Diving brief:
- Groupon Experiences Market and NFL tight end Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski are offering a winner and 15 of their friends the chance to “party like a player” at his Foxborough, Massachusetts mansion while he’s away during the Super Bowl on February 13. by press release.
- Fans can enter the contest daily through the Groupon app and on a microsite until February 2. The winner will be flown to Boston to pick up Gronk’s house for a watch party with local Groupon experiences including beer and wine tasting, mini golf, indoor bouncy house, throwing ax and a hot stone massage station.
- Groupon is using experiential activation to highlight its own experiential offerings, both of which have suffered setbacks as the pandemic continues to disrupt in-person business. Fans who are not selected as grand prize winners will have the chance to enter until February 20 to win further experiences.
Overview of the dive:
Groupon’s “Party Like A Player” contest uses experiential activation synchronized with the Super Bowl to highlight the type of experiences the company offers in its market. Its offering and experiential tactic have been sidelined by the pandemic, but are returning in a more personalized way and with limited capabilities as businesses and consumers grapple with the lingering effects of the pandemic while looking for ways to recover. their normal activities.
“Even if you may not be able to party like a gamer, we all know that experiences connect us and create unforgettable memories that last a lifetime. With thousands of amazing experiences, we hope consumers will think to Groupon when they seek the greatest selection of local experiences any market has to offer,” Groupon brand vice president Melanie Hellenga said in the press release.
Groupon’s move sparks interest from one of the NFL’s most popular players as the playoffs heat up and the Super Bowl nears, while avoiding the high cost of running an ad during the big match. Gronkowski, whose Tampa Bay Bucaneers were knocked out of the race, infamously not retired in 2020 after a year out of the game, and could potentially look again to retire. Known for his oversized personality and antics, Gronk has frequently teamed up with marketers, including a stint as Bud Light’s “summer secretary” last year.
The ability to stay and party at Gronk during the Super Bowl follows similar experiential activities that used stays at iconic or notable locations to engage consumers. During the holidays, Airbnb and vacation rental site Vacasa rented the Chicago-area home from the original “Home Alone” and a version of The Grinch’s cave on “Mt. Crumpit,” respectively. Likewise, KFC continued its travel-based activations by offering a three-day, two-night vacation to a secluded Kentucky retreat.
Along with the Super Bowl stay at Gronk, Groupon is extending the effort with other freebies. Fans who are not selected as the grand prize winner will have the chance to enter through February 20 to win other prizes, including a trip to Las Vegas from MGM, a trip to Cancun from Great Value Vacations, a VIP New Kids on the Block concert experience from Live Nation and a Blue Man Group experience in New York or Chicago. These experiences could attract consumers who are not interested in the Super Bowl.
The effort is being promoted with a campaign that includes online video, over-the-top, paid and organic social and display ads, according to details emailed to Marketing Dive.
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