"American Express shows savvy at Open"

From ESPN.COM

Review by Kevin Bradshaw in KIN 332 (section 1)

After this year’s U.S. Open, American Express has been recognized as one of the best sports marketing plans in the business. They don’t just associate themselves with the event, but the extend their name while making sure as fans they have the best experience possible. First, American express gave out headphones that streamed live podcasts to all fans that were carrying an American Express card at the Open. They also had stands that matched your personal preferences with players and matches to make sure you enjoyed you match and experience to the fullest. American Express went above and beyond with their marketing plan, the didn’t just give away items or put their name on merchandise, they succeeded fans expectations and kept them entertained the entire time. They even gave other fans that could attend the matches a chance to watch. The set up screens that streamed live matches in parks around New York City. American Express had options for almost every type of person. The fan, the fair-weather fan, the lazy sport enthusiast, children, etc. The attracted people who liked to shop and get away from tennis, by supplying a $50 gift card to anyone who spent $150 dollars at the Ralph Lauren store. They also gave parents a break from their fidgeting children by having open tennis courts and Nintendo Wii for the kids to play. The USTA took this opportunity to help spread the love of tennis to children. They gave out free lessons with professional tennis players to any child that wanted them. American Express went above and beyond for their company, the athletes, and their fans. They put a lot of risk on the line, but came up on top. Businesses should use American Express’s marketing ploys as guidelines to their advantage in the future; they are obviously doing the right things since they are one of the most successful sports marketers in the business.