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Add
another magazine cover for
Ben Affleck. Only this time the cover is based on
something other than
Affleck's personal life or upcoming movie. ALL IN, the
world's leading poker
magazine put Affleck on the cover of its most recent
issue for his first place
finish at the California State Championship.
Affleck is an iconic figure in the poker world primarily due
to the
glamour that he has brought to the game. The victory
clearly established
Affleck as the best player among the poker-playing
Hollywood set that includes
Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Ed Norton, Tobey McGuire,
and James Woods.
"Everyone knows about Ben Affleck's commitment to the game of
poker," said
Bhu Srinivasan, publisher of ALL IN Magazine. "We wanted
to be careful not to
put him on the cover purely because of his celebrity,
but when he won a major
event, it became a no-brainer."
With amateur victories such as Affleck's fueling poker's
ever-growing
popularity, ALL IN Magazine has become one of the
fastest growing magazines in
the country. Over the past four months, subscriptions to
ALL IN Magazine have
grown by over 450%. The growth of poker media isn't
limited to print alone;
televised poker continues to draw the ratings usually
reserved for major
athletic events. ESPN, FOX Sports, NBC, Travel Channel,
and Bravo all carry a
variety of poker shows.
Estimates suggest that up to 50 million people watch or play
poker in the
United States alone. With an audience this size,
marketers are paying close
attention to the poker phenomenon to see if there are
branding opportunities
in poker.
"We were surprised at how receptive the advertising community
was to an
upscale poker magazine," said Srinivasan. "Advertisers
are finding that ALL IN
Magazine is a great way to capitalize on poker."
Brands that have made marketing investments in poker include
Oakley,
Belvedere Vodka, ESPN, Anheuser-Busch, Jim Beam Brands,
Miramax, NBC,
Discovery Networks, Diageo, Altadis, Toyota, Levitra,
Samuel Adams, and
Fairmont Hotels. Several major advertisers in
electronics, automotive, travel,
and apparel are currently negotiating category exclusive
deals with the
publication as well major sponsorships with the
television networks.
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