This past Friday, St. Thomas MBA students gathered together for food and drinks and to hear both Patrick Klinger, vice president of marketing for the Minnesota Twins, and Charlie Callahan from Periscope, talk about the baseball team’s extremely successful “This is Twins Territory” advertising campaign. The program was part of Master’s Pub, a social and educational series that brings together St. Thomas MBA students and alumni every few months to learn about successes in business.
What made the “This is Twins Territory” campaign so successful was that it helped foster a sense of team ownership among residents of Minnesota and the surrounding states. While the ads were playful, lighthearted and entertaining, they also helped cultivate a fan base, promote the players and generate excitement about the team, all of which contributed to an increase in ticket sales and public interest in the Twins. To continue building a buzz, promotional information was included on a number of fan touchpoints, such as tickets and season-ticket packets. As testament to the success of this marketing effort, a long-time partial season ticketholder and lifelong Twins fan whom I work with saves the ticket boxes she receives each year as a souvenir. “They’re too nice to throw away,” she said.
One of the nicest parts about Master’s Pub events is that they include time to socialize with other students and alumni. I was just admitted into the St. Thomas Evening MBA program and do not officially begin my classes until February, so attending Master’s Pub was a way for me to hear about how my favorite baseball team is marketed and talk with current students about the program. And those I spoke with were more than happy to share their excitement about being in business school – great testimonials to hear as I prepare to take my first classes in a couple of months.
Lindsey Buhrmann, has recently been admitted into the Evening UST MBA program and will begin her classes in the spring semester.
