When it comes to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, there’s no bigger event than induction. Each July, a very select few former Major League Baseball players chosen by the Baseball Writers Association of America receive the sport’s highest honor. Every January, those players are announced.
With the overall goal of boosting Museum attendance for the second consecutive year, ABC decided to include a special video in the strategic marketing plan for the year. On the surface, it’s a presentation celebrating the inductee class of 2019. But, the motivation behind the concept runs much deeper.
The spot recognizing the hard-core fans who faithfully followed the “journey” of their favorite player and encouraging them to share in the ultimate celebration of their careers indeed premiered on tens of thousands of screens across the country that evening.
This exposure continued to be used across web and social platforms in the months leading up to induction in late July. A 30-second version also aired in select markets based on where the class of 2019 spent their careers.
The marketing plan included more prevalent email capture on the Hall website’s most popular pages and a new e-newsletter campaign that highlights key things to see and do around and on the way to Cooperstown.
Digital advertising was another big component that included geo-targeted ads in the primary cities where the new inductees played ball. Geo-fencing ads are planned around the appropriate ballparks during spring training.
Social media represents a final digital component. Graphic designers and video worked together to produce motion graphics and enticing visuals for each of the players to be used and/or boosted on the Hall’s popular social platforms.