ESPN Jockeys For Marketing Position With Tim Tebow
By Barry Janoff
April 4, 2012: Tim Tebow, who caused major waves in the NFL last season as quarterback for the Denver Broncos, has made only one official public appearance for his new team, the New York Jets, a press conference soon after he was traded. However, marketers and media outlets are quickly lining up to be on the Tebow bandwagon as it rolls into New York.
Jockey International, one of Tebow's most ardent marketing supporters, has joined with ESPN for a sweepstakes offering consumers the opportunity to hang with Tebow at The ESPYs, ESPN's awards ceremony scheduled for July.
"Want to meet Jockey spokesperson and NFL quarterback Tim Tebow and rub elbows with other elite athletes?" Jockey blares in a new marketing campaign to support "Staycool at The ESPYs" sweepstakes.
Tebow became a Jockey spokesperson in mid-2010 and has appeared in several campaigns for Staycool, which the company said has become its best-selling collection. His marketing deals also include Nike, FRS and EA Sports.
Now through April 30, consumers can enter the sweepstakes for the chance to win a trip to ESPN's annual awards show in Los Angeles and meet Tebow. (Full details here.)
Jockey is supporting with a push anchored by Internet and social media destinations, including Facebook and Twitter.
Several retailers are also on board for the Tebow campaign, including Bealls, Belk, Boscov's, Lord & Taylor and Navy Exchange.
"The ESPYs are an important night in sports," Dustin Cohn, CMO for Jockey, said in a statement. "And Jockey is celebrating athletes and fans with the 'Jockey Staycool at The ESPYs' sweepstakes, giving fans the 'coolest' experience to meet Tim Tebow, one of sports' biggest stars, and attend the hottest awards show in sports."