The Finish Line Fiasco

Today's blog was written by Wayne Harrel. Wayne will be leading the Corporate Theatre track at this summer's conference. His post is a true story of how Adidas used business theatre to imprint their brand on a nationwide sales partner.

John Calipari, head men’s basketball coach at the University of Memphis, stepped off stage and said, “I think that went all right.”

I agreed it had, as I removed his wireless mic, while 600 Finish Line store managers continued to applaud. They were in Indianapolis for the company’s spring sales meeting, and this was the Adidas-sponsored lunch. Dinner last night was a hip hop concert, courtesy of Nike. Reebok was setting up a casino night in the ballroom next door. Adidas (my client) only had them for lunch, but wanted to make a lasting impression. Calipari was a good start, but there was more to come.

As the 600 store managers – late twenties all, big men, probably played ball in high school and even college – finished off their barbecued chicken and corn bread lunch, I put the wireless mic on the next presenter and reviewed the procedure one more time: ask the question, wait for a light, then let them answer. And remember – you’re the boss! It’s up to you to keep things rolling.

Then I took the announcer’s mic, waited for a cue from the producer, and boomed over the rowdy, lunchtime crowd:

All right, Finish Line! You’ve seen her on the cover of FHM, you’ve watched her on The Best Damn Sports Show, Period, and now, thanks to Adidas, here’s your chance to play ball with the one and only…Leeann Tweeden!

With that, the former Playboy model hopped on stage and the 600 managers rose as one. We’d divided them into four college teams – Nebraska, Notre Dame, Louisville and UCLA – and now each group tried to out-whistle, holler and stomp the others for Leeann’s attention. It felt like Betty Grable on an aircraft carrier.

Leeann waved, blew kisses and waited for the noise to die down. Meanwhile, I escorted four contestants on stage – each in his team’s football jersey – and smiled as each took the opportunity to greet Leeann personally.

We were playing NCAA sports trivia in a Jeopardy format and Leeann was our Alex Trebek. Having written all the questions, my job was to serve as judge and, at the same time, try to keep the game on track.

Eventually, Leeann got rolling and the game ran smoothly, with Louisville taking a quick lead. With every correct answer, their boys in the house cheered louder and louder, while the others whistled and yelled against them.

Soon, my producer was having a hard time hearing who answered correctly. Then, when 50 points were mistakenly given to UCLA, the house exploded as 150 men cheered, 150 booed and 300 laughed. Leeann soldiered on, asking questions, congratulating correct answers, and giving me the occasional, “Can you believe this?” look.

But then the Notre Dame guy started jumping up and down on stage. In his frustration at never ringing in first, he’d broken his stand; the small buzzer now dangled from a few thin wires. I showed him how to hold the device in his hand…which lasted until the next question when, in his excitement, he ripped the whole thing free.

Still, the game went on, with Louisville pulling farther and farther ahead. UCLA finally buzzed in first, but missed the question, which Louisville snagged correctly.

Now the guys at the Louisville front tables stood on their chairs and sang, “Na-na-na-na, hey-hey, goodbye!” at the UCLA tables across the room. The place was in an uproar. Leeann was shouting to be heard. Lunch was ending and Louisville mercifully cleaned the board.

As the Adidas staffed passed out special jerseys to the 150 Louisville winners, Leeann stepped off stage with a dazed look and said, “Well, that was…something.”

It sure was. 600 store managers had just spent a full hour yelling, whistling and laughing with Adidas – an experience both they, and I, would remember for a very long time.