ALL IN MARKETING · OCTOBER 2026 · ISSUE 02
All In Marketing Newsletter
Hello from Heather and Chrissie at AIM360. Is there a better time of year to be a sports fan? The NFL and college football are in full swing, the US Open is in the books, baseball’s playoffs are underway, and basketball and hockey are warming up for the new season.
So for this issue, we’re getting in the game with a look at why great marketing is a team sport, how some of our clients are tapping into sports culture, and what’s happening at AIM360. As always, your replies come straight to us, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
Plus, tell us what game day looks like for you in the survey below.
WHAT’S ON OUR MINDS
The Best Marketing is a Team Sport
Great teams get one thing right: winning is about how well the team plays together.
We think the same is true in marketing.
Direct mail can create demand. Email can build customer relationships and drive retention. Paid media can acquire new customers. Influencers can introduce a brand to new audiences. Search can capture intent. Each can put points on the board.
But the biggest opportunity comes when they play together.
At AIM360, direct mail is at the heart of what we do, with email extending that customer connection. Just as important is how we work alongside our clients’ internal teams and agency partners across digital and other channels. We believe the best results come when everyone understands their role, shares what they’re learning, and works toward the same goal with the customer at the center.
The goal isn’t to crown one channel the MVP. It’s to understand how each channel can make the others better.
AIMING HIGH: STANDOUT STORIES IN THE MARKET
When Marketing and Sports Meet
We love seeing brands find authentic ways to connect with sports, athletes, teams, and the communities around them. Here are a few recent examples from brands we admire.
Four brands. Four different plays. From joining the conversation to seizing an unexpected opportunity, building an experience or bringing fandom into the product itself, there’s more than one way for a brand to get in the game.
Serving Up the Influencer Joke
Influencers behaving badly were the other story at this year’s US Open, from ring lights to staged photo shoots during live play. J. McLaughlin saw the moment and got in on the joke. The brand teamed up with Walker Sauce, the influencer known for poking fun at influencers, and asked him a simple question: who’s your favorite tennis player? His answer is not what you’d expect.
Funny, timely, and a great example of a brand joining a cultural moment without trying too hard.
Why we like it: The best sports marketing doesn’t always happen on the court. Sometimes it’s about knowing what everyone is already talking about and finding an authentic way to join the conversation.
Visit J. McLaughlin | View on Instagram
Courtside Style Gets a Moment
When Larry David showed up courtside at a Knicks playoff game wearing Quaker Marine Supply’s Loafer Jacket, the brand landed in the middle of one of the biggest sports moments of the spring, right next to fellow New York icon Jerry Seinfeld.
No sponsorship. No planned activation. Just the right product, on the right person, at the right moment.
Why we like it: Not every sports marketing moment has to be bought. Strong brands build the kind of cultural relevance that shows up organically, creating moments worth amplifying across social, email, PR, and other channels.
Visit Quaker Marine Supply | View on Instagram
Build Around the Moment
Faherty is taking its love of college football on the road with a College Football Tailgate Tour, making stops at some of the country’s biggest college football destinations throughout the fall.
Why we like it: Faherty isn’t simply attaching its name to college football. It’s building a brand experience around the traditions, community and energy that make college football Saturdays special, giving customers a reason to engage with the brand beyond the product.
Visit Faherty | Photo: AIM360 visits South Bend
Wear Your Team
College game day gear doesn’t have to mean oversized logos and head-to-toe team colors. Holderness & Bourne stays true to its polished, understated aesthetic with a collegiate collection that pairs subtle school logos with some of the brand’s bestselling styles. School spirit, without sacrificing personal style.
Why we like it: Great brands don’t have to change who they are to join the moment. Holderness & Bourne found a way to tap into college sports fandom that feels completely authentic to the brand.
Visit Holderness & Bourne | View on Instagram
ON THE GROUND
What We Attended
Why limit happy hour to just an hour when you can spend the day? This past month, we brought a client and their key vendor partners together in New York City for a day of collaboration, conversation and, yes, a little happy hour.
We looked back at a year of testing and learnings, then huddled up to brainstorm what the next 6 and 12 months could look like. Bringing a team of experts together, each with a different perspective, helped shape an exciting integrated strategy across channels and programs, from high-level brand building to lower-funnel tactics designed to drive meaningful sales.
Turns out, some of the best game plans are built when everyone is in the same room.
FROM US
The Postgame
Whether you’re heading to a stadium, cheering from the sidelines, or watching from your couch, fall is a pretty great time to be a sports fan.
And if your marketing channels could use a little more teamwork, we’d love to talk.
Reply and tell us what you’re working on, or visit the AIM360 website.
Heather & Chrissie