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Golf Channel taps on-air mobile platform to drive interactivity with Grey Goose-sponsored show

Vodka brand Grey Goose is activating its sponsorship of the Golf Channel?s ?19th Hole? show via branding on the television network?s on-air SMS calls-to-action.

Golf Channel tapped Txtstation Mobile Marketing to power the text-messaging platform that lets golf fans interact in real-time with an assortment of mobile promotions. The mobile initiatives include text-to-screen and live polling within TV broadcasts and various options for viewers to receive text alerts throughout the year.

?Golf Channel wanted to be able to automate their alerts?that was the first major goal, to notify people about standings, news and upcoming shows and tie that into their system, which pushes out alerts based on what people have opted in for,? said Michael Falato, vice president of sales and business development at Txtstation, Austin, TX. ?We?re powering the SMS portion.

?Golf Channel is very methodical?let?s get it up, let?s get it integrated and tested, and once we?re all in the clear, let?s get it sold,? he said. ?They want to do it right the first time, and the are out there pitching sponsors

?On the sponsor side, nothing is integrated into the text alerts yet, but they could look to sell into that,? he said. ?Grey Goose is the sponsor of the 19th Hole show, and their logo goes on the SMS voting graphic.?

Grey Goose is a Bermudian-owned brand of premium-priced vodka produced in France. It is exported to the United States by the Sidney Frank Importing Co. in New Rochelle, NY.

In 2004, Sidney Frank sold the manufacturing rights to Bacardi.

Golf Channel is owned and operated by Comcast.

Mobile interaction
With its Golf Channel sponsorship, Grey Goose is targeting the network?s educated, affluent audience.

Txtstation is helping Golf Channel integrate mobile into its on-air and online platforms by tying in to the network?s graphic system, creating a service that allows for real-time votes to be aggregated on live television.

The 19th Hole?s graphic system, which features the Grey Goose logo, asks viewers a trivia question or tells them about a sweepstakes. They can respond to it by texting in a keyword to a short code.

Also, Golf Channel had Txtstation build a variety of different text clubs, including automated scoring alerts.

Fans can interact with Golf Channel on-air through various mobile tactics, including polls, voting and text-to-win campaigns. They can also join SMS clubs by texting a keyword to a short code or online through an entry form.

Tailored text club updates include daily and breaking news alerts, scores for the top three on the leaderboards from the PGA Tour or LGPA Tour, and updates and news on fans? favorite TV shows.

Golf Channel has also launched an application presented by Nike Golf for Apple?s iPhone, Google?s Android and Research In Motion?s BlackBerry.

?The sponsorship side of it is, how do we help to engage viewers?? Mr. Falato said. ?People text in and you can see their comments on screen?if you can engage with fans and viewers via SMS, that is a two-way relationship, and once they text in, the whole thing is interacting with them.

?Golf Channel could say ?Thanks for voting, text back to get 10 percent off a purchase from our sponsor,? as well as use the platform to build a database and drive sales,? he said.

Final Take