Brand Thunder and CBSSports.com College Network Enter Agreement for University Browser Themes by Brand Thunder

COLUMBUS (August 25, 2010) — Brand Thunder LLC (http://www.brandthunder.com), the browser customization specialists, and CBSSports.com College Network, a leading provider of web sites for college athletics programs, announced an agreement to bring interactive browser themes for Firefox and Internet Explorer to approximately 60 colleges, universities and conferences.

Alumni, students and sports fans alike can now theme their Internet experience with their favorite school or conference. Each browser theme offers a multimedia sidebar of the latest athletics news, a toolbar for accessing content like videos and commerce for school apparel or event tickets.  There are also connections to the Facebook and Twitter pages of schools.  CBSSports.com College Network will provide the school branding, athletic content and previews ensuring an experience fans will love.

“The fan appeal of college athletics was the starting point of affinity-marketing products back when MBNA offered its first Georgetown University credit card,” says Patrick Murphy, founder and CEO of Brand Thunder.  “It’s a natural fit for our interactive browser themes and CBSSports.com College Network is the premiere provider in this space.  This will be an amazing browser experience for each participating school and their fans.”

Brand Thunder’s interactive themes provide an extreme makeover of the Internet browser.  They are free, lightweight active customizations that can include themes, toolbars, sidebars and other content or functionality.

About Brand Thunder:
Formed in April 2007, Brand Thunder creates extreme makeovers for the Internet browser.  Brands enjoy a persistent connection to their Internet consumer driving more website visits and increased revenue.  Through a software installation, end users change the drab Internet browser into an immersive experience from their favorite sports team, entertainment franchise or Internet site.  The interactive browser themes feature official logos, colors, content and functionality, and can also extend capabilities including video, music players or other Internet widgets. Current business partners and clients include Bing, The Daily Beast, Huffington Post, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL and Universal Music. Samples found at http://brandthunder.com/gallery/.

Contact:
Patrick Murphy, CEO
Brand Thunder, LLC
614-304-1316

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Posted in News, Press Releases | Tags: brand thunder, browser theme, CBSSports.com, CBSSports.com College Network, firefox, interactive browser theme, Internet Explorer | No Comments »

Old Spice Overkill by Kevin Dwinnell

Enough with the endless coverage of the Old Spice viral videos.  Marketing is a simple game – you break through the clutter, you build awareness, you make a sale.  Just like baseball is a simple game – you hit the ball, you catch the ball, you throw the ball.

There’s been so much attention given to the success of the campaign, it seems like nobody believed this Internet marketing thing really works.  It does and it’s a solid part of the overall marketing plan.  Just as the description of marketing and baseball above grossly simplify the games, credit should be given to P&G for the overall execution of the Old Spice campaign.  It’s been hard to miss Old Spice lately, whether its online videos, coupons or in-store promotions.  They had an abundance of presence, not a single good tool.  That presence helped break through the clutter and ultimately drive sales.

This is just another example of a well executed marketing plan.  We’re in the midst of relaunching the Huffington Post browser themes.  HuffPost isn’t successful because it rolls out one cool tool for their community.  HuffPost is aggressively building its content, Arianna is everywhere, and they continue to offer community tools like their interactive browser theme.  It’s an ongoing promotional and growth campaign that keeps gathering attention for them.

The same can be seen with The Daily Beast.  It’s another good news site with their own interactive browser theme.  Yet, you’ll also find Tina Brown across the media, whether it’s on Good Morning America or NPR, representing the Daily Beast and its excellent editorial staff.  You can find an example of her brand building for The Daily Beast as well as a list of excellent reads at her Must Reads at NPR.

It’s this hustle on multiple fronts that pays off.  Kudos to the Old Spice marketing team for a big hit.  A nice work across the board to build that success.

Posted in Commentary | Tags: browser theme, business, Daily Beast, Good Morning America, Huffington Post, interactive browser theme, marketing, Marketing and Advertising, Old Spice, Tina Brown | No Comments »