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Subway breaks in-app ad campaign for Fiery Footlong subs

Subway is running a mobile ad campaign within one of ESPN?s newest applications to promote its Fiery Footlong subs and to build up its consumer database.

The nation's leading sandwich chain signed on as the exclusive launch sponsor of the ESPN Boston application for iPhone and iPod touch. ESPN has five local-based applications that are available on Apple?s iTunes, as is the ESPN Passport application.

?We?ve had a lot of sponsorship interest in the new apps,? said Marc Horine, vice president of digital partnerships and sales development at ESPN, Bristol, CT. ?In fact, Passport and four out of the five local apps had launch sponsors and we?ve already had several renewals.?

Boston fed Sox
As the ESPN Boston application is loading, users see a 300X100 ad unit featuring the Subway logo with the following message: ?Fueled by Subway. Build your better breakfast.?

After the application loads, users see standard 300X50 Subway banner ads within certain stories and portals of ESPN Boston.

One banner ad features images of flames and carries the tagline ?Subway fiery footlong subs!?

When tapped, the banner redirects to an in-application landing page, ?Fiery Footlong Frenzy,? which is promoting the Buffalo Chicken sub??back by popular demand??and the new Turkey Jalapeno Melt.

The in-application landing page includes three calls-to-action.

The first, when tapped, redirects users to a Subway microsite on the mobile Web:

?You ready to turn up the heat? Click here to learn more about these ferociously Fiery Footlong subs.?

The second call-to-action encourages ESPN Boston application users to participate in a sweepstakes co-sponsored by Sony Playstation:

?Join the Subway Fiery Footlong Frenzy today! Click here for a chance to win hot prizes fueled by Sony Playstation.?

When tapped, consumers enter the sweepstakes sign-up portal, which features the branding ?Fiery Footlong Frenzy fueled by Playstation PS3.? Application users see the following message:

?Join the winning frenzy! Enter your code for a chance to win instantly. Win Subway cards and Playstation prizes before they hit the stores. Play up to 3 times a day. A prize a minute. Have a code? Start here by entering your email address.?

Here is a screen grab:

The third call-to-action on the original in-application Subway landing page asks users to enter their email address and ZIP code to opt in to the quick-service restaurant chain?s database:

?Keep things fresh. Sign up to receive news and offers from Subway Restaurants.?

Here is a screen grab of the data-collection form:

The bottom of the Subway landing page includes links to a restaurant locator and menu.

ESPN Local
In addition to Subway, Berkshire Hathaway?s GEICO, Diageo?s Captain Morgan and Crown Royal, Toyota and several local automotive dealerships are sponsoring ESPN?s mobile properties, which also include a highly trafficked mobile Web site and Android applications, to reach males ages 18-49.

The five ESPN Local applications are free to download, giving fans in Dallas, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York a mobile platform to access all the latest breaking news, scores and information from their hometown teams.

Crown Royal, Diageo?s blended Canadian whisky brand, sponsored the ESPN Dallas application, running banner ads that redirect to the mobile Web.

The launch sponsor of the ESPN New York application is Ramsey Auto Group.

The ESPN Chicago application is sponsored by Bob Rohrman Auto Group and Schaumburg Honda.

?Schaumburg Honda in Chicago had people walking into the dealership showing the logo in the app, and they have since renewed their sponsorship with us,? Mr. Horine said. ?We?ve seen signs of early success of brand recall.

?People walking in and showing off the app is pretty powerful,? he said.

Many brands choose to make cross-platform ad buys with ESPN that span television, radio, the PC Web, the mobile Web and applications.

Collectively, the ESPN Local Web sites reached 5.7 million unique visitors and generated 45 million total minutes.

ESPN is using online house inventory to promote its Local applications, and there are click-to-download ads running across all ESPN mobile applications, including ScoreCenter.

In addition, the ESPN TV network is heavily promoting the local sites and applications on air, including during SportsCenter.

ESPN Passport
The ESPN Passport application, also free to download in the App Store, lets fans chronicle their at-the-game experiences by checking in at the game based on geolocation.

Fans can building a digital sports scrapbook via the application on their mobile devices while also capturing real-time perspective with the ability to check-in, upload photos and share their seat location and commentary while at the game via social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

The ESPN Passport?s three launch sponsors are Toyota, GEICO and Captain Morgan, Diageo?s rum brand.

These brands are running banner ads redirecting users to their mobile Web site. Other banner ads, when tapped, open a mobile video commercial.

Fans can compete to become the Captain of their favorite team by checking in at the most games throughout the year.

This will in turn allow ESPN to aggregate user-generated content from sporting events and feature the story of the game from the fan?s perspective on ESPN.com.

Captain Morgan is sponsoring the competition.

?Captain Morgan is letting people compete to be the captain of a particular team,? Mr. Horine said. ?If you check in at Yankee Stadium the most times, you become Captain of New York Yankees.

?It?s an opportunity that is really compelling for fans,? he said. ?In general, location-based apps are a powerful vehicle for us to reach sporting fans when they?re at a sporting event.?

Final Take
Dan Butcher, associate editor, Mobile Marketer

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