Green in Hawaii with husband Ron Green Jr. of the Charlotte Observer and daughter Molly. Photo: COURTESY OF TAMERA GREEN

Published on February 20th, 2012 in Sports Business Journal

What I Like …

■ An influential person in my career: Max Muhleman has meant so much to me personally and professionally. He believed in me early on and gave me so many wonderful opportunities to learn and grow. He was always available for guidance and collaboration. He provided an amazing combination of wings and safety net to a young girl who was so eager to learn.

■ An out-of-the-box idea: Integrating sponsor product into the experience with relevant activation vs. slapping a logo on a wall, i.e., airline offering first-class seats in an arena. This requires real creative thinking by people who understand the sport and the fan perspective for it to truly be authentic and relevant.

■ A sports facility: Carmichael Auditorium was really special, but I do love the fact that we have a building that pays tribute to the all-time great Dean Smith! Of course, Augusta National is unparalleled.

■ An innovation: Twitter and how it works so well with the live aspects of sports.

■ A story that bears watching: Where college football ends up. There’s been so much change and shake-up over the last 5-10 years and it’s far from over. When it does settle, what will college football look like?

■ A sports event: UNC vs. Duke basketball game — though it causes me more anxiety than I care to experience and certainly I prefer the matchup more when the Heels come out on top.

■ A brand: HBO — because of how they’ve evolved their brand and remained an innovative leader in the entertainment world. Home Box Office was such anovel idea when it began, and the idea of watching current movies in your home was terrific back then. Now, they set the bar for original programming, and their sports features are award winning. Their current documentary on Joe Namath is outstanding.

■ A pro league or team business initiative: The First Tee Program. The PGA Tour and others have found a way to use golf to teach both the game and life skills toyoung people who can use both for years to come.

■ An idea or invention I wish I had thought of: Figuring out that you could sell $5 cups of coffee in a country used to paying 50 cents for a cup.

■ A fantasy job: Teacher.

What I Like About …

■ My job: The collaboration with clients and our internal teams. We have such deep resources and experience, and when we galvanize those minds with engaged clients, the work is so rich and so rewarding. Clients who treat agencies as partners and allow for a “safe environment” of exploration on concepts truly get more for their investment.

■ Sports business: The variety. Working on a college sport or Olympics or something with the NFL … they all bring unique opportunities and challenges.

■ Competing: Preparation. Having the time and resources to be uniquely prepared.

■ Sports fans: Sports fans are so amazing to me. What they are willing to put up with underscores the passion more than anything else. Whether it’s game-time changes days before an event in college sports or traffic into a NASCAR race, fans stay committed. And the smack talk is hysterical — especially around our office.

What I Would Like To … 

■ See: The danger of pricing the average fan out of the experience of attending a live sporting event, if that hasn’t happened already.

■ Change in what I do: Our programs are better when we are seated at the table with the client. It’s hard to build strategies without having a voice.

■ Eliminate: ACC Sunday night basketball games..

What I Don’t Like …

■ In general: I don’t like “no.” I believe there are solutions and methods of getting to “yes” for every challenge.

■ In business: When people say it’s not personal, it’s business. Of course it’s personal. People invest a lot of time and energy into work and it often defines individuals. You ever notice that the phrase is really used when it’s convenient for someone as an out clause? What they are really saying is that it’s not personal to them.

PERSONAL

What I Like …

■ That would surprise those who know me: That I cry easily at movies and shows, whether it’s Disney or horror or an episode of “Little House on the Prairie.”

■ About myself: I’d like to think that I’m always true to my word.

■ Heroes: Abraham Lincoln, Dean Smith and Stephen Colbert.

■ Players: Currently, Cam Newton and Kendall Marshall.

■ Memento: Tiffany’s crystal football to celebrate the Carolinas winning an NFL franchise.

■ Music: Let’s just say that my 12-year-old daughter is contemporizing my taste. I’m waiting for her to load some new songs from Flo Rida on my iPod, and I’m hoping I can change her mind about James Taylor!

■ Book: “Water for Elephants.”

■ Authors: Pat Conroy and anything my husband writes.

■ IPad app: Nike GPS.

■ Chores: Really? Is this in the “like” category?

■ Movie: “Love Actually.”

■ TV: “Boardwalk Empire,” “Modern Family,” “The Good Wife.”

■ Artist: My daughter. She’s really talented, and I love her work!

■ Food: Cheeseburgers and homemade fries.

■ Dessert: My mother-in-law’s pecan pie and red velvet cupcakes.

■ Drink: A nice Cabernet Sauvignon and anything by Robert Foley.

■ Scent: Gardenia.

■ Singer: Darius Rucker.

■ Quote: “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” — Albert Einstein

If you’re interested in more sports and social media insights, read on in this blog, and follow @GMRMarketing and @GMRsports on Twitter.  Also, be sure to take a look at our website.  There, you’ll see more information on the nation’s leading engagement marketing agency.

Results are based on 350 completed surveys among Top 2 Box sports fans (very or somewhat interested in sports). Respondents were recruited via Facebook, Twitter, blog posts, and email invitations.

January’s initiative supports Ward Gibson, Account Executive at GMR Charlotte, in his mission to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as he puts himself up for auction.

Ward is one of 30 bachelors & bachelorettes each with a unique date package (that they created themselves) for the Guys & Dolls Bachelor/Bachelorette Auction in Charlotte, NC February 25, 2012. Each contestant is assigned to a team connected to a child suffering from Cystic Fibrosis. Ward’s team supports 3-year old Oliver Bleune (aka ‘Superman’!).

To help Ward achieve his goal of raising at least $2500 in donations for the charity, GMR Charlotte staff is volunteering at the night of the auction as well as securing donated items to incorporate in his date package and the event’s silent auction. GMR staff is also donating money to purchase tickets to the event.

Ward’s date package is based on the Parks & Rec bit that two of the characters do: “Treat Yo Self,” which includes a trip to Myrtle Beach and a day of pampering with a manicure and pedicure, salon services and a shopping spree.

Even if you can’t be there, you can still donate to this great cause. Visit Ward’s donation page to make a contribution.

About the Guys & Dolls Bachelor/Bachelorette Auction

The 12th Annual Guys and Dolls Bachelor/Bachelorette Auction will take place February 25, 2012, and expects roughly 600 attendees. The black-tie event features 30 of Charlotte’s most eligible men and women, and their fantastic date packages up for auction to the highest bidder. Packages include fantastic trips, shopping sprees and many more surprises. Nearly 90 cents of every dollar of revenue helps support research, education and care programs sponsored by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

About Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a chronic, genetic disease that affects the lungs and pancreas of about 30,000 children and young adults in the US. CF causes thick, sticky mucous to build up in the body and can lead to frequent hospitalizations, trouble breathing and digesting food, and a life-threatening decrease in lung function. The current life expectancy for someone with CF is 37 years old. There is currently no cure.

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation funds cystic fibrosis (CF) research and medical programs. Founded in 1955, the organization supports clinical trials and specialized health-care centers, provides grants for independent research, operates university research centers, encourages drug development through matching funds, and offers CF-related information and educational materials. Its Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics (CFFT) subsidiary partners with pharmaceutical companies and research facilities to develop CF drugs. The foundation provides funding, training, and accreditation for about 115 treatment centers in the US. It has about 80 chapters and branch offices nationwide.

Casual for a Cause (CFAC)

Since 2008, The GMR CFAC initiative strives to serve the local community by donating time, money or goods to help support neighbors, friends and families – while strengthening the spirit of our company’s culture. CFAC is run by a committee of GMR employees that help promote the monthly charitable cause within the organization. All GMR employees that donate to the monthly cause are permitted to dress casual for a designated CFAC week each month. 

In the music Ignition Sessions, GMR employees and clients have the opportunity to hear from the artists themselves & music industry professionals about their marketing efforts and the importance of those decisions. The audience also enjoys a small-set performance with an opportunity to meet and greet the artists.

Laura Bell Bundy went against conventional wisdom when she released her first album – which is practically two separate projects in one. Achin’ and Shakin’ present a unique juxtaposition of sounds: Achin’ includes slow country love ballads while Shakin’ is full of attitude and confidence. “‘Two records, one woman’ is my motto,” says Laura Bell, who wrote all but one of the songs included on her album.

In addition to her blossoming country music career, she received a Tony Award nomination for her work as the lead role in the Broadway musical Legally Blonde as Elle Woods. She originated the role of Amber Von Tussle in Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray and played Glinda in Wicked.

She moved to New York when she was 18 where she roomed with Amber Rhodes. The two formed a country duo then wrote & performed songs in several New York clubs.

“People look at it and go, ‘You went from Broadway to doing country’,” she says. “I actually went from the country to Broadway. I’m from Kentucky and I always listened to country music. When I started writing songs, it all came up country.”

We invite everyone to join the conversation during the Ignition Session by asking questions on the GMR Marketing Facebook page and by Tweeting to @GMRMarketing #GMRIgnition. An interview with Laura Bell will be shared on GMR’s website in the coming weeks.

Connect with Laura Bell Bundy:

Connect with GMR Marketing:
Facebook.com/GMRMarketing
@GMRMarketing - follow the conversation at #GMRIgnition

As pop, dance and hip-hop dominates the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 and modern rock radio stations switch formats, what does a rock band need to do to get heard these days? It starts with a good commercial synch.

Foster the People, 2011′s breakout rock act, knows the importance of having songs placed in ads firsthand-lead singer Mark Foster got his start writing jingles for Los Angeles’ Mophonics before lending his gift for melody to mega-hit “Pumped Up Kicks.” That song’s slow burn at pop and modern rock radio eventually paved the way for other high-profile synchs, like the band’s “Color on the Walls (Don’t Stop)” appearing in Nissan’s Versa campaign. The result? Strong sales for Foster the People’s debut album, Torches, which ranked at No. 55 on the Top Billboard 200 Albums year-end list.

But after Foster the People and other rock bands’ synch-happy strategy, the commercial-licensing opportunities have been spotty at best for most rock acts. That’s why many rock acts raised their hands when the NFL teamed up with sports-music firm Banshee Music and GMR Marketing to pair original rock tracks with individual leagues for localized anthems and touchdown songs.

Universal Republic hard-rock act Hinder, for example, jumped at the opportunity to record the song “The Fight’s About to Begin” for free in exchange for exposure during NFL events and telecasts throughout the 2011-12 season. After two top 10 albums and a top five single (“Lips of an Angel”) on the Billboard charts, the band has struggled in recent years to get its music out to the same mass audiences.

“We’re getting less label support than we’ve ever gotten, so we’re pretty much out there on our own right now,” Hinder drummer Cody Hanson says, noting the band’s existing relationship with Banshee Music. “It’s tough to do, so we have to use the relationships we’ve made over the years and have to take advantage of the Internet as much as we can. We hope we can reach people any way we can but it’s getting tough.”

Other acts like Chickenfoot and “American Idol” alum James Durbin also came onboard last summer, despite the NFL’s season remaining in limbo until late July. Banshee VP of sports marketing John Canaday says the agency might have been able to lure even more rock acts to record or compose original songs for the current season had the timing been more concrete.

“On the one hand, it was frustrating we couldn’t start,” Canaday says. “On the other, it’s pretty impressive we had songs, deals and music created in about a two-month period that would require league approvals, artist approvals, label approvals and a number of steps that would typically take much longer.”

For the NFL, the Banshee deal gives each league an ownable song that fans can instantly identify when they show up at games or watch their telecasts. But NFL VP of entertainment marketing and promotion Tracy Perlman insists the artists are the biggest benefactors.

“Sometimes they get to reach a fan base they don’t necessarily have,” Perlman says. “Whether you’re dealing with country artists in a specific marketplace or rock bands in a specific marketplace, you’ve got a captive audience of over 60,000 people every week in a stadium. There’s also the ancillary benefit of being picked up on TV, being licensed, and the opportunity to get that reach also shows them as football fans.”

In our music Ignition Sessions, recording artists and music industry professionals give audience members an inside view of the music industry and the importance of their marketing decisions. GMR employees and clients also enjoy a concert along with an opportunity to meet and greet the artists.

Gabe Dixon’s musical style is compared to that of Ben Folds and The Fray. Huffington Post listed Dixon’s solo album, One Spark, among the “Best Music Of 2011.” Record Collector Magazine says the record is “Smart, savvy and utterly seductive,” and legendary artist Jackson Browne writes “it’s been a while since I’ve heard something so original.”

Dixon’s 2009 self-titled band album was listed as one of the “Best Of The Year” by Paste, American Songwriter, Performing Songwriter and in the year-end Village Voice critics poll.  Dixon’s songs are featured in many TV shows and films, including his song “Find My Way” as the main title theme for the #1 Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds film “The Proposal.” Dixon is also recognized as the “go-to” pianist of choice, having performed keyboard for artists from Paul McCartney to Supertramp to Alison Krauss.

We invite everyone to join the conversation during the Ignition Session by asking questions on the GMR Marketing Facebook page and by Tweeting to @GMRMarketing #GMRIgnition. Gabe will answer Twitter questions sent to the #GMRIgnition hashtag on camera, which will be shared on GMR’s website in the coming weeks.

Connect with Gabe Dixon:
@gabedixonmusic
Facebook.com/gabedixonband
gabedixon.com

Connect with GMR Marketing:
Facebook.com/GMRMarketing
@GMRMarketing - follow the conversation at #GMRIgnition

Reese’s efforts to date have resulted in 702,000 consumer impressions, 48,470 consumer engagements, 75,500 coupons distributed, and 1,815 Play to Win participants.

In addition to putting on a stellar acoustic performance, Thompson Square talked with us about how they’re using brand partnerships and new media to engage consumers and establish themselves as one of Country Music’s hottest new acts.

Thompson Square combines classic rock, country, and singer/songwriter strands into a sharp, pleasant country-pop mix. Earlier this year they were nominated for the CMT Music Awards’ Duo of the Year and USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year award. Both nominations are for the duo’s #1 single, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not.”

Be on the look out for GMR’s next Ignition Session coming in early 2012!

Facebook.com/gmrmarketing
Twitter.com/GMRMarketing

Nick Collins, Ryan Grant, Desmond Bishop, Tramon Williams, Frank Zombo and other Green Bay players signed autographs for hundreds of fans who each gave a full bag of non-perishable food or a $50 cash donation.

In all, 19,000 pounds of food and more than $7,100 was collected. All proceeds and food donations benefitted the New Berlin Food Pantry.

Connect with GMR Marketing:

Facebook.com/gmrmarketing

www.Twitter.com/gmrmarketing