TIAA-CREF: Peppercom Creates Premier Cycling Team

TIAA-CREF, the national financial services company, sought Peppercom's help in creating a dual-purpose national sponsorship program, specifically a sports link that TIAA-CREF clients could relate to while enhancing the company's socially conscious reputation.

Peppercom began by creating Team TIAA-CREFF, the country's premier developmental cycling team. The team was positioned as having the potential to develop cyclists to lead the U.S. in both the Olympics and the Tour de France. Peppercom then leveraged both events and sponsorships to increase awareness of TIAA-CREF, the brand and the team and followed up with aggressive publicity surrounding each team success. The campaign was rounded out with an internal program designed to promote company pride within the minds of TIAA-CREF employees.

Media impressions from the campaign have exceeded 70,000,000 and include high-level placements such as the Associated Press, USA Today and Houston Chronicle. Peppercom activated 10 target-event sponsorships. Finally, team captain Colby Pearce won a place on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team.