ALEXANDER JAMES ALLPER. 

I pitched the Arizona Diamondbacks the idea of doing a Garden Gnome giveaway, which no one had ever done before, knowing that they needed to find a travel partner to fill a sponsorship void. The idea was to pitch Travelocity, whose mascot is a gnome. The pitch was successful and a revenue stream was created where one had not previously existed. This was going to be more than just a giveaway, it was going to be an activation that lasted well beyond the game. We created the "Summer of Gnomes Sweepstakes,” where fans were encouraged to submit pictures of their family or friends hanging out with their Diamondbacks Garden Gnome on a trip, at a landmark, or just having fun. The best submission won a "staycation" courtesy of Travelocity. The fan response was tremendous. Not only did the Diamondbacks sell-out the game, Travelocity was able to activate their sponsorship before, during, and after the event. The following year, I used the same strategy with the Cincinnati Reds for another successful giveaway.