Phillies Promotional Giveaways Are In The Lineup
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Phillies 2012 lineup is set. Not the players, but the team's lineup of promotions and giveaways.
Cliff Lee bobbleheads are June 4th. Hunter Pence bobbles are August 21. You might wonder why a team that has sold out 204 consecutive games would need a full roster of giveaways. But Phils marketing director Michael Harris says the team's effort to engage fans looks at the big picture, not the standings.
"Our macro approach absolutely does not change from year to year depending on how we perform on the field. Maintaining a high and consistent level of marketing and promotions is at the very core of our overall philosophy."
So, Harris says the team introduces new promotions -- like the kids' Phanatic coin bank April 29 -- while bringing back the staples including Fireworks and Dollar Dog nights that fans have come to expect.
Other big-league teams don't mind going out on a limb, though. Last season the Mariners gave away a Franklin Gutierrez flyswatter. And this season in Tampa Bay, the Rays are pushing the envelope of creepiness by giving out a teddy bear with the face of senior adviser Don Zimmer.
