“Giant Dragon Skull That Washed Up on British Beach Is an Ad for Game of Thrones”

-By Tim Nudd, Link

Today on AdWeek, I spotted this phenomenal promotion by BlinkBox to celebrate the arrival of the third season of Game of Thrones to their offering. In an attempt to simply, which seems criminal given the sheer effort this took, the company placed what looks like the skull of a dragon on Charmouth Beach which is noted for its dinosaur fossils. To simply even more: Awesome.

Question: What could sports teams do in a similar fashion?

After reading the article and seeing some additional photos, I’m running through things the major sports teams in Kansas City could do in similar fashion. More specifically, what could the Royals, Chiefs, or Sporting KC do?

Kansas City Royals

Facebook  |  Twitter |  Instagram

When considering possible promotions, there’s no sense in thinking of players — every team has players. What do the Royals have that no other team does? Kauffman Stadium. More specifically, what defines Kauffman Stadium? When I think Kauffman, some of my first thoughts are the fountains, the Crown Vision scoreboard, and the Outfield Experience. It doesn’t quite make sense to feature the fountains, as Kansas City is littered with — and known for — them. In terms of the Outfield Experience, I don’t quite see the sense is recreating that at any location as a promotion. That leaves us with one of Kauffman’s main spectacles: Crown Vision.

Imagine it: A 20′ tall recreation of the beautiful, HD scoreboard at Town Center, the Plaza, or any number of high-traffic areas. Unlike BlinkBox’s ad, the Royals’ recreation would be recognizable and they can control the message. The Royals, or any number of sponsors, could air highlights, promotions, social media highlights, and much more.

Kansas City Chiefs

Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

In the same way the University of Kansas had a variety of Jayhawks scattered about Lawrence, I can see the Chiefs doing the same with their Arrowhead. In Kansas City, the arrowheads — dawned with the appropriate “KC” — would be associated with the NFL team immediately. If the goal is exposure, an icon of the team scattered throughout the metropolitan area ought to do the trick.

To take it a step further, consider what the Chiefs would do with the pieces after the promotion. Clearly, the pieces couldn’t become permanent fixtures. Instead, the Chiefs would need to relocate them whether it be through their own means or otherwise. My first thought is auctioning the pieces off for a cause. The organizations is connected with a number of programs, any one of which would benefit from the sale of the promotional items.

Sporting Kansas City

Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

It’s not as though Sporting KC doesn’t have a number of notable features about the franchise, the team, the stadium, or their amazing following. More than anything — I love those damn banners. I just can’t help but think of Sporting KC banners draped from buildings all across the metro — From the towering buildings of downtown to any number of businesses that overlook highways (with thousands upon thousands of wandering eyes).

As with any promotion — The idea will evolve from a goal. The point? BlinkBox’s promotion shows us it’s okay to think outside the box. Hear that, sports marketers?