Trail Blazers x UBCO Partnership
MY CONTRIBUTIONS:
As Head of Brand Marketing, my goal was to introduce an unknown brand, clearly communicate the product's value proposition, drive trial, and ultimately incentivize sales. The partnership with the Portland Trail Blazers elevated UBCO’s positioning by associating it with a premium brand while effectively growing a qualified and targeted audience creating a marketing flywheel. I oversaw the development, creative direction, and implementation of all the following elements.
Brand Partnership: This strategic collaboration not only introduced UBCO to a broader audience but also enabled the legal operation of a pop-up retail solution that wouldn’t have been feasible independently. I managed all partnership contracts, oversaw the media mix, and structured and led campaign programming in coordination with the Blazers' marketing team. Leveraged UBCO x Blazers partnership to expand reach through community collaborations with Hyatt Hotels, See See’s Moto Coffee, Freinds of Trees among others to expand community visibility (See examples below).
Asset Development & Management: Led the design, construction, transport, and installation of the hub container store, coordinating with over a dozen vendors and agencies to deliver the project on time and within budget. The hub was built from a 40-foot shipping container, fully customized with a showroom, double-sided product display, media wall, functional shop, and a 20-foot hydraulic door. The space housed a fleet of products and accessories, ready for test rides and rentals.
Experiential Strategy: Designed on-court and in-stadium activations to educate and engage audiences, enhancing brand awareness. Curated the retail experience at the Hub store, implementing a seamless process for test rides and rentals. Collaborated with community partners and local rider groups to host Demo Day events, driving engagement and trial directly from the Hub.
Digital Marketing: Directed the creation and execution of a regional digital strategy to promote the partnership and enhance the visibility of the retail presence.
Retail Sales Strategy: Collaborated with notable Portland Metro brands, including Danner Boots, Hyatt Hotels, Poler, and See See Motor Coffee, to develop rental program promotions that drove both revenue and product trial.
Staff Management: Led a lean team responsible for executing brand activations, managing retail operations, and fostering community engagement.
In 2022, UBCO aimed to build brand awareness in key metro markets while driving trials of the 2x2 Electric Motorbikes, with a mission to inspire everyday adventure. While scouting locations for our first retail container store, I established a groundbreaking partnership with the Portland Trail Blazers, resulting in a first-of-its-kind demo hub located just steps from the Moda Center entrance.
The hub provided UBCO with a physical retail & rental presence in Portland, while the partnership with the Blazers served as a powerful driver of awareness through the “Ride to Win” sweepstakes. This program, promoted via on-court activations, in-stadium messaging, EDM campaigns, and paid digital campaigns in collaboration with the Blazers, delivered impressive results. In the first 6 months, the partnership doubled UBCO's U.S. database, drove hundreds of test rides, and boosted sales 40%.
Below are some details on the development of the Hub, Blazers Partnership, and associated programs.
