Sonia Andresson-Nolasco

For many brand marketers, there may be no bigger event than the Super Bowl, when practically all of America gathers around their TVs to watch not only the biggest football event of the year, but the boldest commercials that people will be buzzing about for weeks after the game is over. While Madison Avenue may get a lot of attention, it’s not just the TV marketing that’s on fire during Super Bowl season.

The biggest challenge in identifying how sports fans want to be engaged isn’t lack of information about who they are, what they’re watching and when or even where—it’s why they’re so passionate about their particular sport. So in recent years, event marketers have developed more rigorous research methods to get at the heart of why fans have an affinity for certain sports over others. Once they identify the why, it’s a lot easier to create sports activations that are truly meaningful and memorable to that fan base.

At this year’s Daytona 500, it wasn’t just the sunny Florida weather that was brighter than the previous year. The sponsor turnout was better, too. According to a recent sponsorship report by independent research provider IEG, NASCAR still has some hurdles to overcome but there is a slight resurgence of corporate interest in motor sports marketing in the U.S. this year. The report finds that North American-based companies will spend an estimated $3.51 billion to sponsor teams and tracks this year, up 4.2 percent from 2010.

 The History network put its Cajun food-themed Taste of the Bayou truck on the streets of Manhattan from March 28 to 31 to drive tune-in for the new season of “Swamp People,” a series that explores the heritage of the Cajun people. History’s key target was commuters, but with a vibrant food truck following in New York City, this was a good opportunity to generate broad word of mouth about the show.

When it comes to setting the right tone for consumers in an experiential space, there may be no more powerful design tool than a splash of color. Color can create a mood, send a message and convey a sense of your brand’s intrinsic qualities. The trouble is, most corporate color palettes are quite limited, and frequently misrepresented.