Photo via Lenny & Larry’s
Sports can be classified as a very niche sector of the industry in terms of marketing. Specifically, for partnership marketing, the deals that are forged are even more specialized. Companies and brands have a good idea of the audience that they are seeking out as they look to partner with teams. Whether it’s increasing brand exposure, maximizing ROI, or directly sampling a new product within the market, sports are the vehicle that can help propel brands to the finish line.
Nowadays, brands and teams are looking to make that road to the finish line more seamless than ever before. Partnership examples that come to mind are hotels sponsoring “kiss cams” and dentistries sponsoring kids clubs. These are partnerships that make sense and fit well into the demographics of the fans interested in those live-experience elements.
So, where does a brand specializing in protein-packed cookies, muffins, and brownies fit in with a hockey team?
Lenny & Larry’s, home of The Complete Cookie, has continued to build an impressive and expansive partnership with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. With the deal in the midst of its fourth year, the two organizations’ collaboration has evolved over its lifetime.
From starting with tabling opportunities and hospitality elements to adding marquee sponsorship pieces, in-game elements, and official designation components, the partnership has blossomed into an impressive array of elements and connectivity for both sides.
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Lenny & Larry’s Executive Vice President Aaron Croutch explained the origin of the nutritional brand and how it forged a relationship with one of the most recognizable teams in the NHL.
“My father bought Lenny & Larry’s in 2001,” said Croutch. “At the time the company was only doing small labeled baked goods. Soon after, we began to build a stronger footprint in L.A. from which our family was born and raised. And roughly five years ago, we became a national brand as our products began selling within 7-Elevens, Vitamin Shoppes, Whole Foods, GNCs and other major national retailers.”
As to Lenny & Larry’s forging a relationship with the Kings, two important connections helped to play a role in creating familiarity.
The first involved a relationship with the manager of one of the more famous and well-regarded tattoo artists in the greater Los Angeles area, who had collaborated with Kings’ goalie Jonathan Quick on one of his customized goalie masks back in late 2013.
“He and his team really liked our cookies,” said Croutch. “His manager thought there’d be a good connection between us and the Kings. And with us being big Kings fans ourselves, we got introduced to the team.”
The second connection came from the protein cookie brand aligning with another credible partner in the region: Gold’s Gym. The gym’s Venice Beach location was the company’s first-ever account and was already a sponsor of the Kings’ in-game Fitness Challenges.
“We decided to explore a partnership where we could team up with Gold’s Gym and start participating in these fitness challenges,” said Croutch. “As these occurred during the breaks in the game, we would have contestants in the audience participate in a fitness challenge whether it would be 30 pushups or jumping jacks in less than 30 seconds.”
As part of the initial partnership, the winner would receive a Lenny & Larry’s care package complete with products.
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“That’s how we initially tested the partnership, and it grew from there,” said Croutch. “It was a great time to be involved with the team as they were just coming off their second Stanley Cup in three years, so they were a very popular team to associate our brand with and help drive some awareness.”
The Fitness Challenge that the brand was initially associated with has taken on a life of its own. Lenny & Larry’s now fully owns that challenge, extending the contest to not just fitness, but any type of competitive contest involving the audience such as a fitness vs. eating competition. Throughout the in-arena promotion, which is featured during every Kings regular-season home game, Lenny & Larry’s utilizes exposure through scoreboard and LED signage, as well as a personalized public address read.
“There is a certain energy that hockey fans bring to a live game that other sports fans can’t replicate,” said Croutch. “It was important for our brand to maintain and grow this element of the partnership.”
As the Fitness Challenge has evolved over time, so to has the overall partnership. In addition to the in-game promotion, Lenny & Larry’s also receives an activation space during all Kings “Fan Fests” outside Staples Center. These activations, located just outside of the arena at the trendy LA Live prior to select Kings games, provide the brand an opportunity to distribute Complete Cookies and its brand-new Complete Crunchy Cookies to fans.
A newer element to the partnership provides a broadcast signage component between the two sides. Lenny & Larry’s receives one 10-minute block of virtual signage behind one goal net during Kings’ home games broadcasted on FOX Sports West. During the 2017-2018 season, the virtual exposure netted $601,698 in gross media value for Lenny & Larry’s, according to Nielsen Sport 24.
In partnership with 24 Hour Fitness — another one of Lenny & Larry’s partners where products are distributed — and the Kings, the trio has been a hallmark of consistency regarding the dynamic “Fit To Be King” series. Established in 2015, the series provides Kings fans with suggestions and options for a healthier lifestyle. From customized workouts to healthy recipes to participation in a Kings Fitness Club with fellow fans, Lenny & Larry’s branding can be found throughout the team’s different platforms.
Additional opportunities to provide direct ROI for the brand include point-of-sale locations throughout Staples Center. Located in the general concession stands, Lenny & Larry’s offer its Complete Cookie and Complete Crunchy Cookies to fans attending all events.
“The general population may be looking for healthier options, instead of just hot dogs, nachos, or cracker jacks,” said Croutch. “If they want something else, we are proud to offer an alternative, healthy choice to those still looking to satisfy a sweet tooth.”
New to the partnership this year for the 2018-2019 season is having a dramatic presence within the live action of a home game. The brand has taken ownership of the “overtime” element of Kings’ home games. If any game is still tied at the end of regulation, the following overtime is aptly rebranded to “Crunch Time.” This is in conjunction with the launch of Lenny & Larry’s new Complete Crunchy Cookies.
“We worked with the Kings to get real creative on this,” said Croutch. “It’s great branding as there will be a PA read, LED signage, and scoreboard signage present throughout every ‘Crunch Time’ game. And best of all, if the Kings win in ‘Crunch Time,’ every fan in attendance will receive a coupon to try our Crunchy Cookies.”
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The partnership between Lenny & Larry’s and the Kings provides a unique and creative fit in the ever-growing health and wellness sector of the snack industry. Yet, in addition to the exposure and brand awareness that Lenny & Larry’s has generated through this partnership, the sheer growth of its business has mirrored it. Since the formation of the Kings’ partnership in 2014, Lenny & Larry’s has grown by a staggering 800-plus percent.
“When we launched with the Kings, our brand was still smaller regionally,” said Croutch. “Now, we have evolved as a national brand that is now a market leader.”
Perhaps the aspect that Lenny & Larry’s is most proud of is the different options it has helped provide to sports fans. In an era of perpetual concession items and continued efforts towards healthier lifestyles for their patrons, Lenny & Larry’s showcases its brand as the standard for aspiring sports teams.
“The Kings are big fans of our brand, and we have enjoyed working with them,” said Croutch. “They wanted to work with a local, growing, active brand doing something different than what was already in the arena. We wanted to provide fans with a healthy alternative, and we are excited that this partnership has continued to provide fans with exactly that.”
