GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – Confectionery giant M&M/MARS is partnering with Operation Bass, the nation’s premier bass tournament organization, for a sponsorship agreement.
The agreement designates M&M/MARS as the exclusive confectionery sponsor of the 119-event Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, 13-event EverStart Series and seven-event Wal-Mart FLW Tour – the country’s most lucrative bass tournament series. Specifically, M&M/MARS plans to use the sponsorship as a platform to promote its new Snickers Cruncher BarTM to the nation’s 55 million anglers.
The Snickers Cruncher BarTM , introduced in December, is a crisped rice version of the Snickers Bar® that offers consumers variety within the Snickers® brand with a unique new texture compared to the brand’s traditionally smooth, chewy texture. The company hopes to gain a greater share of the crispy chocolate segment, which grew 13.6 percent in 1999 compared to 4.8 percent growth in the regular chocolate segment.
“We are extremely pleased to have M&M/MARS on board,” said Irwin L. Jacobs, chairman of Operation Bass. “Snickers Cruncher BarTM is an exciting new product, and we are thrilled to be helping to build a loyal consumer following for it. Our studies show that anglers and their families are very loyal to the companies and brands that promote fishing, so this is definitely a win/win partnership.”
Snickers Cruncher BarTM will be heavily promoted in the Wal-Mart Family Fun Zone set up at each FLW Tour event. This festival of interactive fishing-related displays and children’s games attracts thousands of consumers during each tournament. The attraction provides sponsors with a unique opportunity to create powerful brand awareness and conduct one-to-one marketing with consumers. Fun Zone visitors particularly enjoy the opportunity to sample new products and meet the sport’s top pros.
Additional promotional opportunities include advertising spots during FLW Tour television broadcasts plus exposure during satellite broadcasts to network affiliates and 2,400 Wal-Mart stores nationwide on the final day of each FLW Tour competition. Snickers Cruncher BarTM will also be featured on Operation Bass Web sites and event signage and in Bass Fishing magazine ads. Snickers Cruncher BarTM will even be presenting sponsor of the Wal-Mart FLW Tournament in Alexander City, Ala., March 21-24.
Anglers annually spend nearly $40 billion in pursuit of their sport. This amount represents a 37 percent increase since 1991 and signals an impressive opportunity for traditional industry sponsor and non-endemic sponsors alike.
As a member of the Operation Bass team, M&M/MARS will have the opportunity to develop cross promotions with Wal-Mart and other sponsors including BFGoodrich Tires, Black & Decker, Chevrolet, CITGO, Coleman, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Frito-Lay, Fujifilm, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Lowrance, Pepsi, Plano Tackle Systems, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Timex, US Bank, Visa, Weed Eater and Wrangler.
Operation Bass tournament circuits sponsored by M&M/MARS could collectively award more than $12 million in prize money during the 2001 season. The Wal-Mart FLW Tour alone will award participating anglers $4.4 million in cash.