Kenneth Broidagh and Rachel Kirkpatrick

When it comes to sports sponsorships, most of the attention goes to the biggest spectacles in the business: the Olympics, the World Cup, the Super Bowl and the World Series, to name a few. But along with all of that global attention comes a lot of background noise, perfect for drowning out your brand’s messages. Some brands have realized that for way less spend, they can appeal to a more targeted audience and reap some lucrative rewards.

EM editors Rachel Kirkpatrick and Kenneth Briodagh kissed the frigid Northeast goodbye and embedded themselves for a few days of sun, surf and sponsored activations at two of the country’s top spring break destinations. Despite being a little overdressed and, let’s face it, a lot over age, the duo hit the scenes like a couple of college kids fresh off midterms. What follows are their full reports on the best marketing programs on the beach.