CHICAGO -- BP Products North America Inc., official fuel sponsor of the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, has launched a digital platform, BPLittleThings.com, that asks both Cubs and White Sox fans to share one "little thing" that makes Chicago baseball special to them as part of the "Little Things That Fuel Chicago Baseball" promotion.
Through August, a select number of eligible fan entries will be displayed in dynamic advertisements around the city on the Red Line, at bus shelters and through unique outdoor projections at U.S. Cellular Field and near Wrigley Field.[image-nocss]
BP is also supporting the campaign through a multimedia advertising effort including radio, print and digital buys. The effort is just one way that the brand will celebrate its second-year sponsorship of the Cubs, White Sox and the BP Crosstown Cup in Chicago.
"Chicago is home to two baseball franchises that enjoy a rich history of celebrated moments and traditions. When the Cubs and White Sox go head-to-head in the BP Crosstown Cup all of that excitement comes together, and it's a special time to be a fan," said, Kevin Phelan, vice president of sales and marketing at BP. "This year, BP is excited once again to play a part in how Chicagoans celebrate baseball, whether it's by honoring the little things that make them a fan, or rewarding them with ways to fuel their fandom."
BP also plans to give its customers a chance to win one of more than 50,000 fan prizes as part of the BP Crosstown Cup instant-win game, which returns to more than 450 gas stations in the Chicagoland area. Customers who fill up with 10 gallons or more of BP gasoline with Invigorate through August 2 can go inside at participating BP stations to request a scratchoff game card that could be an instant winner of a Cubs or White Sox experience, such as the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at a Cubs or White Sox home game, a home entertainment package or a $10 BP Gift Card while supplies last.
BP launched its sponsorship with both the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox in 2010, coinciding with formation of the BP Crosstown Cup, the first official structure to the teams' interleague rivalry, symbolized by a namesake trophy. The trophy, which stands more than three feet tall and weighs 15 pounds, has helped raise the stakes of the series by being rewarded to the winner of the six-game head-to-head series each year.
In June 2010, the White Sox took home the inaugural trophy by winning the series four games to two. The first three games of the 2011 series kicks off at U.S. Cellular Field on June 20. The series will conclude with a three-game homestand at Wrigley Field, July 1 to 3.
"Fan excitement around the interleague play between the White Sox and Cubs is off the charts each year, and the BP Crosstown Cup only heightens that," said Chicago White Sox senior vice president of sales and marketing, Brooks Boyer. "We are looking forward to working with BP again this year to celebrate the fan passion that makes Chicago a premiere city for avid baseball fans."
Cubs Executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer Wally Hayward added, "The BP Crosstown Cup fuels the passion and emotion of Chicago baseball fans who fight for bragging rights in the city whenever the Cubs and White Sox play head-to-head. We're proud to partner with BP to provide fans in Chicago with exciting prizes, experiences and memories that will last a lifetime."
BP's efforts to embrace all of the little things that make Chicago baseball special are in support of a larger brand initiative to focus the "little things" that its gas stations do to make a difference for consumers, like offering BP gasoline with Invigorate.
BP markets more than 15 billion gallons of gasoline every year to U.S. consumers through more than 11,000 BP and ARCO branded retail outlets and supplies more than four billion gallons of fuel annually to fleets, industrial users, auto and truck manufacturers, railroads and utilities.
BP is the single, global brand formed by the combination of the former British Petroleum, Amoco Corporation, Atlantic Richfield (ARCO) and Burmah Castrol. BP is a global producer, manufacturer and marketer of oil, gas, chemicals and renewable energy sources.
Separately, in a promotion also tied into the Crosstown Classic, Louisville, Ky.-based Thorntons Inc. has announced the winner of its "Northside vs. Southside Cup Challenge" that began on May 1 at all Chicagoland Thorntons c-store locations. The winner is Darlene Kolanowski of Chicago, who won a gift package that includes a $100 Thorntons Gift Card, $150 Visa Card and 20 free fountain or coffee drinks from Thorntons.
And in other sporting news, Thorntons is a new sponsor of professional angler Mike DelVisco, reported Wired2fish.com. "I am thrilled and honored to represent Thorntons and look forward to working with them as we introduce the Thorntons brand to anglers and outdoorsmen alike."
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