PPW Leaps Into Yesteryear With Sports Premiums

Fans in Houston are pulling strings over PPW’s Yao Ming All-Star Marionette

Promotional Partners Worldwide believes there’s a world beyond the Bobble Head, and is discovering what that world could hold with a jump into the sports premium business.

The promotions agency and manufacturer said that its look into yesteryear is helping its future in branded sports giveaways.

Last year, PPW introduced itself to the sports premium scene with All-Star Marionettes. And last month, it gave away its first Mr. Potato Head Sports Spuds. Based on the feedback the company has received, as well as the number of Dwight Howard All-Star Marionettes that showed up on eBay after they were given away at a recent Orlando Magic game, fans love nostalgia.

“We cut through the clutter of routine giveaways with something that draws upon America’s nostalgia for retro toys,” said PPW VP-Sales and Marketing Cheryl Brancaccio. “Baby boomers remember them and younger fans who have had no exposure to marionettes are captivated by them.”

The All-Star Marionette is a fully functioning, nine-inch tall, plastic puppet with eight points of articulation. Users can make the player dribble, dunk, run, play catch or perform a victory dance. Every detail of the player and the team uniform is artfully sculpted and decorated. Each player has a unique look and there’s a spot reserved for sponsor logo on the handle.

“We have taken a product that already has a strong worldwide collector following and introduced it to the sports world of fanatic collectors, creating a brand new type of sports collectible,” Brancaccio said. “Teams are quickly grasping the opportunity to introduce something new and fun for their fans.”

The first marionette promo was done with the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks last February, and puppets in the likeness of players Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Michael Finley received collectible value by showing up on eBay almost immediately, Brancaccio said.

PPW last month saw success with a Yao Ming All-Star Marionette giveaway with the Houston Rockets, and will break into Major League Baseball this spring with a marionette giveaway of team mascot Slider at a Cleveland Indians game.

Through a licensing deal with Hasbro, PPW debuted its Mr. Potato Head Sports Spuds product at a Detroit Pistons game last week. Mr. Potato Head was decked out in a throwback uniform to coincide with another promotion, The History Channel Presents Hardwood Classics Nights series, in which players wore retro uniforms from the 70s.

The five-inch molded plastic spud wears a team jersey and has multiple choices of shoes, fun faces, hairstyles, a basketball and sweatbands. Items such as basketballs, baseballs, bats, gloves, hockey sticks, helmets, caps and sweatbands are available for customization. A sponsor name and logo can also be imprinted on the jersey and cap.

PPW, Glendale, CA, said both major sports teams and minor league clubs are opting to offer giveaway promotions featuring Mr. Potato Head Sports Spuds. In addition to the Pistons, the MLB Philadelphia Phillies and the minor league hockey Idaho Steelheads, Fresno Falcons, Bakersfield Condors and Las Vegas Wranglers have all signed on.

PPW previously focused on licensed promotional items for the retail and entertainment sectors, such as Star Wars and SpongeBob SquarePants cup toppers and kid’s meal toys for Jack in the Box.