Travelodge Canada hit the ice with a 20-week digital campaign that kicks off the company’s three-year partnership with the Western and Ontario Hockey Leagues of the CHL.
Fan Faceoff is a weekly Facebook contest that will ultimately crown the best fans in each league. In a weekly “faceoff,” fans vote for their favourite team for the chance to win prizes. Participants declare their loyalty to one team and follow that team throughout the round-robin-style contest.
The top teams in each league will enter into a playoff round, where they’ll have the chance to win one of two trips for four to the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup, which takes place in Saskatoon in May. The team with the most fans in each league will also win a tailgate-style party.
“Fans are as much a part of the game as the hockey players on the ice,” said Patti Hunt, director of marketing and communications at Calgary-based Travelodge Canada. “We really wanted to connect with fans on that kind of level.”
The campaign was a collaborative effort between Travelodge, Calgary agency Evans Hunt and the Canadian Controlled Media Communications (CCMC) Sports Group, which also builds partnerships for the CFL.
Hunt said the CHL sponsorship was a good fit for the brand because Travelodge has hotels in 75% of the markets where the OHL and WHL teams play. “It gives us an opportunity to connect [with fans] at a grassroots level across the country,” she said. “What’s really important, though, is it wasn’t about just buying rink boards and in-ice logos. For a lot of partnerships with sports teams, it’s about the number of impressions you get in venue. But if you don’t connect with the people who are in those venues, you’re not doing [your brand] any justice.”
Videos about the rabid fans of each team can be seen on the Facebook contest site and Travelodge YouTube channel. Fans talk about their greatest rivals, how often they wash their jerseys and what makes their team’s fans the best.
A promo spot for Fan Faceoff is airing during CHL broadcasts on Rogers and Shaw. In-venue activation includes digital display boards and over-the-air announcements about the contest.
