Hawks Management Understanding Competition - Paul Millsap to tower over Atlanta

[Guest]

Saw this on twitter:

Tweet Added - Refresh Page to see it live!

">If you don't see the Tweet here AFTER REFRESHING PAGE, then it wasn't entered correctly. Please edit and try again.

Important: If the Tweet doesn't load, please refresh the page before editing the Tweet as it may need to refresh to parse properly

Which led to this:

Tweet Added - Refresh Page to see it live!

">If you don't see the Tweet here AFTER REFRESHING PAGE, then it wasn't entered correctly. Please edit and try again.

Important: If the Tweet doesn't load, please refresh the page before editing the Tweet as it may need to refresh to parse properly

And led to the story here:

The Atlanta Hawks have commissioned a work of art that is going to be hard to avoid.

It's a 700-pound 3D billboard of power forward Paul Millsap dunking a basketball.

Atlanta HawksThe 700-pound billboard of Paul Millsap greets drivers along Atlanta's I-85 and is projected to be seen by 660,000 people each week.

Fans driving along 85-North, a highly trafficked stretch in Atlanta, will see the billboard next month that encourages them to text from their phone to **DUNK.

Their phones will then dial a number and a recording of Millsap will answer taking them through a contest that that will allow them prizes, which include spending time with him in Las Vegas at a Summer League game, working out with him and a team trainer and playing against him in video games in the Hawks locker room.

"We've always done a fair amount of outdoor signage," said Peter Sorckoff, the Hawks senior vice president of marketing. "We're competing against a lot of other options in the entertainment space and our managing partner Bruce Levinson wanted us to do something big to blow people away."

So the team went to Atlanta-based Chisel 3D, which built Millsap out of steel and foam. It took a month to make. At 15 feet tall, the 3D Millsap is more than double the actual height of the 6-foot-8 Millsap.

Atlanta HawksThe 3D image of Paul Millsap is made of steel and foam and is 15 feet tall.

"There's not that many people doing 3D billboard advertising," Chisel 3D CEO Gary Bystrom said. "So this should make an impact."

Sorckoff said the billboard, which is projected to be seen by 660,000 people a week, will help grow the personal brand of Millsap, who is making a big splash in Atlanta. He's averaging 18 points per game and recorded his first NBA triple-double in Tuesday's win against Toronto.

Sorckoff also help the team build its mobile database, as entering the contest will include an opt-in to future Hawks events

Millsap told ESPN.com that he's completely focused on making sure the Hawks (31-35), who currently occupy the last playoff spot in the East, are playing in the postseason.

"But this billboard," Millsap said, "is something I've got to go see."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10638066/atlanta-hawks-commission-700-pound-3d-billboard-paul-millsap

OH CRAP MY ESPN BAN!

Oh well, at least we can see the most important part where Levenson has a moment of clarity: "We're competing against a lot of other options in the entertainment space and our managing partner Bruce Levinson wanted us to do something big to blow people away."

[Dragitoff]

Saw this on twitter:

Which led to this:

And led to the story here:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10638066/atlanta-hawks-commission-700-pound-3d-billboard-paul-millsap

OH CRAP MY ESPN BAN!

Oh well, at least we can see the most important part where Levenson has a moment of clarity: "We're competing against a lot of other options in the entertainment space and our managing partner Bruce Levinson wanted us to do something big to blow people away."

70' Paul Millsap. Ladies and Gentleman, we have our center! This also solves the problem of not selling out games. Surely people would pay to see a 70' tall player right?

[Admin]

That is so creepy! Hopefully it's not made by the same people who make our arena clocks as those are always breaking. Can you imagine this thing falling off the billboard and crushing people?

[Diesel]

Does this mean that we're not going to trade Millsap?? That he may be resigned?

To me this is like putting Lebron's Jersey on the building in Cleveland and having the Nike Slogan.. "Everyone will witness."

[Guest]

As it currently stands - Millsap is a Hawk, no need to look further than that today.

On the whole "Changing the Culture" talk - DF was on radio this past Tuesday (I think) and the hosts asked him about the whole culture thing, he responded that it was more about getting the ownership to change the way they do things - they have to invest in the things that make the basketball product on the floor successful ie: scouting, coaching etc.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Temporary outdoor buys through ad agencies are usually for 30 days, 90 days, 6 months and 12 months at a time. But in the case of the Hawks, it may be better for them to just permanently buy a billboard spot, and change out signage anytime they want. I'm sure they have bought permanent spot around the city.

Overally though, I like the creativity of the promotion. Fans rarely have intimate access to NBA stars in which they actually get to hang out and chat with them. And starting it off by creating a 3D billboard about the promotion is definitely going to catch a lot of people's eyes.

I'm glad they're finally ramping up the creative marketing, and not relying on borderline goofy gimmicks to sell the Hawks.

Now . . create that same type of foam/steel structure, but make it of Al Horford, and put it either inside Philips, or outside near the main ticket offices, so people will know who is the face of the franchise. It may even become somewhat of an attraction for people to see.

Edited March 20, 2014 by TheNorthCydeRises

[bird_dirt]

Not to be a nit picker here hawks & Micah (but I will): it's a 15 foot tall Paul, not 70. I'll assume they meant it will be a 70 foot HIGH Paul.

[benhillboy]

I had never thought about the competition between sports franchises until a few weeks ago they discussed it a bit on 92.9 and how the general consensus is the Hawks, Falcons, and Braves are all taking neccessary steps to compete and right wrongs while Tech and Georgia aren't, in both sports sadly. I think the Hawks see an oppurtunity to snag some fair weather Falcons fans if they have another poor year, which is a possibility for all 32 NFL teams. I agree putting a distinct face to the team is important, something I don't think either major franchise has nailed down yet. Sap's popularity will slowly grow with each baseline dunk and three made after his billboard is posted downtown. Being the face of a franchise does involve some photogenecy, and I'm not an authority on that. We'll let Jaybird judge who's more handsome between Al and Sap.

Edited March 20, 2014 by benhillboy

[Guest]

We'll let Jaybird judge who's more handsome between Al and Sap.

Mmmmmmm.....yummy!!!!

[Guest]

We'll let Jaybird judge who's more handsome between Al and Sap.

Mmmmmmm.....yummy!!!! I'll take Al.

[Guest]

I had never thought about the competition between sports franchises until a few weeks ago they discussed it a bit on 92.9

Well maaaybe you should read my posts more closely!

[Plainview1981]

The Atlanta Hawks have commissioned a work of art that will be hard to avoid.

It's a 700-pound 3D billboard of power forward Paul Millsap dunking a basketball.

Atlanta HawksThe 700-pound billboard of Paul Millsap will greet drivers along I-85 in Atlanta and is projected to be seen by 660,000 people each week.

People driving along Interstate 85 North, a highly trafficked stretch in Atlanta, will see the billboard next month. It will encourage them to text **DUNK.

Their phones will then dial a number and a recording of Millsap will take them through a contest that will offer prizes, including spending time with Millsap in Las Vegas at a summer league game, working out with him and a team trainer and playing against him in video games in the Hawks' locker room.

"We've always done a fair amount of outdoor signage," said Peter Sorckoff, the Hawks' senior vice president of marketing. "We're competing against a lot of other options in the entertainment space and our managing partner Bruce Levenson wanted us to do something big to blow people away."

Article continues....

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10638066/atlanta-hawks-commission-700-pound-3d-billboard-paul-millsap

[Plainview1981]

I take it that they did this in an effort to appeal to other FA's. That's probably why it's Paul instead of Al.

[benhillboy]

Well maaaybe you should read my posts more closely!

True, true.

[NBASupes]

I had never thought about the competition between sports franchises until a few weeks ago they discussed it a bit on 92.9 and how the general consensus is the Hawks, Falcons, and Braves are all taking neccessary steps to compete and right wrongs while Tech and Georgia aren't, in both sports sadly. I think the Hawks see an oppurtunity to snag some fair weather Falcons fans if they have another poor year, which is a possibility for all 32 NFL teams. I agree putting a distinct face to the team is important, something I don't think either major franchise has nailed down yet. Sap's popularity will slowly grow with each baseline dunk and three made after his billboard is posted downtown. Being the face of a franchise does involve some photogenecy, and I'm not an authority on that. We'll let Jaybird judge who's more handsome between Al and Sap.

Most of the fairweather Falcons fans aren't Hawks fan ever. They are usually Lakers, Lebron, Bulls, etc fans.

[WakaFlocka]

Not to be a nit picker here hawks & Micah (but I will): it's a 15 foot tall Paul, not 70. I'll assume they meant it will be a 70 foot HIGH Paul.

Thank you!

That's been bugging me as well ever since I saw the "news" earlier today.

[BrazilianHawk]

Somewhere in Detroit, a certain Atlanta native is asking himself why ASG never thought about doing this for him...

[louwill16]

I think the move towards sapps is amazing. Wonderful to see that management and coaching has moved away from tanking. It was about 2 weeks ago, that it seemed Buds was confused, as if he was given the order to lose. Maybe he shunned that notion and just win baby! As always, I believe Indy isn't miami and we always have a chance against them.