Creating the win-win-win

By Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt
Maybe you missed the big America’s Cup story from last weekend. No, it wasn’t about New Zealand beating Italy, or that tickets for reserved grandstand seating at the America’s Cup Village were going on sale. No, those weren’t the big stories.

The big story was actor Tom Cruise going sailing with the Kiwis. Several days later, a Google search found nearly 200,000 stories. Click here to watch the video.

Interestingly, it was after the 2008 Olympics that I wrote a story about how Cruise’s ex-wife Nicole Kidman contributed to an internet explosion.

When Kidman learned how the Australian 470 gold medalists Malcolm Page and Nathan Wilmot always named their boats after her movie characters, she gave the boys a call. When the media heard about it… kaboom! Soon after the Games, a Google search produced over a half million stories.

Where I am headed? While the rest of us won’t likely attract the interest of Hollywood A-listers, our local events can gain significant exposure by taking advantage of celebrity moments.

Local media just needs a hook to buy in. Pick an event on the calendar, recruit well known people (politicians, business owners, news/sports anchors, etc.), and market the moment. The celebrities get exposure. The event gets exposure. The media gets some content.

Sometimes, to grow the sport, you just need to show people where you are.

Scolded: America’s Cup Regatta Director Iain Murray issued an instruction to all competitors on July 30, reminding them that guests cannot be onboard an AC72, whether racing or training, within the course area when the USCG Special Local Regulation are in effect. We presume this reminder is directed at the Kiwi team. So much for the extra media attention.