ESCO Inks Multi-year Marketing Partnership with Madison Square Garden, Launches Customer Promotion/Loyalty Programs

The Madison Square Garden Company and Major Energy announced a new, multi-year marketing partnership, under which Major Energy will be the first-ever Official Gas and Electric Energy Partner of the New York Knicks and an Official Partner of Madison Square Garden.

The agreement provides Major Energy with "premier" brand integration at Madison Square Garden during Knicks games, and the ability to provide Knicks-related offers and opportunities to its customers

Major Energy has launched a "3-Point Plan" to leverage the new partnership to drive customer acquisition and retention, emphasizing: (1) savings; (2) free gear; and (3) ticket giveaways.

The savings include a "Knicks Win At Home - You Win At Home" campaign, under which each Knicks home win during the season will provide the customer with 1% off their highest supply bill during a 12-month period. For example, 30 home wins would mean a 30% discount off the highest supply bill.

Free Knicks gear will include shirts, caps, and other items, and be available after the customer's first bill. Giveaways, at least twice a month, will include tickets to the Madison club at MSG, a suite-like area with unlimited food and drink. Winners will also receive vouchers for the team store and alcohol. Ticket giveaways will also include other MSG events, including hockey and boxing.

Major Energy branding at MSG will include courtside LED signage, the "Knicks Noise Meter Presented by Major Energy" feature on GardenVision, the center-hung scoreboard, and integration on the IPTV system throughout the arena for all Garden events.

In addition, Major Energy will receive promotion on Knicks.com and the MSG Network, the television home of the Knicks, as well as a branded webpage at Knicks.com/MajorEnergy. The TV promotion will include an in-game promotion of a highlight branded the Major Moment of the Game presented by Major Energy, as well as commercials.

Major Energy will not be setting up booths to enroll customers at MSG events, because such booths are disruptive and ruin the fan experience, said Mark Berger, Senior Marketing Analyst-Special Projects for Major Energy. Major Energy will have a significant brand presence at MSG, including promotion of its URL, and Berger said that the company does not need to rely on "barker-like" pitches to drive enrollments.

Major Energy is an energy service company serving both residential and commercial customers in the deregulated natural gas and electric markets of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Illinois.