A Reebok-designed prepaid phonecard program targeted youth who identified with the type of product it was marketing - sport shoes. Reebok utilized four of its high-profile athletes with whom it had contracts. Kenny Anderson represented basketball, Roger Clemens baseball, John Elway football, and Julie Foudy soccer. Their contracts called for a certain amount of involvement with Reebok. Each of these athletes became involved through their agents and signed agreements with the telecommunications carrier to do the program. Each athlete provided their names, likenesses, and voice prompts to their particular card in the collectible series. A certain percentage of all cards sold offset a portion of their endorsement fees.

The prepaid phonecards were designed, produced, and distributed by the telecommunications carrier, but were initially paid for by the Reebok sponsorship. The program involved signing up youth sport teams, each of whom agreed to sell at least a specific number of prepaid phonecards. The team would receive a Reebok SportsRX Fundraising Playbook, a first-aid kit, a video, and 100 prepaid phonecards. All team members would be involved; each of the athletes would generally sell 10 of the phonecards. Autographed memorabilia and sweepstakes prizes were provided as incentives to stimulate athletes’ sales efforts. In addition, a percentage of the monies raised would go to the team, and a percentage would go to the distributor.

 

Edited article: Nelson, Ruth N. and Kelli D. Meyer. “Fundraisers Reach
for the Stars.” Intele-CardNews, vol. 3, no. 4 (April 1997): 36 and 37.