Ideas that Work" is a periodic feature developed for The NCAA News by the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators. Individuals interested in contributing information may contact Trip Durham of Elon University at 336/278-6708.

Dunkin' Donuts Munchkin Slamfest

Monmouth University

Dan Sullivan, associate athletics director/marketing

Who: Kids 5 years old and under.

What: Fisher Price youth basketball hoop and ball, kids' T-shirts with your mascot dunking a basketball on one side and a corporate logo on the back with promotion name and sponsor information.

When: During a media timeout of men's and women's basketball games. The promotion takes about 60 seconds.

How: Select a youngster to complete two dunks. Put the basket at halfcourt and have the contestant start from the top of the three-point arc. At Monmouth, two ball boys hold the sign displaying sponsor information and the promotion name, "Dunkin' Donuts Munchkin Slamfest." After the second dunk, the PA announcer says if the participant gets a standing ovation from the crowd, he or she wins a box of Dunkin' Donut munchkins.

Results: It has been a fan favorite. It gets people out of their seats to give a "standing O" to a little kid, which creates smiles for the kid and the nearby parents. It's also fun to see the kids try to top each other game-to-game with different dunks. If the target crowd is a young family market, the promotion is perfect.

Athletics and Traditions
at Freshman Orientation

Purdue University

Sara Fetzer, assistant promotions director

Who: Incoming freshman students.

What: Athletics and traditions during freshman orientation.

When: One hour during the five-day orientation before the start of classes.

Where: Any place that can comfortably hold 4,000 participants. It has been held at Rose Ade Stadium, Mackey Arena, in the Hall of Music and at Slayter Hill (an outdoor concert facility).

How: Organizers work with the the directors of Boiler Gold Rush (freshman orientation) to arrange a time during the program for the staff to introduce the freshmen to athletics and the traditions of Purdue University. The band, mascots, cheerleaders, coaches and athletes all participate in the presentation. A trivia game show features six contestants. Each person is asked one question. If they get it right, they get a T-shirt. If they get it wrong, celebrity "judges" (coaches) squirt them with water guns. After each question, each answer is explained. Two coaches speak to the freshmen about the importance of fan participation. Coaches also throw out T-shirts to the students to get them fired up before and after their speeches. All coaches are asked to have at least one student-athlete from each sport give a 30-second synopsis about their sport. Each student-athlete is provided with something to give away or throw into the crowd.

Results: The event has become a huge success for Purdue athletics. Many student interns volunteer to help with Boiler Gold Rush and therefore are able to get students excited before they come to the event. Organizers receive e-mails and calls from incoming freshmen and Boiler Gold Rush volunteers about how much they enjoy seeing the coaches and student-athletes. With 4,000 participants, it is a great way to teach incoming freshmen about the athletics department and all of the sports that Purdue offers.

Stocking Stuffer Special

George Mason University

George Mason used an automated telemarketing company to send a message (in italics below) from its basketball coach on the Monday before Thanksgiving. The time of year was important because organizers thought people would have shopping and Christmas gift buying on their minds with the busiest shopping day of the year coming up. Organizers also sent a direct mail piece to the same list that arrived on the Friday after Thanksgiving so they could read more details about the promotion. The target group was fans who did not hold season tickets.

The message from the coach:

"Hi, this is head coach Jim Larranaga from the George Mason University men's basketball team. Here is a special offer to catch exciting Patriots basketball: It's three games for free! No, we're not kidding. We just want to show you what a thrilling experience GMU basketball is. Look for the "Be a Patriot" season ticket flyer in your mail that explains how you can get a free Coleman water jug and a three-game season ticket by calling 703/993-3270. It's a great deal. Here is how it works. Call and ask for the Coach L Stocking Stuffer Special and get a free three-game season ticket when you purchase one. It's that easy. Some come out and "Be a Patriot" by calling 703/993-3270 and tell them Coach L sent you. Good for new orders only and while supplies last."

The rate for connected calls was 18 cents each.

Fill Up and Pump Up

Western Kentucky University

Who: Local community.

What: Single-game tickets.

When: One game per season.

What sports: Football and men's basketball.

How: The promotion involved Junior Foods convenience stores, Western Kentucky athletics and the Big Red Radio Network. Junior Foods bought the promotion as a sponsorship and received 8,000 general admission tickets to one home football game and 2,000 general admission tickets to one men's home basketball game at the group-rate price. The Big Red Radio Network advertised the promotion throughout the region the week before the games. During the week, customers who bought eight or more gallons of gas at any Junior Foods location received a free game ticket.

Results: Organizers said it was a win-win situation. The promotion drove traffic to Junior Foods convenience stores and Western Kentucky athletics events. Junior Foods distributed all 8,000 tickets for the football games and all 2,000 tickets for the basketball game. The promotion also resulted in increased gate sales because fans received only one free ticket per gasoline fill-up.