• by Karl Greenberg , September 15, 2015

Earlier this year Maytag signed up with Major League Baseball making Maytag the official washer and dryer of MLB in 2015. A first for the company, it involves elements like a “Filthiest Plays of the Week” social media program where Maytag and MLB have fans vote on the “filthiest play” in baseball each week at MLB.com/Maytag; And there's a Maytag Top Load Washer in the home run area of four ballparks, where if ballplayers hit a homer into the machine, Maytag makes a $1 million donation to local area Boys & Girls Clubs. Brendan Bosch, Maytag senior brand manager, talks to Marketing Daily about the campaign, and what's coming up.

Q: Why is it a good fit for MLB?

A: We're an iconic brand that designs and manufactures our machines in the U.S. So a partnership with MLB couldn't have been a better fit for us. It was one of those partnerships we thought was a natural, given that we have new communications showing the Maytag Man being “manufactured” in our factory. And that lets us showcase on a large stage the pride in employing Americans and the fact that our machines are made in America. And further tying to our laundry machines makes a ton of sense of us. After all, baseball is the only major sport played on dirt. 

Q: What's the broader strategy in terms of the campaign map?

A: There's the digital partnership that launched at the All Star game, a subsequent user-generated content program on Instragram and Twitter where people can upload photos and videos of their filthiest laundry, and with that we have a contest associated. And we have a content hub hosted on MLB.com/Maytag, with huge generated content on their social channels. And then we we have a larger digital partnership with display ads across the MLB network. 

Q: And you are using baseball players in ads?

A: We have been. We are using players like Barry Larkin (former shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds), who is our national spokesperson. 

Q: What about individual teams?

A: We have partnered with four teams to have an in-stadium presence: the Kansas City Royals; Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox, and Atlanta Braves. 

Q: Besides having machines in the home run area of the stands for Boys and Girls club, what are other in-venue elements?

A: We are doing as much as we can to amplify our in stadium presence. We have a lot of signage, announcements, and closed-circuit TV ads, for instance. And [with the team sponsorships] we are in markets that are historically strong for Maytag. And also in markets where the nature of the interaction of the fans with the teams is strong. 

Q: The major appliance market is unpredictable, isn't it? You have people who only buy when they are renovating or buying a new house... 

A: Yes, but it's a “duress” purchase as well. So we need to have a presence all year because it is very unpredictable when someone might need to replace a major appliance. The timing is good for us with MLB because Q3 and Q4 is an important period, it's also why baseball makes a ton of sense for us, going right into the World Series in November.

Q: Are you planning other programs on the digital side?

A: One thing we are bringing to mobile advertising is that we are finalizing a commitment to doing haptic advertising on mobile devices. The factory spot has power tools and background noise. With haptic, during the scene where he's driving buttons onto a shirt, you feel the phone move. And brand recall and awareness are higher when you have a haptic element. 

Q: So has anyone hit a homer into the washing machine yet?

A: We have had some close calls. But nothing yet.