Q2 pitch

World’s Toughest Mudder

Prompt

World’s Toughest Mudder is the culminating event of the Tougher Mudder series. You’ve been asked to pitch an initial concept to drive interest in the event. Describe the concept and how you envision it coming to life.

Foreword

• Tough Mudder is a challenge, not a race. However, the team at TMHQ has provided a championship round to those who want to push their limits in a competitive setting.

• At twice the price (excluding travel/other expenses) World’s Toughest Mudder is not just for the interested athlete-it’s for the those willing to devote time, money, and resources to accomplish something remarkable.

• With the Tough Mudder demographic (athletic millennials, mostly male, likely with a Type-A personality), there is opportunity for WTM to grow in size if the right incentives are presented.


Big IdeaWe are going to get participants to World’s Toughest Mudder by

Tapping into herd psychology and the natural drive to compete


a) to build momentum for World’s Toughest Mudder amongst the MudderNation b) to convince the 5% who submit their times/qualify, to follow through and compete

Objectives

Insight

MediumsLocation-specificeventboothsatstart/finishofeachraceInteractive WebsiteSocial Media Campaign

After speaking with a few members of MudderNation, I came away with one crucial insight/problem:

“People who qualify and submit their times for World’s Toughest Mudder are more interested in finding out whether they make the WTM cut, than

they are in actually participating in the event” -Paul Smisek, MudderNation “President”


Execution: In Person

WewillholdboothsforWorld’sToughestMudderatthestartandfinishofeachrace,dubbed“TakingThe Black” in reference to the black headbands competitors receive at WTM

Theboothswillprofileparticipantsinlastyear’sWTM,with an emphasis on competitors from that immediate region e.g. If at the 2012 World’s Toughest Mudder there were 53 contestants from Texas Then at the Austin, TX Tough Mudder in April 2013, the booth would:

a)Profileasmanyofthose53participantsaspossibleb)ProfileparticipantsfromotherpartsoftheUS/globewhocompetedc) Provide information/enthusiasm about World’s Toughest Mudder

We want to associate people with their community, and trigger a

response “Hey, if she can do that, so can I!”


“AngelaSternbergfromSanAntoniorantwoTough Mudders last year to qualify for WTM ‘12. (Her favorite part of WTM ‘12) (How training was for WTM ‘12) (What she’s looking forward to this year)

Americas Toughest Mudders 2012

“AshleySternbergfromHoustonrantwoToughMudders last year to qualify for WTM ‘12. (Her favorite part of the event) (how training was for the event) (what she’s looking forward to this year)

“AshleySternbergfromHoustonrantwoToughMudders last year to qualify for WTM ‘12. (Her favorite part of the event) (How training was for the event) (What she’s looking forward to this year)

Toughest Mudders in Texas

“DanMarverfromWimberlyranToughMuddersinfivedifferentstateslastyearbeforeWTM‘12.(What has different about the events? ) (What do you like about doing it in home state?) (What’s best about World’s Toughest Mudder?)

‘


Execution: On The WebOne of the biggest problems we currently face with World’s Toughest Mudder is that people are more interested in submitting their time to see if they would qualify, than actually competing.

PatrickWeissfromSanFranciscoqualifiedlastmonth at Tahoe Summer(Her favorite part of the event) (How training was for the event) (What she’s looking forward to this year)

Toughest Mudders and counting

see you in november

1307

Enter your time here

Thewebsitetosubmittimeswillhaveaninteractivesplashpagewherethegeneralpublic,butmorespecificallythosesubmittingtheireventtime,canviewandinteractwithprofilesofpeopleintheircommunityandacrossthenationwhohavealreadyqualifiedandsignedupforWorld’sToughestMudder.

We are injecting personality and momentum into World’s Toughest Mudder

Screenshot from American Airlines Ipad App


Execution: Social Media

e.g.“@ToughMudderMiamiisreallyshowingupthisweekwith65sign-upstothisyear’s#toughestmudder, Florida has the most contestants so far, where you at Tri-State?!”

We will provide a driving force to MudderNation by broadcasting relevant posts on our twitter that report how many people from a certain region or event has signed up. Again, engaging herd mentality.

We will engage in partnership marketing to drive interest not only across Mudder Nation, but also with people who haven’t yet participated in a Tough Mudder but are associated with our sponsors.

Content is essential in driving interest, especially photos and videos. If we can highlight all things WTM (past participants, new obstacles, TMHQ R+D) through channels like Instagram, Tumblr, and YouTube, it can create additional klout across our social media.


Reasoning

We can reach our target demographic, a group of highly dedicated participants, by promoting the competitive spirit and the elite status of WTM. They will be extremely receptive in participating because not only do they want to compete with the best, but they also wouldn’t dare pass up the opportunity to prove themselves on Tough Mudder’s largest stage. In other words, we subtly hint at their fear of missing out and the obligation they have to themselves to compete.

Those who compete and qualify in the top 5% of Tough Mudder events can be grouped as some of themostcompetitiveandcommittedoftheToughMudderlifestyle.Butbyprofilingthoselocal WTM participants, who are as equally dedicated to the Tough Mudder lifestyle as potential participants, we’ve created a common bond between the two. It will create a driving force to actually compete in WTM, rather than just qualify.

It gives personality to World’s Toughest Mudder and opens up opportunity to bond with the Tough Mudder brand.


Other Ideas

Hosttheeventata“destination.”ThecoldweatherofNewJerseyinNovemberispartofwhatmakesWorld’sToughestMuddersouniqueanddifficult,butitsureisn’tadestinationspectatorsandparticipants can get excited about. If someone is sinking $450 on the ticket +travel/gear/expenses, they probably want to make a weekend out of it. So let’s give them a destination. That’s likely why Ironman Hawaii is so popular.

Past contestants of World’s Toughest Mudder could be rewarded with free entry to their local Tough Mudder event if they agree to become ambassadors for the WTM. Tasks might include engaging with participants at the booths, rallying other community members, reaching out through social media.

Q2 pitch

Documents

Transcript of Q2 pitch