As the Major League Baseball season winds down, one of our favourite property owner campaigns of the 2013/14 MLB season was the Chicago Cubs’ integrated ‘100 Year Anniversary’ campaign for its beloved stadium Wrigley Field.
Of course the Cubs themselves aren’t in the playoffs this year. They never are!
Nevertheless, despite this long heritage of on-pitch failure (or perhaps because of it), the Cubs have some of the most devoted fans in the game and are perhaps more wedded to tradition, history and to their old, old stadium than any other baseball franchise.
The team has been running a multi-event, multi-channel anniversary celebration through the season.
Agency Shafer Condon Carter rolled out a spearhead 100-year celebratory TV and online spot which it described as a ‘a look at some of the most amazing moments to happen inside the ivy walls of Wrigley Field in celebration of the ballpark’s 100th birthday’ to the tune of ‘happy Birthday’.
The agency also created a ‘Happy 100th Birthday’ print campaign for regional media – particularly the city’s paper of record (and former Cubs owner) The Chicago Tribune.
There’s also a content-packed 100-Year anniversary digital web hub at WrigleyField100.com.
Whilst within the old stadium itself it is clear the reverence that the club has for what came before (such as a collection of historical murals), the team is promoting Wrigley’s 100th birthday pretty much everywhere: from the huge sign out the front and outdoor work throughout the concourses, to tee-shirts and even 100-year souvenir cups.
More interesting than the merchandise is the historical food programme.
The ball park’s ‘Decade Diner’ is selling meals based on popular trends in each decade since the 1914 opening: from the 1910’s Rueben Dog, through the 1930’s Cheese Steak Dog, to the “1970’s Pulled Pork Dog.
Plus there were celebrations and parties – as previous phases and stars of the stadium were honoured and invited.
‘Wrigley Field has played host to a century of remarkable events. We’re honoured and humbled to commemorate such a treasured icon that millions of fans have enjoyed, whether to watch Cubs baseball, Chicago Bears games, summer concerts or other special events,’ said chairman Tom Ricketts.
‘We look forward to looking back at the last 100 years while working toward our family’s goal of ensuring Wrigley Field is restored and improved for the next generation of Cubs fans.’
Comment
With its (proud) record of losing – the Cubs haven’t won the World Series since 1908 – it is the ballpark itself and the team’s fans, that remain the Cubs strongest assets.
This year’s campaign follows last year’s emotional, real fan focused ‘Committed’ work (also by agency Shafer Condon Carter).
All this fan-focused and tradition-led marketing perhaps helps explain why the Cubs, despite a century of losing, still arguably have the most revered field and the most committed fans in baseball.
As the late, great Tribune columnist Mike Royko wrote: ‘I always believed that being a Cubs fan built strong character. It taught a person that if you try hard enough and long enough, you’ll still lose. And that’s the story of life.’
Links
Chicago Cubs website
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=chc
MLB Website
Shafer Condon Carter Website
http://www.schafercondoncarter.com
