Mind Games, Swing Science & Simulators: US Open Sponsor Experiences

Marketers might describe them ‘brand experience spaces’ and the golfing community refers to them as ‘sponsor pavilions’ – whichever term you favour the ‘Amex Pavilion Experience’ and the ‘Lexus Performance Drive Pavilion’ both offered spectators a sophisticated suite of digital and physical experiences at the 2015 US Open.

AmEx gave card members and golf fans access to the Chambers Bay tournament through interactive experiences onsite and online designed to give them an edge on the course – in the form of the ‘American Express Championship Experience Pavilion’.

AmEx collaborated with property owner USGA and broadcaster rights holder Fox Sports to highlight the psychological side of the game through inspiring stories about professional golfers’ trajectories and interactive challenges designed to help build fans’ mental prowess on the course.

The activation blended both entertainment and utility via experiences based on the physical mechanics and mental aspects of the game. Thus offering fans a taste of the challenge facing the professionals.

Fans also can play interactive digital games to enhance focus and benefit from hands-on instruction and tools designed to develop their mental edge, elevate their game and take advantage of all of the action on the course and around the Seattle-Tacoma region.

With the objective of helping fans improve their own concentration and confidence, American Express aimed to get amateurs into the swing of the mind games that play such a crucial role in the sport with the expertise of renowned sports psychologists.

It also offered three virtual reality golf simulators that enabled fans to cyber-play the course and measure everything from distance, launch, backspin and ball speed.

The full line-up of experiences includes:

– The Mind Game Studio: Renowned sports psychologists and authors Dr. Bob Rotella and Dr. Gio Valiante teach fans how to improve their mental focus and golf game. In addition, fans can complete a digital ‘Mind Game Training’ – a series of online games and 10 videos with tips to help them improve their focus, perseverance and reaction time on the course.

– Trackman Swing Zone: A professional-grade swing analysis to challenge fans’ mental toughness on the course with staged distractions that mimic the ambient challenges the pros face. American Express enhances this analysis by allowing players to compare their swings both with and without distractions to better understand how their mental focus affects their club speed, attack angle, spin rate and ball flight.

– Find Your Focus Photo: Gives fans a chance to capture and share a GIF of their swing and the words that inspire them to play their best, which they can then post to their social networks.

– The Guest Information Desk: Provides fans with information on PLAY9 Day, 29 July, promoted in partnership by the USGA and American Express, including a list of courses near them that welcome 9-hole play. American Express also provides guests with local small merchant guides to help tourists and locals alike discover and support restaurants and shops in the greater Seattle-Tacoma region.

– Complimentary American Express CourseCast Radio for Card Members: A fan favourite, special earpieces featuring Sirius XM’s live broadcast of the Open are available to American Express Card Members throughout the tournament allowing fans to stay up-to-date with key moments of play anywhere on the course. All American Express CourseCast radios at the Open are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis and are only available while supplies last.

– The Official U.S. Open Live Stream: Presented by American Express in partnership with the USGA and Fox Sports, the live stream puts fans in control of their viewing experience allowing them to choose between the Fox broadcast or live footage of action on the 12^th and 15^th holes, which are two of the more challenging holes on the course, commanding especially sharp mental focus from the players. The live stream provides continuous coverage of the championship from June 18 through June 21 on the U.S. Open app and USOpen.com.

‘American Express once again serves unique benefits to fans during one of golf’s most anticipated and mentally-challenging events,”’ explained Deborah Curtis, Vice President of Global Sponsorships and Experiential Marketing at American Express.

‘Golf is a game of both competence and confidence, and we want to provide our Card Members and golf fans throughout the U.S. with a wealth of insider knowledge and useful tools to develop their own ‘mind game’ and learn what it takes to compete at a championship level.’

Other aspects of AmEx’s activation saw the sponsor deploy its American Express Customer Care Professionals onsite to help its customers take full advantage of member on-course benefits and set up a Centurion^M Studio launch in Seattle and a pop-up Centurion Lounge pop-up near the 13th hole for Platinum Card and Centurion Members attending the tournament.

These offered such members a variety of exclusive programs spanning fitness tips from professional golf trainer Sean Cochran, pro putting practice masterclasses, a meet-and-greet with legendary golfers and passed hors d’oeuvres by Chef Cedric Vong.

In addition, American Express also offers members early access to purchase tickets for the 2016 US Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania through americanexpress.com/entertainment for.

Located at the US Open Spectator Square, alongside the American Express Championship Experience, was fellow sponsor and tournament automotive partner Lexus’ ‘Performance Drive Pavilion’.

Again, this sponsor branded space offered fans real world and cyber tournament experiences that spanned star player autograph signings, photo opportunities and a set of interactive golf experiences.

As well as displaying the all-new 2016 RX luxury utility vehicle, interactive activities include a golf simulator that lets contestants take a virtual swing on the Championship course’s famous 10th hole for the chance to win a $1000 gift card.

Other activities include photo opportunities with the US Open Championship Trophy and “Chalk Talks” with Lexus golfers on their favourite US Open memories and strategy on how to conquer Chambers Bay golf course.

Lexus golf professionals including Jason Day, Billy Horschel, Annika Sörenstam, Peter Jacobsen, Natalie Gulbis and Johnny Miller will be available for autograph sessions as well.

Lexus, the official vehicle of the US Open Championships in partnership with the United States Golf Association (USGA), based its activation around the idea of ‘producing exciting moments that speak to performance, precision and perfection’.

For Lexus, The Championship offers an opportunity to connect with golf fans nationwide.

For the first year, spectators at this week’s US Open at Chambers Bay are being allowed to use smartphones on-course and Lexus leveraged this change by encouraging fans to join and drive the tournament conversation and stay informed using the #LexusGolf hashtag on their social channels.

‘A prestigious sporting event such as the US Open is an ideal partnership for Lexus. Our broad lineup of high-quality vehicles and passion for great customer experiences complement the game and the Championship,’ said Lexus marketing VP Brian Smith.

‘We work closely with the USGA to create an exciting atmosphere, offering new and entertaining programs that let participants enjoy Championship fun both on and off the course.’
Lexus also provides 300 courtesy vehicles to players, USGA staff and associates throughout the Championship. For more information on the full line of vehicles, go to Lexus.com and follow the conversation at #LexusGolf.

Comment

The US Open’s greens may have been a struggle for golf’s elite, but both sponsors’ on-site pavilions offered an amazing set of experiences to help fans and members learn more about the course, improve their own game and enhance their passion for the event and their love for the game.

Both experiences also fit firmly into the two brands’ umbrella positioning and marketing strategies.

For American Express, its Championship Pavilion at Chambers Bay was fantastic and often exclusive set of property-relevant experiences that – just like its other property partnerships in the fashion, entertainment and sports worlds – reinforce and bring alive its umbrella strategy the brand’s promise to enhance its customers life experiences.

While Lexus’ ‘Performance Drive Pavilion’ offered an experience dedicated to its brand mission of providing customers with exciting moments offering performance, precision and perfection.

Links

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