• Mar
  • 05

Look Who’s Playing Pongr: Red Sox/Egypt fan Eric Mendes!

Posted in Advertising, Look Who's Playing Pongr, Sports Brands

Red Sox fan Eric Mendes hopes to Pongr the team all the way to the 2011 World Series!

(In honor of Spring Training, the official rebirth of hopes and dreams for the 28 teams who didn’t make it to the World Series, we are focusing the spotlight on diehard baseball fans expressing their passion through Pongr.)

PONGR SPRING TRAINING PROFILE
Name: Eric Mendes
Age: 22
Hometown: Boston, MA
Real Job: UMass-Boston student majoring in Management Information Systems.
Pongr Job: Administrative Assistant, Boston Red Sox
Career Dream: To work for Google, Apple or Microsoft in Silicon Valley.
Other Favorite Brands to Pongr: Apple, Android, Axe, Nikon, Nintendo, Pepsi
Eric’s Blog: EricMendes.com
Eric’s Photography Web site: http://ericmendes.com/photography/
Fun Eric Fact: Plans to study abroad next year in Germany and Finland.

Raised by a single mother in Boston, Eric grew up in numerous city-sponsored afterschool and summer camp programs that involved volunteer mentors from the Red Sox. He fondly recalls meeting slugger Mo Vaughn during his 1995 MVP season and Sox superstars Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez when Boston hosted the 1999 All-Star Game.

In between his studies and Pongr’ing these days, Eric manages to get to Fenway Park for about five to 10 home games each year. One of his favorite moments was touching the hallowed Pesky Foul Pole when fans were allowed on the field for a special promotion.

Pongr'ing at Fenway Park's infamous Pesky Pole, the yellow stick that sways home runs fair or foul.

And he continues to be a magnet for Sox celebrity sightings…

Pongr fan Eric Mendes catches up with Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz!

If Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino or General Manager Theo Epstein ever takes Eric out to lunch, there wouldn’t be any lack of conversation topics. From his firsthand experience, Eric would like to personally thank the Sox for their continued community service in Boston neighborhoods. But he also admires it as a smart marketing strategy.

“As the Sox visit more kids, they create a new generation of fans that will continue to help Fenway sellout every home game!” he says. “I would also suggest management try and get some players that can maintain strong relations with the community through social networks. Celtic Paul Pierce is doing something similar with his weekly blog posts with Boston.com.”

Not to mention the Twitter circus being put on by Shaq O’ Neal, who recently posed as a statue for fans who follow his feed!

Eric might not have 3.5 million followers like Shaq, but he does hail the game of Pongr as a blueprint for career success.

“The best real-life lesson in the game is that no one makes it to the top without help from others. If there’s anything I’ve learned in my experience in the ‘real world,’ it’s that you should never burn bridges and helping others is a key to moving up the corporate ladder,” he says.

As for moving down into the front row box seats at Fenway Park, Eric ironically won’t have that opportunity at all in 2011. He’s about to embark on a study abroad program in Germany and Finland to pursue his other loves: International travel and photography. Below is a gorgeous shot of one of the Great Pyramids he took from his Cairo hotel’s roof. Learn how he risked significant injury to get this pic by visiting his photography blog.

What would the Pharaohs Pongr if there were brands in Ancient Egypt?

Good luck chasing sunsets overseas, Eric — and don’t forget to snap and send lots of pics of German and Finnish brands!

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ATTENTION BASEBALL FANS: It’s time to snap pics of you and your friends in your baseball shirts and hats, as well as pics of Spring Training games in person or on TV… Share them with us and work your way up the ladder to team CEO!

Here’s where to email or picture-text your photos:

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
redsox@pongr.com
yankees@pongr.com
orioles@pongr.com
bluejays@pongr.com
rays@pongr.com

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
tigers@pongr.com
whitesox@pongr.com
twins@pongr.com
royals@pongr.com
indians@pongr.com

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
angels@pongr.com
athletics@pongr.com
mariners@pongr.com
texasrangers@pongr.com

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
marlins@pongr.com
mets@pongr.com
phillies@pongr.com
nationals@pongr.com

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
cubs@pongr.com
reds@pongr.com
astros@pongr.com
brewers@pongr.com
pirates@pongr.com
stlouiscardinals@pongr.com

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
dodgers@pongr.com
padres@pongr.com
diamondbacks@pongr.com
sfgiants@pongr.com
rockies@pongr.com

(Would you like to be featured on the Pongr blog? Tell us about your passions, your favorite brands and why you play Pongr! Drop us a line at dgarnick at pongr dot com)



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  • Mar
  • 02

Look Who’s Playing Pongr: Yankees fan Scott Ready

Posted in Advertising, Brand Loyalty, Sports Brands

Pongr player Scott Ready says he was "like a little kid in a candy store" when he recently visited the New York Yankees fan shop in Manhattan.

(In honor of the beginning of Spring Training, the official rebirth of hopes and dreams for the 28 teams who didn’t make it to the World Series, we are focusing on the spotlight on diehard baseball fans expressing their passion through Pongr.)

PONGR SPRING TRAINING PROFILE
Name: Scott Ready
Age: 21
Hometown: Mooresville, NC
Real Job: Student at Appalachian State University (Boone, NC)
Pongr Job: Marketing Support Associate, New York Yankees.
Career Dream: Major League Baseball commentator/analyst.
Other Favorite Brands to Pongr: Coors, Heineken, Netflix, Sobe, Red Bull, Apple, Katy Perry.
Favorite Yankee (Current): Jorge Posada
Favorite Yankee (All-Time): Yogi Berra
Fun Scott Fact: Earned his national certification to be a Little League umpire.

When Scott Ready’s family moved from New Jersey to North Carolina, he thought it might be tough to find Yankee Pride in the South. But he underestimated the influence and spread of the “Evil Empire.”

“Surprisingly there are a lot of  Yankee fans down here,” he says. “Plus, now with mobile television, free satellite radio, and scoring updates that are sent to your cell phone, staying up to date with the Yankees has never been easier.”

The senior broadcasting major at Appalachian State University recently operated the Jumbotron instant replays during ASU football games and has a show on WASU 90.5 FM, recently picked as one of the top college radio stations by mtvU.

He’d love to work for the Yankees some day and hopes to approach the team for an internship while he attends graduate school next year. A catcher, pitcher and outfielder for the ASU Mountaineers baseball team, he once aimed for the Major League draft, but a rotator cuff injury last year pushed him to the sidelines.

Shoulder problems, however, do not impact his performance in the Game of Pongr.

“I think that the Yankees could use this as a model to further connect with their fans,” Ready suggests. “Just as Pongr helps you rise up the ranks and compete with other people, why not do the same with Yankees stuff?”

“The more Yankees gear and memorabilia you own, or the more games you go see, the more you points you could earn. As you climb up the “fan ladder,” the Yankees organization could notice your loyalty and reward you with possible job interviews, or free tickets to games, or even rare memorabilia,” he adds.

Although Ready enjoys snapping and sending many consumer brands in the game, the Bronx Bombers are never really off his mind.

“I love the Yankees because of their undetermined will to win every season.  They care about their fans, so they put the best team possible out of the field every year,” he says. “And if that doesn’t get you pumped as a fan, I don’t know what will!”

What Rivalry? Pongr unites Yankees and Red Sox fans!

ATTENTION BASEBALL FANS: Time to snap pics of you and your friends in your baseball shirts and hats, as well as pics of Spring Training games in person or on TV.

Share them with us and work your way up the ladder to team CEO!

Here’s where to email or picture-text your photos:

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
redsox@pongr.com
yankees@pongr.com
orioles@pongr.com
bluejays@pongr.com
rays@pongr.com

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
tigers@pongr.com
whitesox@pongr.com
twins@pongr.com
royals@pongr.com
indians@pongr.com

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
angels@pongr.com
athletics@pongr.com
mariners@pongr.com
texasrangers@pongr.com

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
marlins@pongr.com
mets@pongr.com
phillies@pongr.com
nationals@pongr.com

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
cubs@pongr.com
reds@pongr.com
astros@pongr.com
brewers@pongr.com
pirates@pongr.com
stlouiscardinals@pongr.com

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
dodgers@pongr.com
padres@pongr.com
diamondbacks@pongr.com
sfgiants@pongr.com
rockies@pongr.com

(Would you like to be featured on the Pongr blog? Tell us about your passions, your favorite brands and why you play Pongr! Drop us a line at dgarnick at pongr dot com)



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  • Mar
  • 01

From Birdwatching to Brandwatching: The changing face of entertainment

Posted in Advertising, Brand Loyalty

As part of their retro vintage packaging, General Mills is bringing back classic cereal box games from yesteryear.

Retro brand packaging is still quite a hit with consumers — just take a look at how much fun Mountain Dew and Pepsi are having with their limited edition Throwback drinks!

General Mills is getting into the action, too. Through mid-March, there are five Big G brand cereals sporting vintage garb. Of course, how old “vintage” has to be just depends on how old you are.


LIMITED EDITION “BIG G” RETRO CEREAL BOXES:
Honey Nut Cheerios (1984)
Cheerios (1956)
Lucky Charms (1965)
Trix (1968)
Cinnamon Toast Crunch (1984)

The best part of the boxes are the backs, which contain fun activities and provide a window to what kids were thinking about at the breakfast table in yesteryear. Check out the instructions to the Cheerios birdwatching game pictured above:

Oh, we don’t actually expect you to read all that. The point is that kids in 1956 had the patience to cut up the cereal box into player cards and spend up to an hour interacting with one another face to face.

Now being a mobile gaming site, we are NOT about to pummel you with a sappy sermon about how technology has killed human communication. Far from it. Pongr is very much a social game.

You can Pongr your favorite breakfast cereals and orange juice brands with your family. In fact, taking pictures of people you love (or like) is far more interesting than pics of just things (see our full list of creative photo tips to get further in the game).

But Pongr is also a fun activity to do when you are alone — especially if you are waiting for a subway or bus — or in a long line at the supermarket. Let other people kill time. Use your time to snap and send pics of your favorite brands and compete to be CEO!

Back to the retro advertising trend. We’re absolutely thrilled that General Mills is making it their mission to share classic cartoons like Underdog and Tennessee Tuxedo! That’s also the perfect venue for generations to bond with each other.

TODAY’S CALL TO ACTION…

Open your kitchen cabinets and celebrate your favorite cereals by sending pics to Pongr. Just snap and email or picture-text to (brand)@pongr.com.

For example, cheerios@pongr.com, luckycharms@pongr.com, trix@pongr.com, etc.

We’re looking forward to tomorrow’s breakfast!  Can anyone top Pongr player Lauren G., who recently met the real-life Lucky Charms leprechaun?



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  • Feb
  • 24

Feline Brand Ambassador: Is your cat worth $50,000?

Posted in Advertising, Brand Ambassadors

CAT IN CONTROL -- Submitted by Shen G. (Pongr Comcast Intern)

We’ve already made a compelling case why cats are great brand ambassadors in the game of Pongr.

But now your cat could score you a sweet $50,000 gig as a Purina Cat Chow Correspondent. Purina is searching for a “self-taught expert who knows how to build strong connections between cats and their owners.” The job requires you to roam the country to bond with fellow cat owners and of course, their cats.

You can apply for the job on-line or if you happen to be in the Boston area on Saturday, there are live auditions at a local PetSmart store:

WHEN: Saturday, February 26, 2011.  Interviews will take place from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

WHERE: PetSmart, 5 Mystic View Rd, Everett, MA 02149

We encourage all Pongr cat lovers to put their collars in the ring and go for this prestigious position. But the promotion is also a valuable reminder that Pongr exists for players to create their own opportunities. Every player in the game is already a brand ambassador — you wouldn’t be “working” for the brand if you didn’t have a passion for it.

The best Pongr players — the ones who snap the most creative pictures, share their experiences via social media, and recruit friends — have a chance to attract the attention of real-life brand executives.

It’s not easy to become the CEO of a Pongr brand. It involves the same cleverness and stick-to-it-ness as the social media marketing jobs at any company. If you can have fun spreading the word about a product you already love, that’s the magic formula marketing executives want to capture!

Of course, if you just want to play Pongr for fun, that’s OK, too.  Depending on brand buy-in, your photos and social media shares can win you special deals and prizes.  Current prizes include free subscriptions to Cosmopolitan Magazine and a slate of cool Mountain Dew gear and drinks.

But back to the cats. Take a look at some of Pongr’s feline brand ambassadors in action (and a few other crafty creatures).

FINICKY CATS PREFER DIET - Submitted by Nathan B. (National Brand Manager)

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TRAPPED BY THE DEW -- Submitted by Brandon D. (Administrative Assistant)

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FIVE STAR DINING - Submitted by Jackie N. (Office Temp)

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PUPPY LOVE - Submitted by Jamie T. (PETCO Event Planner)

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LICORICE LOVER -- Submitted by Shen G. (Twizzlers Intern)

(Not to pick on any specific food brands, but is your cat getting too fat? The Wall Street Journal wants to hear from you!)



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  • Feb
  • 21

Buried Treasure: Childhood adventure uncovers Mountain Dew relic

Posted in Advertising

Original Throwback: Sean found this bottle during a childhood archeological dig.

Sean M. is a recovering packrat.

As a kid, he once strung 800 keychains together as a funky bedroom decoration. He also hoarded buckets of nuts and bolts, and those plastic sword toothpicks that get stuck in cheese. And there’s never been a yard sale, flea market or second-hand store that hasn’t lured him in with the promise of hidden treasure.

Marriage and buying a house inevitably led him to shed many of his miscellaneous possessions. “Decluttering” is the fancy term for it. But there’s one sentimental item that the 33-year-old aspiring novelist will never give up.

Almost two decades ago, a teenage Sean was on an adventure hike in the woods surrounding his rural Maryland neighborhood.  He and his friends stumbled across some rusty vehicles and what appeared to be traces of a dirt road and an old farmhouse foundation, long conquered by the regrowth of the forest. Suddenly, a shimmering reflection caught his eye.

Sean dug a bit and found a green 1960s Mountain Dew bottle with Gran’ Pappy, the original hillbilly mascot that many kids know today from the limited edition release of Mountain Dew Throwback.

Front and back view of Sean's prized 1960s Mountain Dew bottle.

Sean cleaned out the dirt and mud and displayed it in his bedroom. For him, the bottle’s surprise appearance was fate. “My parents had banned soda from our house. It was only an occasional treat at restaurants and at grandma’s house. You could get whatever you wanted at grandma’s house!”

Like a wine aficionado testing out what works best with chicken or steak, Sean liked to experiment tasting Dew with different brands of candy. One of his favorite combinations was Mountain Dew with Butterfingers. “I think the stuff that got caught in my teeth gave me an extra flavor fix,” he hypothesizes.

We always covet what we can’t have, and the freedom of college opened up the spigots. Sean recalls guzzling a 2-liter of Dew every day, but he eventually switched to Diet Mountain Dew.

Forget about milk and eggs... You need room in the fridge for more Dew!

Sean now celebrates his love for the Dew by sharing pictures on Pongr.

When he was a kid, Sean's parents rationed his soda intake. Adulthood comes with unlimited Dew privileges!

“I’d like to thank them for making the product,” he says. “It’s made a great impact on my life and I think it would be cool to work for them.”

Sean’s picked up on one of the most exciting features of Pongr. While most players participate for fun or hopes of winning prizes, a select few of the most devoted brand enthusiasts — those who share the most creative pictures and recruit the most fans — may attract the attention of the company’s marketing executives.

And that’s even cooler than finding an antique hillbilly bottle.

In the heated Pongr competition for Dew Bucks, Sean is at the top of his game.

(Sean is planning to give the Dew some complimentary product placement in his yet-to-be-titled science fiction novel. What do YOU think of his vintage Mountain Dew bottle or his suggestion to combine the flavors of Mountain Dew and Butterfinger? Share your comments on his Pongr activity photostream.)



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