One guy who I admire a lot is Jeff Schwartz over at Excel Sports Management. I've really been impressed with his Tyler Hansbrough campaign. Hansbrough is going to be pretty marketable, especially because he's in Indiana. He fits their demographic perfectly. Let's take a look at the package they've put together.
This just makes sense. I like that they're playing up his style-averse fashion choices as a kind of style. And since the market share of JC Penney among all other Indiana clothiers is nearing 85%, this could be a very lucrative deal. I see them offering Hansbrough his own big and tall clothing line that's heavy on pleated pants and untailored button-downs. This could be huge.
Brough Hats
I'm on board with this initiative as well. I like the Brough/bro interplay because not only is it his name, but the people who are the biggest Tyler Hansbrough fans are real bros. They wear these hats anyways, so why not sell them something endorsed by their favorite player.
Indiana Jersey Promotion
I'm kind of on the fence with this move. Yeah, it gets Hansbrough's name out there, but there's also no real monetization for Tyler's camp. I can't imagine more than 75 people are going to want a Hansbrough Pacers jersey, so they might be giving these away to the only people who would buy them.
Now this is the real legendmaker. What other rookie already has a wax statue? That's baller status right there. This is going to be something that Blowtorch Consulting comes back to again and again. There are so many opportunities here. You can charge for pictures taken. You can send it on tour. You can rent it out to nightclubs as a promotion. The possibilities are endless, and the attention to detail is simply stunning. It almost looks real.
Needless to say, the Hansbrough campaign is pretty impressive and I can see Blowtorch Consulting using some of these ideas as we continue to grow. I really like the multifaceted approach they're taking, and the way they're using unusual products to increase their visibility (a tenet of Blowtorch Consulting's business plan). Well done, Jeff Schwartz. I hope we can work together some day.