What You Can Learn From: Cecelia Paglia, Head of Global Event Marketing-Reebok

Vital Statistics

Age: 42

Lives in: Needham, MA

Office based in: Canton, MA

Years at Reebok: 10

Years in current position: 8

Size of marketing team: 100+ people

Size of event marketing team: 6 internal, plus contract help

 

Q: What sort of events does your group support?

A: My team manages approximately 200 events a year. We support a wide variety of events: everything from Reebok’s presence at large-scale events like the World Track and Field Championships, the Super Bowl and the Olympics; to producing our internal sales meetings. We create product launch events and media events, we handle all of our trade show involvement, as well as manage the hospitality suites at Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium and the Boston Garden.

Q: Is your team fully integrated with the rest of the marketing team?

A: We are a fully integrated marketing team, but event marketing is special at Reebok because we also support other internal clients beyond just marketing. We manage a lot of employee events, so we get to interface with everyone at Reebok, which is great.

Q: How has the global economy changed your approach?

A: As we’ve gone more global, we’ve done things more holistically to ensure that we affect the way we show up in ways that are consistent and relevant. We have to be aware of what might work in Beijing versus in London—but still be consistent with our brand.

Q: How is your events portfolio evolving?

A: Five years ago, we were doing a lot of big parties—such as hosting a 1,500-person event in conjunction with events like the MTV Music Awards. We still do some of that, but we’re not necessarily taking the mass approach anymore. When you have 1,500 people at an event, there’s always the question, “Do they really remember what brand was responsible for all of that?”

Now we’re creating events for fewer people and doing things they’ll really remember.
For instance, for the past three years, we’ve been really focused on customization: creating events that are specifically tailored to whoever we are speaking to. This mirrors what we are doing on our website with our product. Online, customers can order a shoe with this color here and that material there—and receive a totally customized shoe in two weeks. Likewise, at our events we are customizing everything—the music, the food, the furniture (literally – chairs that “fit you!”), and obviously the product—everything. Our goal is that everyone walks away having a unique experience that really works for that individual.

Q: Isn’t that really hard to achieve?

A: It is, but I have a really creative team. They know how to put themselves into the shoes of an array of different guests and look at things from their perspective and hopefully anticipate what they might want.

Q: How do trade shows fit into the mix?

A: We attend sport-specific coaches shows—like the American Football Coaches Association and the National Soccer Coaches of America. Coaches are relationship driven, so building personal relationships with them is very important. But the bigger shows like the World Shoe Association and The Super Show don’t produce enough ROI to justify participation. If we participate, it’s in a very different way. For instance, we’ll highlight one key story or product rather than bringing a massive amount of product and people. Then we’ll have a press event and make a splash in that way.

Q: How do you define “Experiential Marketing”?

A: It’s the opportunity to bring our product to life—ideally in a way that enables people to consider how it fits into their world. For us, the opportunity to get shoes onto people is huge. Whenever we do, the sell-through is great.
We typically achieve this through p.r. events or launches with the media, and we try to create an environment that is new and different (piquing curiosity always helps, as the media is inundated with opportunities to try yet another product).

When you can get the editor of Shape, Vogue or In Style to highlight your product—that’s a valuable placement. The media is always receptive to our events, so we must be doing something right!

Q: We know Reebok does a lot of events as part of the activation of its sponsorship properties. Do you create your own event properties as well?

A: We do create our own events, especially when we have a unique opportunity such as through our partnerships with the NFL or MLB. One we’ve created is our annual Baseball Summit, a three-day brand experience where we bring retailers to Florida for the Red Sox Spring Training. We create a once in a lifetime experience – our retailers are meeting players and taking batting practice at the Red Sox facility. We even deck out the locker room with customized jerseys for our attendees. There is a product presentation to cover all the exciting product coming up in the next season, and our product managers are on hand to hear feedback.

Finally, the retailers enjoy great seats at a spring training game, as well as a couple of really nice dinners with the Reebok team and a couple of athletes. By the end of the event, we have landed some product, built some relationships, and created some lasting memories.
We have also done community events where we take one of our athletes—like David Ortiz or Vince Young—and we bring them to a local high school (or better yet, a high school the athlete is already affiliated with, and where he/she wants to make an impact). The athlete does a Q&A and we donate product to the school on that athlete’s behalf. So it’s great for the school and it’s a real feel-good event for Reebok.

Q: With so much going on, how do you keep your programs integrated with the rest of marketing?

A: It’s a simple process for us because we’re always working with an internal client. Usually they come to us and say, “We have this great product or a great opportunity with one of our athletes.” We discuss the overall goal and the key messages and then find a way to tie into that. Often the solution just jumps out at you.

Q: So everything always fits together?

A: Almost always. Sometimes an opportunity presents itself that will create a lot of buzz and get us in front of an audience we would have never reached otherwise—but doesn’t quite fit into the overall program. A few years back our cmo worked on the Terry Tate Office Linebacker ad to air during the Super Bowl. That spun off into a few months of pop-up events for our team. It didn’t exactly “fit” with any product or the marketing plan, but it was the right moment, a great campaign and people definitely knew it was Reebok.

Q: Do you ever have any time off?

A: Right now I have the best team I’ve ever had, so I do get a little time to myself. I have a big family, and everyone is in the Boston area, so I try to spend time with them when I am not traveling.

Q:Any hobbies?

A: I played lacrosse in college and I still play on Monday nights, when I’m in town. And I’m a runner… I never thought I’d consider that a hobby, but I got hooked training for the Boston Marathon.
There is definitely a lot of encouragement here to be fit and healthy. We have a beautiful gym and workout facilities. Between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. there are lots of people running and working out, so it’s easy to find a partner. It’s almost hard not to be involved.

Q: Sounds like an athletic culture.

A: Everybody here really cares about sports. Most of us are athletes and came to work here as a way to stay involved. The result is that people here are trusting, team players and competitive—which makes it fun. It’s a really nice work environment.