despite the downturn in the economy. Consumers are simply prioritizing their time (and dollars) to ensure that they can still participate in the activities they’re passionate about. Two ways to reach this dedicated and passionate consumer are:

• Cause-related holiday fun runs like “Turkey Trots” and “Jingle Jogs” These events are perfect for reaching moms and families. They are typically larger urban events or smaller neighborhood gatherings. Examples include:
o Dana Point Turkey Trot, Dana Point, CA
o Ridgewood Turkey Trot, Raleigh, NC
o Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis, Tampa, FL

• Winter sports activities - skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, winter trail running, etc.
o Saratoga Winterfest 5k Snowshoe Race, Saratoga Springs, NY
o Bear Valley Telemark Festival, Bear Valley, CA
o Chilly Cheeks Winter Duathlon Series, Denver, CO

Is your brand in an ideal category to sample to this consumer: a consumer who is more loyal to brands that support their lifestyle?

5 Brand Categories Ideal for Winter Sport Sampling Include:

1) Beauty – from lip balm and moisturizer to shampoo and conditioner, winter weather creates unique problems solved by specific types of beauty products.

2) Hot Beverages – hot tea, cocoa and steaming coffee soothe the coldest of bellies.

3) Breakfast Products – An early-morning start and all-day trekking require solid nutrition at breakfast time.

4) Energy Drinks & Bars – High-energy activities demand high-performance drinks, bars, gels and other performance foods that are easy to pack and carry on the trail.

5) Healthcare – Runny noses need tissues, sore-throats need lozenges, and sore muscles need pain-relievers and anti-inflammatory products. Even sunscreen is a must to combat the sun’s intense reflection off the snow.

Ideal Winter Sampling Timeframe – November to March
Active Marketing Group has a well-established, turn-key network of winter sport activities and venues to help brands reach over 200,000 active consumers between the months of November and March. But hurry! Winter is just around the corner. Contact us now about our winter sampling programs.

Active Marketing Group
10182 Telesis Court
San Diego, CA 92121
Toll-Free 1.877.228.4808
amg@activenetwork.com
© 2009 ActiveNetwork,Inc.

The Value of Product Sampling

According to 2007 PROMO Industry Trends Report, “spending on sampling rose 9.4% to $2 billion” due to its ability to “engage consumers, foster brand interaction and measure ROI.” Deemed as “advertrying” in a recent AdAge.com article, sampling has gone through a resurgence in the past few years evolving from a high priced tactic of handing out free products to the new mass media buy. According to AdAge.com, brands like McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks are jumping on board, looking for new ways to target the consumer in a pinched economy. So, why all the sampling hype?

Consumer Engagement
In a recent survey held by the Product Sampling Council of Promotion Marketing Association, nine out of ten consumers say they would purchase a good or service if they experienced it and were satisfied. Consumers are looking to test products before making their purchasing decisions and the more a brand can provide them with a sample trial, the more willing and confident a consumer feels to make a final purchase. Engaging the consumer through trial sampling allows brands the ability to make an impactful connection with the consumer leading to a higher likelihood of a final purchasing decision.

Another aspect of consumer engagement is word of mouth. Even if the consumer does not use the sampling product, they are likely to pass it on to someone else, thus providing a greater footprint for the brand.

Accountability and Effective ROI
In a recent AdAge.com article, Seth Goldman, the founder of Honest Tea was quoted as saying, “We can look at sales numbers in ZIP codes of the areas that we’ve sampled and look for spikes in sales.” Sampling provides an accountability factor due to the ease of tracking the campaign. Whether its coupon samples at a community center or product samples at the local race, local and regional sales responds, thus leaving a clear indication of the success of the program. It redefines “impressions” by creating consumer interaction with the product and measuring the sales impact.

“Did it create effective ROI?” is the determining factor marketers utilize when measuring the success of a promotion and campaign. Of all marketing strategies, sampling continues to be the best route when looking to measure the success of a program. According to Marta Fearson, the director of US-marketing at McDonald’s, “the chain noticed tangible benefits of sampling…resulting in sales that were double digits above expectations.” When ROI is the measurement of choice, sampling simply beats out the marketing competition due to its ability to track sales.

Enhanced Brand Benefits
Sampling in relevant environments where the consumer has an affinity towards the product is important to a campaign’s success. Sampling is an effective marketing tool since the consumer’s association and affinity to the product can be controlled through the relevance of the environment. For example, when a swimmer at a health club is provided a shampoo sample in the locker room after a workout, they are much more likely to test the product due to the relevance and timing of its distribution.

Another sampling benefit to the brand is the increased opportunity of a “halo effect”. A “halo effect” is where the perceived positive features of a particular item extend to a broader brand. Sampling increases the likelihood of a “halo effect” due to its ability to have the consumer test the product, increasing the awareness of the brand and the brand’s other available products. Once the consumer is able to identify the brand’s name, as well as create an affinity to the brand, they are more likely to test out other products of the same brand.

Marketing campaigns all come down to effective ROI and with the controlling and relevant benefits that sampling offers, it’s hard to deny this re-emerging marketing tactic.

Learn more about promotional product sampling

Sources:

(2007). Try It: Sampling is showing up everywhere. PROMO Industry Trends Report.
Bryson, Emily and Zmuda, Natalie. (2008, May 12). Sampling: The New Mass Medium. AdAge.com.
Martin, Brian F. (2007, October 22). Give it a Try: Put Brands in Consumer’s Hands (Literally). AdAge.com.

Active Marketing Group
10182 Telesis Court, San Diego, 92121
AMG@activenetwork.com

Will the Real Community Influencer Please Stand Up

I very recently became a father and it is one of the most rewarding and exciting times of my life. Every day brings new changes and challenges (like learning how to function without sleep!). Although he is still very young, I look forward to the day I get to cheer him on along the sidelines of his first baseball or soccer game.

Growing up, I played in the South Lake Charles, Louisiana Little League system, I vividly remember my coaches and how I looked to them for guidance, advice and support both on and off the field.

For the millions of families involved in youth sports “The Coach” is an inspiring role model, enthusiastic team leader, and a teacher of sportsmanship and fair play. They devote considerable time to group activities, seeking out and creating opportunities to be with others.

For advertisers, the Coach is an excellent target for brands seeking influential consumers who represent a one-to-many communication channel. Agency execs classify volunteer coaches as local ringleaders – organizers and influencers of social activities within their peer groups.

Making recommendations is in the DNA of a Coach’s role. They persuade parents on a range of issues, including purchase decisions. When advertisers reach coaches, they are able to isolate a specific consumer group who influence others.

3 Tips on Connecting With Coaches Online

According to eMarketer.com, marketers are attracted to people who love sports because they are willing to pay for premium content, services, admissions, registrations and merchandise online. Sports fans are also comfortable with the presence of advertisers sponsoring sports events and activities.

“Sports sites have a built-in audience of passionate fans who are loyal to the teams they follow,” says Paul Verna, senior analyst at eMarketer.com and author of the new report released in July, Sports Site Marketing: Ad Revenue Models Pull Ahead. The report also says sports fans have an insatiable thirst for information about their favorite teams and players—and they like to share their knowledge and opinions with others.

TIP #1
Leverage opt-in email databases to reach millions of coaches participating in youth sports leagues like Little League and Pop Warner. As an example, The National Youth Sports Coaches Association has a network of 3,000 organizations and has trained 2 million coaches…and it names a Volunteer Coach of the Year each year.

TIP #2
Utilize local team sports content to connect with coaches. Websites like eteamz.com make it easy for coaches and parents to be networked and communicate online. Their customized, local team sites help parents manage weekly practices and game activities – while offering advertisers the opportunity to create buzz within specific online/offline sports leagues.

TIP #3
Don’t target just the Coach…connect with Team Moms (on sites like MomsTeam.com) and Referees who are also volunteers. They are respected role models and play an important part in the success of any community sports program.

So the next time you’re developing a winning game plan for your marketing dollars, step up to the plate. Identify and target those consumers who truly carry a big stick in the hearts and minds of their peers and the millions of children they teach and mentor – the volunteer coach.

By Rand Ragusa
Active Marketing Group

ActiveMarketingGroup
10182 Telesis Court
San Diego, CA 92121
AMG@activenetwork.com

Play Ball!

I recently had the privilege and opportunity to spend time with Choice Hotels, Allstate, Snickers and Subway who are all clients of Active Marketing Group and partners with Little League. Having attended many of the world’s greatest sporting events – from the NBA finals, Super Bowl, US Open, French Open, Olympics, NCAA finals and more – there is nothing quite like the Little League World Series Championship.

America’s favorite pastime and one of the premier worldwide youth sports events is alive and well. Despite a challenging economy and low attendance concerns due to high gas prices and the broadcast of the 2008 Summer Olympics occurring at the same time, a record breaking 331,285 spectators attended the 62nd Annual Little League Baseball World Series.

The Little League Baseball World Series is a 10-day event held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, at Volunteer and Lamade Stadiums August 15–24, 2008. The teams that participate in this annual championship come from all over the world to compete and claim the crown for their state or country. Of the 16 teams that traveled to the 2008 Little League Baseball World Series this year, eight were from the United States:

– Hagerstown, MD
– Mill Creek, WA
– Lake Charles, LA
– Jeffersonville, IN
– Shelton, CT
– Waipahu, HI
– Tampa, FL
– Rapid City, SD

The other eight were from Curacao, Mexico, Italy, Guam, Saudi Arabia, Japan, British Columbia and Venezuela. Over the course of the 10-day event, 32 games were nationally televised on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. Hawaii defeated Mexico 12-3 in the Championship game to earn the title of World Series Champions for the second time in four years, and Japan defeated Louisiana 4-3 in the consolation game

What impressed me about this event was not only the skill level of the players and the sportsmanship displayed by each and every participant, but the passion for the game displayed by the fans and families who traveled to this event from all over the globe to support these youngsters and ultimately, the future of youth sports.

In addition to the parents and coaches who support and share their players’ passion for baseball, my hat’s off to the sponsors, the volunteers and the Little League organization that invested both time and resources to create this unique opportunity for young athletes worldwide.

For those sports lovers who want to enjoy America’s greatest pastime at a world class event, I suggest you make the pilgrimage to Williamsport for next year’s 63rd Little League World Series.

By Steve Hagan
Active Marketing Group

More insight into youth sports marketing

Active Marketing Group
10182 Telesis Court
San Diego, CA 92121

Active Members are More Effective by Jim Hine

A study from the Center for Creative Leadership found that executives who exercise are significantly more effective leaders than those who don’t.
http://views.washingtonpost.com/leadership/guestinsights/2009/08/sweating-it-why-leaders-need-to-exercise.html.