Brandstorm

On this episode of Brandstorm, Co-hosts Dan Trzinski and Nancy Christopher are joined by Rob Brennan and Tyler Schmidt, two digital marketing specialists at Platypus Advertising + Design, to talk about geofencing and OTT. We’ll find out the benefits to marketers and how it is used in advertising.

What is Geofencing and OTT?

Geofencing uses location-based technology, like GPS or WiFi, with mobile devices like your smart phone to serve messages to consumers within a targeted geography or area of high relevance. A geofence is a virtual perimeter around a real-world geography. It could be one or more physical locations like a store, a zip code or even the addresses of those on an email list. When someone with a mobile device enters that targeted location, the geofence acts as a trigger to serve an ad. Its uses in advertising are endless...from promoting a product or service with special discounts or offers and encouraging visitors to go to a special attraction to inviting people to your booth at a trade show or pampering your fans with loyalty rewards, for example.

OTT stands for “over-the-top,” the term used for the delivery of film and TV content via the internet, without requiring users to subscribe to a traditional cable or satellite pay-TV service like a Comcast or Time Warner Cable. OTT and Geofencing work well together. You can set up fences within homes with streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire. Advertisers can follow consumers based on specific demographics and criteria no matter what they are watching.

Benefits of Geofencing

Relevancy and value are the biggest benefits of geofencing, according to Rob. If you have done your homework and know your target audience, it is possible to serve the right message to the right person at the right time. The more defined your target audience is, the more relevant your message will be to them.

Value is also significant. Geofencing allows marketers to deliver massive amounts of impressions to targeted audiences at a fraction of cost of traditional media. In the Milwaukee area, the cost is typically between $7 to $10 per thousand, but it will vary in other markets.

Targeting Audiences

While advertisers can target customers using demographics like age, gender and household incomes, Tyler says geofencing enables you to dive deeper using contextual search, interests and purchasing, browsing and behavioral history. With this criterion, advertisers can get specific. For instance, if you are in a car wreck, you might receive messages from a rental car company, a car dealer, an auto shop, or a personal injury attorney.

Privacy Issues

Your phone is a GPS unit. While you can limit the number of in-phone apps you are using, you can never be completely off the radar. Smart phones can still be tracked even if all location services and GPS have been turned off. If you want complete privacy, Rob suggests that you buy a burner phone.

Questions to Ask Your Geofencing Vendors

There are a lot of media outlets, including television stations, radio stations, billboard companies and newspapers, getting into geofencing as an extra revenue stream. There is nothing wrong with this, however you may be spending more for your services going through second, third and fourth parties who are reselling the service. Ad agencies, like Platypus, have direct access to data providers.

Secondly, digital marketing in general is not the primary service these media outlets provide. Ad agencies, like Platypus, have digital marketing specialists like Rob and Tyler, whose sole responsibilities are working with you to develop campaign strategies and manage your ad accounts every day.

So, here are two important questions to ask your potential vendor:

1. What is your company’s core business?
2. What is your access to the data provider’s inventory? Are there any limits or competitive disadvantages when bidding on the inventory?

ROI

Geofencing can be easily tracked based on what you need to measure success, be it the number of impressions, click-thru-rates or number of conversions. The real exciting point is that it answers an advertiser’s question of whether a consumer has seen an ad and responded. It can actually track a potential customer going into your business and making a transaction. And geofencing works no matter what size your company is. For as little as $2,000/month, you can achieve amazing results.

Connect with Rob and Tyler

Rob Brennan:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertpbrennan/

Tyler Schmidt:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-schmidt-18306a28/

About Gary Lancina

Gary Lancina is no stranger to marketing. Prior to joining Mercury Marine in 2016, Gary worked for SC Johnson’s marketing department. Gary promoted personal care brands using a strategy known as influencer marketing. Influencer marketing involves a forming a relationship with an influential person to strengthen a brand’s identity on social media or in-person. Gary has established a wealth of these relationships, from connections in the automotive field to minor league hockey teams and the NFL. Gary currently serves as senior director of Global Brand and Influencer Marketing Strategy at Mercury Marine.

Authentic Agendas

Gary says that influencer marketing is all about creating productive, mutually beneficial relationships with potential customers. Utilizing well-vetted influencers within an industry has proven to be an ethical and successful way to increase awareness and product sales. Finding appropriate influencers are both an art and a science. Gary explains that when scouring social media for new relationships, individuals with a big following aren’t always the most sought-after trait. While finding someone who emits a trustworthy, authentic perspective is crucial, you also have to carefully look at their audience’s characteristics. Having an overly bloated or broad follower base can lead to weaker engagements or an inappropriate demographic altogether.

Connecting with Influencers

When Gary first began utilizing influencer marketing, he created relationships through the use of agencies who helped broker introductions. The influencers many of these agencies brought in weren’t always in tune with the demographics Mercury Marine was looking for. Gary says in marine sporting, history or legacy in an activity or industry is the key to reaching the audience you are catering to.

The smaller population of advocates and enthusiasts with marine interests isn’t as cutthroat as other fields, making it feasible to introduce relationships and opportunities to specific people without the use of an agency. Gary says that once a strong relationship is formed with an influencer, other leads follow in the form of referrals.

Local Influencers

Mercury Marine’s reputation and legacy helps reach everyday people who fit the profile of the company’s influencers. Whether it be fishing guide services or pro fisherman, most enthusiasts are familiar with the Mercury brand. Creating relationships with these earnest, local aficionados can be tremendously successful in stimulating awareness, loyalty and purchases in many regions. The person-to-person contact initiated by on-the-ground advocacy is just as important as positioning a brand alongside a popular online influencer.

Maintaining Relationships

The nature of influencer marketing requires establishing and maintaining relationships. Gary says keeping open and clear channels of communication is crucial. Hearing the perspective of an influencer and keeping an open dialogue about the relationship also helps prolong and strengthen a relationship. Gary says the longevity of relationships is extremely important, and at Mercury Marine some of these connections have lasted for decades.

Success Metrics

Social platforms allow for content-creators to access a bounty of valuable statistics and data. Analytics like click-throughs, views, screen-time, sources of traffic, activation methods and location data help determine the effectiveness of the relationship. Tools like Crimson Hexagon also give detailed insights into demographics and audiences. Location analytics allow a detailed look into how word-of-mouth and social posting alone can generate buzz in a region. In all cases, building trust and evoking feelings for your brand without diluting the integrity of your brand is certainly considered a measurement for success.

Connect With Gary

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/glancina/

How do you keep a business going, when your service or product is seasonal? David Lepak owns a pest control service called Mosquito Joe of Waukesha County. He shares his journey to buying a franchise and building a customer base of 600 in the first year.

About Dave and Lynn Lepak

Lynn is a registered nurse and Dave is a recovering politician. After downsizing their home, the couple wanted to get into a business where they could help people. The idea for getting into the Mosquito business came after throwing a party on their new outdoor deck. As the sun started to go down, the mosquitos came out, forcing everyone to go inside their smaller home. After that experience, the Lepak’s learned the mosquito was a dangerous predator, causing the most deaths in the world. They also discovered mosquito control was a “thing.” They originally worked with a pest control franchisor that proved to be non-responsive to their needs. Then, they discovered Mosquito Joe and became the first Mosquito Joe franchise in Wisconsin in 2018.

Mosquito Joe

Mosquito Joe has just under 300 franchisees in the U.S. and they all treat only mosquitos. The company has a Barrier Spray Program that uses three products. The first product is sprayed around the property’s problem areas to deter flying pests. A second product is sprayed on foliage to kill mosquitos, followed by a third spray that inhibits reproduction. The first treatment eliminates 75 to 80 percent of all mosquitos, and more than 90 percent by the third treatment. Treatments typically last three weeks, so having a regular treatment program is best. All Mosquito Joe products are low toxicity, but there are also all-natural products available made from garlic extract or rosemary and peppermint that have no toxicity but are not as effective.

The Mosquito Joe Difference

David says the real difference in his pest control service from competitors is customer service. The company spends lots of time with its customers finding out how they use their backyard so that they can be effective. Mosquitos are the only thing Dave’s company treats, so they strive to be the best at mosquito control.

Running a Seasonal Service

Mosquito season in Wisconsin may only be 5 months max, but according to Dave, it’s a year-round business. During the off-season, David spends the time evaluating the last season and making improvements, maintaining vans and equipment, restocking products and marketing materials, and updating customer lists. While profit margins take a hit in the off-season, Dave keeps revenues coming by offering attractive deals for customers who renew and new customers who sign up for the next season in advance. Staffing is also a challenge in a seasonal business, although David typically targets college students and places a heavy emphasis on training.

Advice for Franchise Seekers

If you’re looking into purchasing a franchise business of your own, David has this advice:

• Call as many franchisees as you can and make sure you get answers to all of your questions
• Do some vetting of your own regarding the leadership team, finding out how long the organization has been in business, how much turnover there has been within the company and what kind of operations and marketing support it provides the franchisee
• Get to know the franchisor and support staff by visiting the headquarters
• Understand the franchise contract in totality because you can’t change it
• Be passionate about your business. Don’t just dial it in.

Connect with David Lepak

Phone: 262-232-7570

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @MosquitoJoeofWaukeshaCounty

Website: https://waukeshacounty.mosquitojoe.com/

Out of Home (OOH) advertising continues to get creative, finding more ways to be where people are conducting everyday activities. On this episode of Brandstorm, Dan and Nancy talk Jake Johnson, VP & national sales director at All Over Media in Minneapolis to find out what’s new in OOH ads.

OOH Advertising

OOH, or outdoor media, is advertising that reaches consumers while they are outside their homes. It focuses on connecting with people while they are on the go in public places…on mobile vehicles that include trains, trucks and buses, wallscapes, gas stations, and in waiting rooms, bars and, bathrooms. Highly visual and strategic, OOH has the advantage of being where people are at, while traditional media is more passive. People aren’t always able to read the newspaper, watch TV or listen to the radio. In addition, OOH is beneficial to advertisers in cities and communities that are heavily zoned, as in Washington, D.C., or have changing landscapes, as in L.A. or Malibu.

All Over Media

Headquartered in Minneapolis, All Over Media offers a variety of OOH assets that target people during their daily lifestyle activities. The company has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Miami, Dallas and Seattle, and has recently expanded in Canada and France.

Creative OOH Uses

The use of OOH is typically creative-driven. While some clients come in with an idea using OOH, Jake says All Over Media often serves as a consultant, offering recommendations based on the markets and target audiences. OOH continues to evolve and is beginning to be more interactive with consumers. During NBC’s Billboard Music Awards, for example, an ad for Ariana Grande’s latest release involved the use of a hand-painted mural at the street level featuring a live, social influencer in the music industry, named Alicia. Jake believes the more consumers can touch, feel and experience an ad, the better, so we will be seeing more ads using 3-D printing and more interaction with ad itself. The use of ads that interact with social influencers and social media will be more prevalent in the future.

Pricing OOH

Jake says pricing varies depending on the market and OOH format. The company will typically use cost-per-thousands or CPMs or use comparison pricing with similar OOH formats. Other OOH pricing, like gas station ads, are simplified using a collection of averages for numerous locations. Multiple gas stations, for example, would be priced the same per unit despite its location.

Connect with Jake

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 612-327-5225

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/jake.johnson2

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-johnson-3a44322/

To be relevant in business, it’s all about the customer experience. On this episode of Brandstorm, Dan and Nancy talk to a man who makes a living keeping people happy. Joe Bravo is the Bars and Entertainment Director at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego and is responsible for creating memorable experiences for guests.

About Joe Bravo

Prior to coming to San Diego a few months ago, Joe worked at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, where he oversaw the iconic Rehab Beach Club. Joe started his career working at Studio 54 in Vegas at the height of the nightclub boom. He went on to work for Pure Management Group in Vegas and the MGM Grand in Detroit, before joining Hard Rock.

Creating a Memorable Experience

Every Hark Rock Hotel has its own personality. Las Vegas is a gunfight because of the extreme competition. There is literally gigantic entertainment on every corner. San Diego is more laid back; however, Joe is hoping to bring some of that high-octane entertainment to the city with beach parties, pool concerts and parties that encompass the entire hotel. According to Joe, creating a memorable experience starts with boots on the ground and hiring a great line level staff. It’s Hard Rock’s best recruitment tool, best advertising and best road to success. Second, that line level staff must be trained and given the knowledge to let guests know what’s going on at the property. There’s nothing more frustrating to Joe than creating these great experiences and not having the information channel down to the line level. If you don’t have a good line level staff, you will never be successful.

Hard Rock Hotel Customer Personas

Joe says Hard Rock is the fourth strongest brand in the world, especially in Europe. The organization has five types of customers: people who come to buy Hard Rock pins, t-shirts and other memorabilia; people who are loyal to the brand; people who remember the Hard Rock of their youth; people who recognize Hard Rock as a trendy brand that always has something going on; and more recently, people who enjoy the nightlife, pool concerts and parties. Joe is currently focusing on San Diego’s beach club, called Sunburn. Sunburn attracts 1,500 to 2,000 people every Saturday with a pool party featuring world-class DJs.

Ideation

Those great experiences and parties at Hard Rock are typically initiated by internal staff, however sometimes they do get help from two companies in San Diego, called RMD and Party Naked. Joe says most events are planned four months in advance and start with determining what kind of guests they want to attract, then circling in on the talent and figuring out how to get people there.

Capturing Great Images

To capture the energy and excitement at Hard Rock events, Joe always has a great photographer onsite. When staged events are needed, they go for the best lighting, atmosphere and weather available. Nothing is ever contrived or overproduced. Images must look organic. Lastly, you have to have talent. You need the best people onboard planning and taking the images.

Customer Feedback

Customer feedback is Joe’s life’s blood. After all, people only remember the very special and bad experiences. Joe focuses on the bad experiences because it is his opportunity to turn a customer into a longtime fan. While the customer is not always right, you can never tell the customer he or she is wrong. The key is to pivot and turn a bad experience into a positive one. Ninety percent of all complaints are fixable and controllable, so this is the cornerstone of Joe’s management style. What frustrates him the most is not knowing about a problem until it’s too late to do anything. His mantra for room managers is too never let any complaint get off the deck. Deal with complaints in the rooms, because if they get to the front desk, it’s over. At Hard Rock, the mission is to have every guest leave with a great story to tell back home.

It has been said that 80 percent of CEOs believe they deliver a superior customer experience, but only 8 percent of customers agree. To combat this problem, Joe says upper management needs to spend more time on the floor engaging with guests and employees. Inspect what you expect is another Joe Bravo mantra.

Secret shopping, sometimes using outside services or planting friends on the property, is another way to find out if employees are following policies. However, employees can often sniff out a secret shopper, so it is still recommended for management to spend more time on the floor.

Taking the Good with the Bad

As you can imagine, Joe loves his job. Who wouldn’t enjoy making people happy, right? The hardest part of his job, though, is time management. Sometimes there is just not enough time in a day to plan, create and execute great experiences, while carrying on the day-to-day responsibilities. And when any event is over, Joe says its critical to be a “Monday morning quarterback” to determine what went well, what didn’t and how things can be improved. His staff typically meets four days after an event, so they have time to rest, digest what happened and come up with fresh ideas.

People want to be entertained and that can happen anywhere. Joe says people will flock to the out of the way and unexpected places if once they get there, they enjoy their experience. You just need to know and then deliver what people are looking for in any market. To quote the movie Field of Dreams, “if you build it, they will come.

Connect with Joe

Email: joe.bravo@[email protected]

Phone: 702-810-8996

Facebook

LinkedIn

Twitter

Hard Rock San Diego

An educated and knowledgeable employee is a happier employee, according to our guest on this edition of Brandstorm. Kyle Lacy is the VP of marketing at Lessonly, a modern team-building software company based in Indianapolis. The company provides online training software for those in sales, customer service, and any other customer-facing role. Its biggest customers include the retail, telecom and software industries.

The Six Pillars of Training

The mission at Lessonly is to help people do better work so they can live better lives. In most cases, companies supply Lessonly with training information and materials, while Lessonly provides the platform for learning.

The customer experience is what makes any company relevant. Kyle says the three most important steps to training success is for employees to be able to learn, practice and perform. The software not only offers training lessons, but it also enables employees to repeatedly practice what they’ve learned right within the app. Management can then review and provide immediate feedback about the employee’s performance.

Conversely, leaders within an organization must be able to plan, build and assess an effective training program. Companies provide Lessonly with what they want to accomplish and Lessonly makes it happen through numerous training tools, including video, email pitches, ZenDesk tickets, audio for phone calls and open practicing. According to Kyle, the biggest measurement of how well Lessonly’s software works is in the onboarding process, where the time it takes to train new employees can be cut in half.

Do Better Work Book to be Released in February

At Lessonly, employees live the brand every day, marketing the company from the inside out. The company’s CEO and President are both only 30 years old and according to Kyle, wise beyond their years in how they care about employees. In February, Lessonly will release a book based largely on the soft skills that they practice and their approach to leadership, including vulnerability, appreciative inquiry and comradery. To sign up to receive a copy, go to the company’s website, lessonly.com, and click on the “Do Better Work” page.

Connect with Kyle

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: @kylelacy

Twitter: @kyleplacy

Company Website: www.lessonly.com

Company LinkedIn: @lessonly

Company Twitter: @lessonly

Bike Share programs have been popping up all over the U.S. In some cases, bike sharing has become necessary because motor traffic is too dense in the city, or there is a parking space shortage, like in Milwaukee. On this episode of Brandstorm, Executive Director Sally Sheperdson talks about the bike share program in Milwaukee, called Bublr. Started in 2014, Bublr’s affinity and awareness in the community is through the roof.

Bublr Beginnings

The concept of bike sharing is simple enough. Anyone can pick up a bike at a bike station, ride it to anywhere in the city, then return it to a bike station, where someone else can use the bike again.

According to Sally, Bublr was the brainchild of three locals. Two are avid bikers and the other is a community organizer. Bike share programs have a variety of funding models, but they wanted Milwaukee’s to be a nonprofit...a program of and for the community.

The original name was Midwest Bike Share, which was incorporated legally with the IRS, but everyone wanted something different…a name that was short, catchy and memorable. With the help of local ad agencies and marketing professionals, the second name they came up with was Mke Bikes. It still wasn’t good enough. The group eventually agreed on Bublr, which is an insider reference to something only Milwaukeeans would know (water fountains are affectionately called bubblers in this town). It also links the program to water, something Milwaukee has in abundance. Even the color, which is a signature Robin egg blue (Wisconsin’s official state bird), connotes water.

Cost Structure

The Milwaukee area currently has 87 bike stations and 700 bikes, however, with additional grants, Sally says they should have more than 1,000 bikes by 2020. Ninety percent of the funding for Bublr comes from the four municipalities it serves, including Milwaukee, the Village of Shorewood, Wauwatosa, and West Allis. Each community has received federal dollars from grants that stem from clean air and alternative transportation initiatives. The remaining 10 percent comes from corporate donations and promotion. Since Bublr is a non-profit, it is not able to charge the true cost of the program, so prices range from $4 for 30 minutes to $15 for a monthly pass with unlimited 60-minute rides to $80 for the year. An $8 access pass is available to participants in Milwaukee’s food share and housing authority programs and a 24-hour, $24 pass has recently been launched. Bublr has also come up with an integrated transit pass for the bus and bikes call Buslr.

Responsible Citizenry

While there have been a few thefts and some vandalism to the bikes, Sally says it is rare. People recognize the blue bikes as Bublr and will report where they are when they see them. The kiosks also have computers that let the Bublr shop know when bikes should come in for maintenance, and if anyone runs into any trouble, like a flat tire, all they need to do is text Bublr and someone will come and get them.

Looking to the Future

Sally says her main goal is sustainability and growth. A national statistic claims the best distance between bike stations is 1500-ft. because most people don’t want to walk any farther. That leaves a lot of room for growth in Milwaukee. And unfortunately, federal funding only goes to communities that apply for the grants, so there are a lot of gaps between cities.

Connect with Sally Sheperdson

Phone: 414-530-3785

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: @sallysheperdson

Twitter: @sallybublr

Website: www.bublrbikes.org

Are you confident enough to know what to say in a crucial moment? On this episode of Brandstorm, our guest will help you speak and be heard. Julie Loeding is a certified corporate trainer of “Crucial Conversations” and a management and marketing instructor at Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC), as well as a former Miss Wisconsin.

What’s a Crucial Conversation?

A crucial conversation can happen at the workplace or in your personal life and evokes strong emotions, has high stakes and involves opposing opinions. It is also the name of a book, training program, and certification created by Vital Smarts, a global leadership training provider out of Utah. Its researchers spent 35 years studying and identifying the best performers within organizations and how they effectively handled different situations. That wisdom has been parlayed into a bestselling book and 16-hour training program.

The Anatomy of a Crucial Conversation

In most organizations, Crucial Conversations start with senior leadership and then filter down through the entire company. Every organization has problems, but Julie says the most successful ones talk about them. According to Julie, you must separate emotions from the facts and start with heart. What do want for yourself, the other person, your relationship or company? It forces you to take the focus off yourself. Time, place and safety are also important for conversations. Julie admits her favorite place is in the car where there is no opportunity to escape, but if you are in a meeting and see someone is shutting down, smiling or getting angry, stop and address that emotion. Ask them what they are feeling. Be tentative in your actions and ask for feedback. For example, “I’ve told you some of my concerns. Now I’d like to hear from you.” At that point, be quiet and listen. You can also try priming, which involves asking a question in different ways. You can solve problems faster when the conversations are open and end with an action plan.

Lastly, Julie says there are conversations that can end up in a downward spiral, where emotions derail the conversation. In these cases, stop and step out of that conversation. Take a timeout. Acknowledge that things are not going well and perhaps start over or apologize or try contrasting by pointing out your original intent versus what just happened.

Why Crucial Conversations?

Julie endorses Crucial Conversations because of its real-life scenarios, online components, videos and tools to help organizations and individuals work through difficult situations. The 16 hours can be done intensely over a couple of days or over several weeks depending on the organization’s schedule. Costs are typically determined by the number of attendees and the trainers’ fees.

Connect with Julie Loeding

LinkedIn: @juliealoeding

Phone: 262-691-5317

Email: [email protected]

Vital Smarts: https://www.vitalsmarts.com/

John Kuehl’s biggest argument with his wife was deciding where to eat. According to John, you can search the Internet to find just about any product, but when it comes to food, you get a list of places. That got him thinking, what if you could search what kind of food you wanted? Better yet, what if you could articulate what you were in the mood for - something that’s comforting, gluten-free or savory? John’s answer was a new website called Hankr.com. He joins us on #Brandstorm to talk about how he hopes someday hungry people will say, “let’s Hankr that.”

The Hankr Way

Different than a review-based platform like Yelp, Hankr puts food first. It’s an aggregator that helps you in the early stages of the decision process. Hankering for tacos? Search the internet and you’ll get dozens of pictures of tacos. Click on the picture and you’ll discover where you can go to get that taco. Hankr offers true-to-life, quality and consistent visual representations of the food that you will see at that restaurant every day.

Helping the Restaurateur

John is on a mission to help destination marketers, restaurant owners, hoteliers, sports venues and resorts be more successful. He formerly worked at TravelWisconsin.com and says that while food venues are valuable content for Destination Marketers, getting restaurants to provide content and assets for a community’s website is challenging. Restaurants must be on Yelp, but John adds they are losing attention and search traffic to Google. Hankr is countering by providing unique, relevant content that is a better experience for visitors. Depending on a food venue or restaurant’s needs and capabilities, John’s company can provide the photographers, shoot photography and do all the content and tagging on the website. Hankr also partners with Eat Street (a Madison-based food delivery service) to provide food delivery in the markets it serves, including Milwaukee, Madison, Minocqua and Cedarburg in Wisconsin, plus Richmond, Va., New Brunswick, Conn., and others.

Connect with John Kuehl

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.hankr.com

LinkedIn: @johnkuehl

In the heyday of bowling, Milwaukee was known as America’s “Ten Pin Capitol”. When enthusiasts weren’t out playing for fun or in leagues, they were at home, tuned in to the Professional Bowler Association (PBA) tour on ABC. When the popularity of the sport began to wane near in 1980s, bowling alleys closed shop and took once-thriving leagues with them. Although the golden age of bowling has long passed, the Commissioner of the PBA, Tom Clark, believes it is making a comeback.

State of the PBA

Tom Clark is celebrating his tenth year as commissioner of the PBA and still has the same enthusiasm for the sport as the first day he played. Every Wednesday, Tom plays in his own league, playing alongside his peers. Early on, his peers may have been intimidated by who he is, but Tom believes his peers just view him as a fellow bowling enthusiast.

It is no secret that league attendance is down. In today’s world, our lifestyles aren’t conducive to the commitments needed to participate in a 36-week bowling league. In 1997, the decline of the sport’s popularity affected its once gargantuan media presence when ABC ended its relationship with the PBA Tour.

Upgrading PBA’s Image

The PBA recognized the need to modernize bowling’s image to appeal to a variety of lifestyles and began to curate its image to make both the watching and playing experience more desirable. Upgrades to bowling centers, improved accessibility to the sport on television and streaming platforms, as well as the promotion of entertaining events have all helped bring the sport back into the limelight. Tom says over 70 million Americans bowl at least once a year and more than 25 million bowl more than once a year.

In 2000, the PBA Tour franchise was purchased by some prominent members of the tech industry. Chris Peters, of Microsoft, was such a fan of the PBA, he partnered with two other members of the tech industry to give the dwindling sport a second wind. Tom says if it wasn’t for them, bowling wouldn’t exist as it does today. Relationships with media outlets such as ESPN flourished while aggressive investments to the league's infrastructure and venues were made.

But, it wasn’t just the money that helped modernize the league. The advantage of having tech-oriented owners allowed the league to implement a variety of high-tech upgrades in the early 2000s. One of the paid services, Extra Frame, reached over 10,000 subscribers at its peak.

A New Look

Tom says his job changes every day. This year, his primary directive was to elevate PBA’s media rights and find partners in the digital and TV world. Moving from ESPN to FOX was one of the largest transitions resulting from his goals.

Not only has the sport’s media presence evolved, but the way of playing the sport has as well. Players like Jason Belmonte are leading the charge with new playing styles, using two hands to throw their ball. New, upgraded bowling centers are also evolving, offering appealing amenities like craft cocktails and awesome lighting setups, encouraging curious bowlers to join a league. Tom tells us part of the inspiration for the PBA’s aesthetic overhaul comes from the lively Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine. The PBA is committed to bringing pro bowlers to non-traditional bowling venues like Bayside Bowl to keep the events fresh and exciting around the country.

What’s Next for the PBA?

Like most sports, player sponsorships are a large aspect of the bowling business. Tom tells us why he thinks PBA players are an untapped market for corporate sponsorships. One goal Tom has set for the PBA is for every player to eventually have an agent.

Tom also discusses the frustrations of bowling being barred from the Olympics. Despite having a strong chance to participate in the 2020 Tokyo games, primarily because of the sport’s popularity in Japan, the Olympic committee opted to include sports like surfing and roller-sports instead of bowling. Despite not being in the Olympics, Tom is proud of the PBA’s partnership with World Bowling, an international organization recognized by the Olympic Committee as the official governing body for bowling sports. Tom says the PBA World Series of Bowling remains a popular broadcast and the best evidence that bowling should be included in the Olympics.

Connect with Tom Clark

PBA Website: https://www.pba.com/

PBA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pbaofficial/

Tom Clark Email: [email protected]

Tom Clark Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarkPBA

Tom Clark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-clark-9486824/