Marketer Worth Emulating

We were fortunate to host Shawn Hunter, President of AEG Sports and Chief Marketing Officer of AEG, as a keynote speaker at the MultiCultural Media Expo 2007. One of the nicest guys you will ever meet, Hunter is also a savvy executive who understands Multicultural America - and has the deep pockets of billionaire recluse Phil Anschutz to act on an amazing business plan. We will talk more about that business plan in another session. This post will introduce you to one element of AEG's plan and is intended to highlight a multicultural marketing success story worth emulating.

One example of AEG's multicultural success is the much-discussed acquisition of David Beckham to the company's Los Angles Galaxy soccer team. After pouring in over $400 million into Major League Soccer, AEG is finally reaping rewards. AEG is said to have already broken even on a five-year sponsorship deal with Herbalife signed months before Becks set his golden foot at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. Since then, Galaxy have enjoyed a sell-out, star studded debut game for Beckham, and the sale of more than 250,000 Beckham jersey's in the first weekend of his arrival. The deal that had some scratching their heads is beginning to look like it might some day be viewed as one of the all-time great transactions in pro sports.

Hunter is a master of risk management. He can invest, not just because he has Anschutz's balance sheet, but because the unique opportunities he presents to clients generates significant measurable ROI.

Next time you're looking for that magical ROI in a proposal, emulate Hunter. Consider creating something unique and maybe even exclusive with a multi-year opportunity. Although we are living in a time when ROI is often measured in just days or clicks, your gold footed transaction will likely have a few more ingredients.