Deck 45: Lap Dance at Boston Blazers Lacrosse Game: Promotional Mistake or Creative Genius?

Question 1

More people attended subsequent Boston Blazer games because the team had turned a sophomoric stunt into a competitive advantage.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The YouTube uploads provided both product placement and reason for crisis management.

Answer 2

True
Whether intentional or not,the Boston Blazer's product,entertaining,competitive lacrosse and fun halftime shows-not seen at other sports venues-was Internet product placement.The "scandal" was also a test of damage control and rebuilding the team's other image,that of a provider of entertainment for the whole family.

Question 3

The viral YouTube videos of the lap-dancing incident were cleverly exploited by the Boston Blazers.

Answer 3

False
Actually,the team's response to the incident suggests it was a standalone promotion and there was no real plan,if any,to exploit the "black eye" the team had given itself the way Dominoes Pizza did with its Turnaround campaign in Chapter 16.

Question 4

YouTube uploads of the halftime show provided a source of feedback for the marketing people of the Boston Blazers.

Question 5

For most organizations,publicity is intended to win good will and manage crises.So why did the Boston Blazers public relations people on the field allow for such risky behavior?

A) The cultural context of a halftime show has changed from marching bands to entertainment that pushes the same boundaries other entertainment businesses do.
B) The role of cheerleaders has evolved beyond dance numbers and pom-poms-they can be bad girls along with the bad boys on the field.
C) The Duke lacrosse scandal added the cachet of sex to the sport and invites satire.
D) American sports reflects American society.
E) all of the above

Question 6

When a company develops its product,it must communicate (i.e.,promote)the benefit to consumers.Does Doug Reffue's Facebook posting (and free ticket offer)meet that criterion?

A) No, it is simply an apology.
B) Yes, sex sells and there is no such thing as bad publicity.
C) No, only the team benefits and there are always free tickets set aside for promotions.
D) Yes, because Reffue, even if insincere, is still promoting the team as family entertainment.
E) No, because only the team's gate receipts benefitted and the public was essentially teased.

Question 7

The lap dance had a national audience and it can still be found on the Internet.For the NLL,what its affiliate team did was achieve the lowest cost per contact of any kind of advertising.What is the most likely reason for not trying to do these kinds of shock-value stunts more often?

A) The public would eventually be insulted.
B) It could open up the league to criminal investigation.
C) It would eventually harm the league's value as family entertainment.
D) The CEO of the Blazers promised not to risk his organization's reputation again.
E) It is offensive and demeaning.

Question 8

Although not intended for a wider target audience,the lap dance controversy did accomplish the major tasks of promotion in the highly competitive Boston metro market.Which of the following would be an exception?

A) The lap dance informed sporting event-goers that the Blazers were not a fringe league but part of a national sport league.
B) The lap dance turned out to be a positive form of public relations that could be repeated in the future despite the front office apology.
C) For those who may have seen one game, they were no reminded that they had "missed something" by not being repeat customers.
D) The male demographic was persuaded to buy tickets (i.e., sex sells).
E) Any perception that lacrosse was not a hot game had been changed in the public mind.

Question 9

If the lap dance had only been intended to titillate rather than market the Boston Blazers,what was social media's role?

A) YouTube made it possible for an isolated event to go viral.
B) Facebook allowed the CEP to initiate a crisis communication strategy.
C) It provided visibility that would cost the team very little in free advertising.
D) Social media provided a two-way, real-time channel of communication between the team, its fans, and potential fans.
E) all of the above

Question 10

Let's say,for the sake of argument,that the halftime lap dance was intended because it looked little different from what cheerleaders choreograph anyway.What role did the cheerleaders play and mascot play in the communication process?

A) senders
B) encoders
C) message channel
D) decoders
E) receivers