Case Study for Agency
03-1015022-912

VFW Senior Championship
Integrated Marketing Campaign

Background
The year this campaign was developed for the VFW Senior Championship,
the VFW had just become the new title sponsor of this Kansas City
senior PGA tour event. Through working with the tournament in previous
years, we had built considerable equity for the old title sponsor,
Southwestern Bell, promoting the event as the Southwestern Bell
Classic.

Marketing Challenge
Our key marketing challenge was to promote the tournament, realizing
that with the new title sponsor, the event had no name recognition. An
additional challenge was to increase the amount of money raised for the
tournament’s beneficiary – all with a reduced budget over the prior
year.

Application of Solutions
Target Audience
Our primary target audience was based on research conducted by the PGA
tour and included males, age 35+ with HH incomes of 30,000+, residing
in the greater metropolitan Kansas City area.

Campaign Theme
A compelling visual – combat boots fitted with golf spikes, was
developed to quickly communicate the association between the VFW and
golf. This visual was used on all print and outdoor advertising.
Equally compelling sound effects – marching combats boots behind a
shouting, drill sergeant announcer, were used to make the same
connection in radio spots.

Campaign Elements
The campaign included advertising, direct mail, sales promotion and
media relations programs. The advertising consisted of radio, outdoor,
newspaper and magazine advertising. All media was negotiated on a
cash/trade basis in order to keep campaign costs down and to maximize
exposure of the campaign.

In addition to :60 radio spots, live radio remotes were broadcast by
participating stations at the tournament and at high traffic retail
locations throughout the market area. Interest in the tournament was
also generated with on-air ticket give-aways. Outdoor poster panels
were purchased in high traffic locations leading in and out of Kansas
City.

The agency negotiated a media sponsorship with the Kansas City Star,
which included the production of an editorial insert covering the
tournament just prior to the event, promotion of the tournament on
StarTouch, the paper’s automated information line, and a direct mail
insert in the Star’s alternate delivery product in exchange for tickets
to the tournament.

Ticket sales were also promoted through give-aways at area retailers.
Window posters were produced and distributed to Kansas City retailers
and event sponsors. An attention-getting, portable putting green was
used to promote the tournament at area malls, where shoppers were
encouraged to pick up a brochure promoting the tournament’s dates and
ticket costs.

Intensive media relations efforts were undertaken to communicate
information about the tournament date, location, player field and
ticket availability. In addition to generating local, regional and
national media coverage for the event, our public relations department
was responsible for organizing a media-day event prior to the
tournament and coordinating the event’s media room.

Results
o Raised 302,000 for beneficiary, 21% over goal
o Surpassed attendance goals; generated largest single-day gate in the
history of the event
o Achieved 67% more media impressions, by negotiating schedules and
media sponsorships on a cash/trade basis
o Recognized for "Best Poster" and "Best Outdoor Advertising" for the
year by the Senior PGA Tour