SCMF Musings: Things that Make Us Go Hmmm — Sporting Edition…

Here’s a roundup of sporting things we’ve observed lately that make us go “Hmmm.”

Taco Bell’s Free Tacos for Stolen Bases Promo…

On Friday, Taco Bell Corp. announced their World Series Promotion: Free Tacos for Stolen Bases

As part of the promotion, Taco Bell will hand out free Doritos Loco Tacos in participating locations around the country one the first base is stolen in the World Series.

The first player to steal a base will be known as the year’s “Taco Hero.”

If the first stolen base takes place in Game 1 or 2, the free tacos will be offered on Nov. 2 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

If the first stolen base takes place on Game 3, tacos will be offered on Nov. 10.

#Hmmm-kay: You can go ahead and to mark your calendar now for Nov.2. Read below to learn why.

Sound familiar? They did this before. Last year, the Kansas City Royals stole a base first in Game 1 and the restaurant gave free A.M. Crunchwraps.

Why we believe Nov. 2 is a lock…

Jon Lester is pitching for Chicago. He has the reputation for being a pitcher you can run on because he pretty much never throws to first when there is a runner on.

Light UP Thursday Night — NFL Nike Color Rush Promo…

The Dick’s Sporting Goods ad on Sunday, had “LIGHT UP THURSDAY NIGHT” plug on the bottom of the hoodie page (which was the first page of the print ad), that included both NFL and Nike logos.

Our #SCMF mind kicked into gear, recalling how weird it seemed that when we tuned into Twitter on Thursdays to watch the football game live-streamed, we saw the players in weird uniforms (All-Orange, All Blue, etc.). We had to make an extra effort to map the team to the color.

So we did some Googling and found out:

Nike and the NFL announced this “initiative” in September — pointing out that the “full head-to-toe monochromatic look” was expanding to all 32 teams, from eight last year.
The designs draw inspiration from both current and historic uniform schemes — celebrating the hallmarks of each club’s distinctive identity. #Hmmm-kay
Participating teams will take the field wearing a special Color Rush edition of Nike’s Vapor Untouchable uniform exclusively on Thursday Night Football in 2016.

And this!

All NFL proceeds from the sale of Color Rush jerseys throughout the league will go directly to the NFL Foundation to fund health, safety and wellness programs for youth around the country. The first $500,000 raised will be earmarked to replace youth and high school football equipment and fields lost in August’s devastating floods in Louisiana.

Wow! Seems like something that really should be promoted.

FYI. Fan jerseys and tees for each team are available at NFLShop.com (which is actually “Fanatics” site rebranded and Nike.com and select club retailers (like Dick’s).

Hmmm-WTF? None of these sites mention that 100% of the proceeds are going to the special fund. Seriously? What’s up with that.

MetLife Retires Snoopy & the Gang…

According to an article we saw in The Wall Street Journal, MetLife has made a business decision to cut ties with Snoopy because their business is no longer consumer-focused.

Another #SCMF Googling op for us. We discovered:

The 148-year-old company first used the “Peanuts” cartoon character in advertising 31 years ago as it tried to connect with U.S. consumers.
Snoopy, created by cartoonist Charles Schulz, appeared on everything from MetLife blimps to the company’s marketing and sales materials.
Five years ago (August 2011), MetLife signed on to buy stadium and naming rights for the “new” Giants / Jets stadium (New Meadowlands Stadium). The deal is for 25 years and is worth $17 million to $20 million annually.
Before that, MetLife was focused on reaching consumers with their blimp (Snoopy 1) — described as a flexible, roving stadium. Nothing produced a better return on investment.

So, why would a widely recognized insurer need to have its name on the stadium?

At that time, Beth Hirschhorn, MetLife’s chief marketing officer, noted three reasons, Hirschhorn

For the media exposure that a stadium in the New York market with two N.F.L. teams and a Super Bowl in 2014 can bring;
For the connection that it will have with fans; and
For the dynamism that football brings to the stodgy world of life insurance.

That was then, this is now. A new brand identity has emerged (See: “MetLife Has a New Brand Identity After More Than 30 Years, and Snoopy Isn’t Part of It“).

And Snoopy is hanging with the Most Interesting Man (on the moon or Mars?? Perhaps).

That’s a Wrap!

This concludes the Sporting edition of Things that Make Us Go Hmmm.”

Please let us know your thoughts AND if you’ve discovered your own Hmmms.

#SCMF

—The Gang

Bonus Content.

Learn more about NFL Nike Color Rush 2016 Design Innovation: