Anyone else sick of coupon giveaways?

[Vgmastr]

Is anyone else really disappointed with the giveaways lately? For the past couple of seasons, it seems like the Brewers have gone away from traditional giveaways, and more towards coupon giveaways. The past couple of seasons, it was usually just the occasional oil change or Sports Authority coupon. This season they seem to have taken it to another level. Other than the six bobblehead days, traditional giveaways have been few and far between. I have tickets to tomorrow night's game, and we get a coupon for a free jewerly or gemstone tune up. Yay? This season I've also gotten a coupon for a mattress or appliances. Friday night's game has a coupon giveaway for a home generator. Whatever happened to cap day or blanket day? When I go to a game, I want stuff with a Brewer logo on it, not a coupon I'm never going to use.

[pitchleague]

I'm kind of surprised that the Brewers don't do a coupon giveaway for AFTER the ballgame like many parks do. Like a "Brewers score 7 runs, you score a free taco at Taco John's" or "Brewers strike out 10 batters or more, you get a free fountain drink at Kwik Trip."

[logan82]

I would imagine the Brewers get money for doing coupon giveaways. It would be nice if they were for something I would actually use though.

[thablingster]

I definitely get where you're coming from, but I think a lot of it is due to the economy. The Brewers are trying to give back to their sponsors by directly creating revenue for them with coupon giveaways. For example, Brewers Blanket Day sponsored by Verlo doesn't create as much revenue for Verlo as a coupon giveaway does. For most fans it is meaningless, but I'm sure their hope is it reaches enough people to create a sales spike.

 

They did a few non-bobblehead giveaways this year (Fielder growth chart, Brewers drawstring backpack), but those were both sponsored by companies that a coupon bump really doesn't help. AirTran and Frontier did luggage tags, which is a cutesy thing that basically gives them continued exposure in the community. I think as things continue to rebound you'll see the hat, koozie, and other novelty giveaway days return.

[young guns]

I'm kind of surprised that the Brewers don't do a coupon giveaway for AFTER the ballgame like many parks do. Like a "Brewers score 7 runs, you score a free taco at Taco John's" or "Brewers strike out 10 batters or more, you get a free fountain drink at Kwik Trip."

I think they might do that. About a month ago, after the Italian Sausage bobblehead game, I got a coupon for a free small fry from McDonalds. I didn't notice anything as to why they were being given out though.

[hawing]

The Brewers have had a deal this season where at certain exits after a Brewers win, coupons for free fries at McDonald's are given out. The coupon is valid at participating southeast Wisconsin McDonald's locations, though, so it's only helpful for locals.

 

Here's the 2010 promotion schedule (scroll down for prior months). By my reckoning, here are the flat-out giveaways that are not bobbleheads:

 

2010 Magnet schedule

1970s pennant (kids only)

Police baseball card set (kids only)

Luggage tag

Drawstring backpack

1980s pennant (kids only)

Prince Fielder growth chart

Grill Master apron

Ryan Braun luggage tag

 

I don't know if the promotion/giveaway schedules of prior seasons are available online (for the sake of comparison). I've got them in print form, but I'd have to look them up later. If I get that chance I'll post again.

 

Everything else does appear to be a coupon or something that requires a purchase elsewhere. Some are for Milwaukee area businesses, which makes them extra useless for those of us who travel from outstate. I'm no marketing expert, but maybe the Brewers are better compensated for coupon deals than for straight giveaway items? Especially in "these troubled times"?

 

Friday's coupon for $300 off a home generator is a particular head-scratcher. I wonder how much Generac expects sales to climb in response to that. Maybe the MP crew should stage a blackout during that game to make fans believe that they really need a home generator. (If this happens, we'll know someone in the organization is reading bf.net.)

 

The one giveaway I had looked forward to this year was a Chorizo keychain. I have the other four, plus a spare Hot Dog all ready to trade for a Chorizo in case it was a game we couldn't attend. Seriously, Chevy? You can still give away a vehicle on Fan Appreciation Night but can't get behind 25000 chintzy but sausage-shaped keychains?

 

For crying out loud, there's not even a cap giveaway! I wonder if there was a focus group who said, "We have enough SGA caps."

 

Edit: d'oh, I see in the time it took me to compose this masterful post, several of you responded with more succinct explanations. Well, my generator and keychain comments still stand.

[Funketown]

Dave Bush pitches, free meatball sub at Subway.

[kilgore37]

I go to games to see games, not get coupons. Buy a Sunday. paper if you want coupons.

[mothershipconnection]

Dave Bush pitches, free meatball sub at Subway.

 

If Rickie Weeks gets hit by a pitch in 2 consecutive at bats, all of Milwaukee will receive a free bean burrito from 11:00-3:00 the following day at participating Taco Bell locations.

[carniesandrubes]

Sponsors will usually pay for the giveaway items, and with the down economy, they probably can't justify the expense for more "premium" giveaways.

[Godspeed]

I've also gotten a coupon for a mattress

 

Everyone recieved $50 off a Verlo mattress set at one of the games against the Twins. Aside from the fact that people don't traditionally buy mattresses on whims, why would they utilize it against an opponent that typically draws well for the opposing fans who hail from an area in which there are no Verlo stores?

[logan82]

They don't want the coupons to be used.

[jwill535]

They don't want the coupons to be used.

Its similar to offering to pay for dinner or something similar knowing full well that the other person is going to object and pay for it.

[And That]

They don't want the coupons to be used.

The primary goal of the coupon is to create awareness and get people in the store, but I bet they'd probably be thrilled if all the coupons were used. While most of them would not doubt be used for low-end mattresses, enough would probably be used for the higher-end/higher-margin mattresses that the coupon campaign would be a success.

[dadofandrew]

I'm kind of surprised that the Brewers don't do a coupon giveaway for AFTER the ballgame like many parks do. Like a "Brewers score 7 runs, you score a free taco at Taco John's" or "Brewers strike out 10 batters or more, you get a free fountain drink at Kwik Trip."

These are frowned upon by MLB and the NBA, as it can create a bit of "point-fixing". I think the NBA has banned them, but all leagues hate them.

 

And stores beg people to use the coupons, it's their advertising. It will increase traffic enough to easily make up for it. Many stores will take the coupon off if you just mention it, or say you forgot it at home. Margin is great, but sales are the life blood, as they lead to repeat sales, positive word of mouth, and so on.

 

Buffalo Wild Wings gave away free food during their "soft" opening in Point last week, a Mexican place near work dropped off 100 "$5 off" coupons with no minimum purchase for the office. Just trying to get people in the door, and food cost is what, 20-30%? It's a cheap way of getting you in the store.

[Invader3K]

Well, they already do the George Webb "6 burgers for 5 bucks" promotion; so they probably don't want to do many more scoring/stat type promotions anyway.

 

I agree that some of the coupon giveaways are kind of lame. I can't typically use the coupons they give away, but I don't really come to the ballpark to get some promo anyway. I have enough cheap Brewers hats lying around at this point (though I'll never turn down a free Brewers hat, I suppose).

[beno78]

I believe the reason is because they didn't think they had to do more exciting ones (lunch bag, cap etc.).

 

No different than how they treated some season ticket holders this year. They thought there would be 3 million easy and they didn't have to try or work for the attendance. Lots of truth to the "direct marketing/spending" nature of the coupons. But I don't think the economy is as much of the reason as the arrogance of some of the sales/ticket office staff/management.

[jeffy]

Sponsors will usually pay for the giveaway items, and with the down economy, they probably can't justify the expense for more "premium" giveaways.

 

Right, isn't it largely up to the sponsors to decide what they want to pay for for these give aways? Nothing is ever just a Brewer item, is it?

 

I don't care much about most giveaways, about the only worthwhile thing I think I ever got is an umbrella that has Brewers logo, but it also has Miller and/or Miller Lite all over it. I really pay no attention to whatever they may be giving away when deciding to buy tickets or not, but I wouldn't mind a hat, t-shirt, or softsided cooler, can't really think of anything else that they typically might give away...other than we could use another umbrella.

[Baldkin]

I'm kind of surprised that the Brewers don't do a coupon giveaway for AFTER the ballgame like many parks do. Like a "Brewers score 7 runs, you score a free taco at Taco John's" or "Brewers strike out 10 batters or more, you get a free fountain drink at Kwik Trip."

I think they might do that. About a month ago, after the Italian Sausage bobblehead game, I got a coupon for a free small fry from McDonalds. I didn't notice anything as to why they were being given out though.

"Text McDonalds to see what gate you can get your free small fries at after the game!"

 

It's a scam, so you get about 9,000 texts from McDonalds after the original one until you figure out how to unsubscribe from their auto-text list.

[bucks2281]

These are frowned upon by MLB and the NBA, as it can create a bit of "point-fixing". I think the NBA has banned them, but all leagues hate them.

 

No. If the Bucks score 100, you can get a free Quarter Pounder/Big Mac/Frappe from McDonald's. In Toronto, you get a free slice at Pizza Pizza if the Raptors score 100. I'm pretty sure a lot of NBA teams do this type of promotion.

 

I will say -- I do appreciate the $15 off Valvoline coupons. Everything else -- especially the $10 off a Frontier flight -- is useless to me.

[pitchleague]

thanks, bucks2281. I was pretty sure that teams still did that. I know the Diamondbacks gave away coupons for many years for runs scored and strikeouts thrown after every game. Of course, I haven't been to a game down there all year since they stink. Just too far to travel for a pretty poor chance at seeing a win. (I was out with the flu or something in May when I could have seen the Brewers sweep and Gerut cycle.)

[Invader3K]

I know the Rockies have some kind of promotion with Taco Bell (free taco if the Rockies win or something like that). Carlos Gonzalez is in the TV ads.

[beno78]

"Text McDonalds to see what gate you can get your free small fries at after the game!"

 

It's a scam, so you get about 9,000 texts from McDonalds after the original one until you figure out how to unsubscribe from their auto-text list.

Text STOP to stop receiving. They are always at the home plate gates. So no need to really text anyways unless you aren't leaving through those doors. And it is everytime they win.

 

 

[Polish Falcons]

Yes.

 

I like promotions like score 100 points and win a free taco or score 5 runs and get 5 burgers for 5 bucks. However I don’t like the idea of handing out coupons for generators at the gate in place of traditional souvenirs such as pennants, lunchboxes, umbrellas, seat cushions, baseball cards, hats, beer cozies, bat day, t-shirts, etc. Hopefully these more traditional items weren’t purposefully abandoned. My feeling is that it is an economic issue since the companies pay for the giveaways, which stinks, but is understandable.

 

To my knowledge this is not something that has been adopted around the league however. I’ve been to several stadiums in the past couple years and have not received any coupons for generators or mattresses or anything of the like. Those are probably the two worst “promotions” I have ever heard, for most people anyway.