Monday, October 20, 2008

Taco Bell Steal a Base Ad Aims for More World Series Fans

Everybody loves an underdog story, but when the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS and advanced to the 2008 World Series, the producers at Fox probably cringed at the thought of the likely ratings for a  Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay matchup.

The Red Sox are one of the most popular teams in professional sports and draw large numbers wherever they play. Compared to the Red Sox, Philly and Tampa are middle of the pack.Taco Bell's new version of  Steal a Base, Steal a Taco may help  prevent those TV numbers from fading.The rules were relaxed for this year's promo, and on the MLB's site, Taco Bell promises:

If any player steals a base during this year's Fall Classic, we're giving America a free taste of Taco Bell. That's any base by any player during any game.

Fans should keep an eye on Tampa Bay's B.J. Upton and Carl Crawford, who were among the league's best thieves in 2008. For the Phillies,Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino are the biggest threats to steal one.

According to the promo, if and when a base is stolen, Taco Bell will make an announcement through selected media channels, including a press release and its web site (www.tacobell.com), that eligible consumers can obtain their free Crunchy Seasoned Beef Taco on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 (if base is stolen in Games 1-4 on October 22, 23, 25 or 26) OR Monday, November 3, 3008 (if base is stolen in Games 5-7, October 27, 29 or 30) ("Redemption Date") only.

I found one of the disclaimers interesting, it said that the promotional parties won't be held responsible for natural disasters.That disclaimer would have cancelled  a ton of orders in 1989, when an earthquake delayed the Oakland A's and the San Francisco Giants series by 10-days .As a result, the World Series dubbed "The Battle of the Bay" was unofficially renamed the "Earthquake Series".

Taco Bell's promotion with MLB is a savvy way to attract more viewers who may have tuned otherwise, but I wonder how many casual fans are already aware of the promo. Either way, the promo should make fans pay more attention to the smaller aspects of the game, instead of the highlight plays such as the home run and the strikeout.

Posted By Matt O'Hern at 09:10 AM
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