16 March saw official tournament partner Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW) celebrate the return of NCAA March Madness through an integrated, three-strand campaign revolving around giving away free wings for every game that goes in to overtime, a TikTok challenge and a bracket-led competition.
The campaign, developed by The Martin Agency, launched on 15 March with a national television commercial called simply ‘March Madness Is Back’
This was followed when the quick service restaurant chain, the Official Chicken Wing of March Madness, also activated its tournament rights by giving ‘Blazin’ Rewards Members’ who order or check-in at BWW a chance to win free boneless wings when any March Madness game goes to overtime.
To qualify, Blazin’ Rewards members simply need to check-in at a BWW or place an e-comm order via Blazin’ Rewards on the same day a game goes to OT – within 30 minutes of the game ending. Then, if an NCAA tournament matchup goes to OT, six free boneless wings will be delivered to the customer’s Blazin’ Rewards account the following day.
The offer is promoted through video and social content across the brand’s own channels.
If any #MarchMadness game goes to OT, you could win 6 FREE BONELESS WINGS!
❤️ this tweet for a reminder when the tournament starts so you can check-in or place your online order! Details ⤵️
— Buffalo Wild Wings (@BWWings) March 14, 2021
OVERTIME
OT between North Texas and Purdue means 6 FREE BONELESS WINGS if you have checked in on the app or ordered through Blazin’ Rewards today.
Details: https://t.co/2EOaiTJyDI #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/pZCllFS2ra
— Buffalo Wild Wings (@BWWings) March 20, 2021
Plus BWW has bought up the first commercial after regulation for every game that goes to OT during March Madness in which it will run spots called ‘The Mascot Dance’ and ‘The Buzzer Beater Dance’ and these will promote its ‘The Big Dance Bundle’.
A further strand of the brand’s activation is a TikTok dance challenge called #BDubsDanceCam. Inspired by the Dance Cam at sports venues across the USA, the #BDubsDanceCam Challenge urges fans to put on their dancing shoes and bust a move for the camera because ‘for the first time in a very long time, we all have a reason to dance’.
#BDubsDanceCam incorporates music from BWW’s ads and a filter effect which sees the screen ‘rain chicken wings’.
Select videos will also be featured on TV screens inside Buffalo Wild Wings sports bars during the tournament and run on social platforms featuring viral dance clips from recent NCAA history: including North Carolina head coach Roy Williams’ dancing in the locker room and the Nebraska bench pretending to be a bobsled team.
@buffalowildwings #MarchMadness is back & we’re bringing you the Dance Cam! Check out @ypk.raye & show us your moves. #BDubsDanceCam
@madiprew Since I can’t be in the stands dancing for the dance cam, I’m improvising at home with the #bdubsdancecam #ad @buffalowildwings
The third strand of the college hoops tournament marketing push sees Buffalo Wild Wings host a ‘Blazin’ Bracket Challenge’ for fans in the (host city) Indianapolis area with the grand prize of a pair of tickets to the 2021 Final Four and Championship Game as well as free wings for a year.
Local fans can take part in the brackets competition which pits contestants against one another to see who can eat 10 Blazin’ Carolina Reaper Wings the fastest. Trails will be held during the March Madness first round (19 to 22 March) with the fastest competitor from each of the 30 participating sports bars advancing to the Round of 32 and then on to Sweet Sixteen where participants will compete head-to-head (27 to 28 March), which will be followed by another Elite Eight round and then the Final Four speed eating showdown contest will be held on 4 April at the downtown Indianapolis sports bar and the champion will win a pair of tickets to the 2021 Final Four and Championship, plus free wings for a year.
Social content promotes the contest and urges fans to visit MMBlazinChallenge.com for the bracket, competition dates, participating sports bars and full rules.
26 Sauces. 1 Bracket. Which sauces are in your Final Four? pic.twitter.com/V8Nr2oiN7o
— Buffalo Wild Wings (@BWWings) March 15, 2021
Who will face Parmesan Garlic and Medium next round? Vote in the thread of polls below to determine who advances ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/AKMMq2cM8P
— Buffalo Wild Wings (@BWWings) March 18, 2021
“Sports fans have endured more than 700 long days without March Madness basketball, so this is one of the most anticipated tournaments ever. That excitement paired with the opportunity to win free wings through our Overtime Wingtime promotion will have fans on the edge of their seats all March Madness,” said Rita Patel, Chief Marketing Officer, Buffalo Wild Wings. “Even if your bracket was busted or your team was knocked out, you can still root for overtime – and that means free wings!”
Comment:
Just for historical context, there has been an average of almost overtime games in each of the previous 10 NCAA tournaments: so that would work out as 24 free wings over the course of the tournament.
Plus, with this year’s competition seen by most analysts and fans as more open and more equally matched than most previous tournaments, it seems likely that there will be several free wing opportunities during the 2021 tournament.
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