Subway Restaurants today announced a multiplatform partnership with NBC Sports that will enable the brand to engage with consumers during marquee sporting events.
“We are very pleased to partner with NBC Sports on this groundbreaking, multi-platform sports relationship,” says Tony Pace, chief marketing officer of the Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust.
“High profile sports work for the Subway brand in a couple of ways. First, it reaches a wide swath of the population, which is very important for a brand of our size. Second, it helps reinforce the health and active dimensions of the Subway brand, which set us apart from our restaurant competitors. We look forward to working with NBC Sports to continue to find ways that drive audiences to NBC and Subway.”
Throughout the activation period, Subway and NBC Sports will encourage viewers to tune-in to featured sporting events and make Subway their food of choice for the occasion. Cobranded promotional segments featuring Subway Famous Fan Michael Phelps and Subway brand ambassador Jared Fogle will air in 4Q’09 and 1Q’10 on highly rated NBC programming during primetime, late night, and on NBC Sports programming including Football Night in America.
The results of a recent consumer survey conducted by NBC Universal showcased that 86 percent of football fans surveyed identified the “Sunday Night is Football Night” tagline; while 73 percent of surveyed eat a meal during football games on Sunday nights.
“Our unique partnership with Subway is a natural extension of NBC Sports’ big event strategy,” says Mike McCarley, senior vice president, strategic marketing, promotions and communications, NBC Sports.
“Nothing brings friends and family together better than great food and big events on TV and having Michael and Jared enjoying Subway while watching TV is exactly what millions of Americans do.”
The relationship with NBC Sports offers Subway the opportunity to incorporate “Fresh” messaging including catering options available nationwide into a wide array of programming. Throughout the professional football season, Subway will activate with in-store Point Of Purchase materials showcasing “Sunday Night is Subway Night.”
Key highlights of Subway’s on-air activation with NBC Sports include:
• Subway “Fresh Take” features that highlight up-and-coming football players during select NBC Sunday Night Football broadcasts
• Subway will be the presenting sponsor of a special edition of Football Night in America on Wildcard Saturday, Jan. 10, 2010
• Sponsorship of “Game of the Week” intermission reports airing during each NBC Sports hockey boradcast including the 2010 Winter Classic
• A series of “Fresh Take” features will air during the U. S. Figure Skating Championships in Jan. 2010 highlighting these world-class athletes
Additionally, Subway will have a presence on Sunday Night Football Extra, an HD quality video player on NBCSports.com that simulcasts “Sunday Night Football” games and allows fans to access content throughout the season.
