• by Tameka Kee , November 5, 2007

The sports-focused Loop'd Network has gone live--with Monster Energy, Oakley, Pacific Sunwear and Surfer Magazine all signed on to launch branded properties and integrated marketing efforts through the social media platform.

San-Diego based Loop'd is an official expansion of SponsorHouse, a social networking site that has connected amateur athletes with commercial sponsors since 2001.

The new platform will link those existing user profiles and data with branded communities like Monster Energy's Monster Army into a network of properties dedicated to action, endurance and motor sports.

Currently, the umbrella of Loop'd properties boasts more than 200,000 members--with a decidedly young, male concentration. Members move through various sites via a branded navigation bar, and can create content like videos and blogs, and participate in contests and various sports-related activities.

Amateur and semi-pro athletes can build a fan base by posting info about their upcoming competitions--while brands have moved into the space to connect with these users in a fully immersive environment.

"The only thing that most of these brands know about social networking is building a profile on MySpace or a widget for Facebook," says Scott Tilton, Loop'd Network's CEO. "Or they're trying to build a community on their own, and finding that it's not easy to build up a user base. With Loop'd, grassroots marketing becomes easier and more effective because they can interact with users in a relevant community."

Energy beverage maker Monster Energy, for example, is directing both offline and online marketing efforts toward MonsterArmy.com, its branded community site within the Loop'd Network. It's promoting the Monster Army-tagged tractor trailer that will tour the country and host activities at extreme sports events. Also on the site are community profiles of athletes it sponsors. Drinks can also contain copy from MonsterArmy.com.

"It's all about funneling people into this channel," says Tilton. noting that Loop'd Network's preliminary efforts helped to drive some 50,000 registrations to the MonsterArmy.com site this year.

Performance accessories manufacturer Oakley launched the Oakley Rider Search, a user-generated video property that gives users the chance to win such prizes as products, meet and greets with pro and semi-pro athletes, as well as trips to the ESPN X-Games.

Members upload videos of themselves skiing, skating, or biking and others vote on which riders make the cut. According to Tilton, the Loop'd property garnered some 1,500 registrants within the first 10 days of its soft launch.

Meanwhile, Pacific Sunwear is venturing into its first athlete sponsorship program, with the goal of sponsoring up to 1,500 amateur and semi-pro athletes nationwide--and will launch a Loop'd property dedicated to the athletes and their fans.

Surfer Magazine has created an extension of its brand with Loop'd called the Hot 100, which aims to connect members with the "best young surfers in the world," via profiles, pictures and activities.

'The Hot 100' on Loop'd also offers revenue-generation opportunities for Surfer Magazine, as it "provides increased online inventory for more ad dollars from surf brands," said Tilton.