B-to-C Events

The network that brings America one of its favorite Sunday night traditions is giving fans the chance to experience the game like never before. For each Sunday of the NFL season, NBC’s 38-foot Sunday Night Football coach is visiting games all over the country and inviting fans to come on board for a live game day experience.

If this summer’s sampling activations are any indication, small is the new big.

The mass-market sampling sweeps through 30 states that were once the hallmark of a “summer tour” have become tiny, micro-targeted community stop­overs and one-off events designed to win hearts, minds and tastebuds one local at a time. Through local engagement, local artists, local culture and a dash of social media, many of today’s beverage and food brands are finding that the best connection is the micro-cultural one.

Venerable dating site Match.com has been making love connections among singles through a 100-percent online platform since 1995. But last June, the brand forged a new path in matchmaking with The Stir, a comprehensive live event program that, to date, has attracted 225,000 attendees.

Merrell, the outdoor footwear and apparel brand, as part of its title sponsorship of the Merrell Down & Dirty Mud Run & Obstacle Series, is activating an event footprint on each stop of the series that engages attendees and informs them about the Merrell brand, particularly its new M-Connect product.

Kia, the auto brand best known for its affordable cars, earlier this year launched a series of “dine and drives” to raise awareness for the 2014 Cadenza, its entrée into the luxury car market. The eight-city tour dubbed The Cadenza Experience, took place at high-end restaurants and offered four-course meals prepared by a celebrity chef, and a truly high-end experience.