How I Became Addicted to Smoothies By Catching a Mini Football

Last fall, I attended a Friday night high school football game with some friends at the school where I graduated decades ago. The weather was perfect, with that crisp, cool air that requires a hoodie by halftime, and the bleachers were packed with parents, students, and alumni. Our team was playing their big rival that night, so the energy in the stadium was electric.

After we scored a touchdown in the second quarter to give us the lead going into halftime, the cheerleaders lined up in front of the stands with a box full of mini footballs. Everyone in the student section started yelling for them to throw our way. I wasn't in the student section, but I stood up just in case one came flying near me. Sure enough, one of the cheerleaders launched a spiral right toward my row. I reached up and caught it cleanly, and the people around me cheered like I'd just made the game-winning catch myself. That was probably the first time in my life I have ever caught a football without fumbling it all around.

I was so proud of myself for catching the ball. I sat down and looked at the football. On one side, it had our team's tiger mascot printed in bright orange on white. But what really grabbed my attention was the other side. There was a pink logo for a local smoothie place I had seen before but never visited. Under their logo, it said, "Bring this football in for a Free Smoothie."

I thought, "Why not?" I had been meaning to try one of their smoothies for months but just never went out of my way to stop there. The following Monday, I grabbed the mini football from my car and walked into their shop during lunch. I handed it to the cashier and ordered a protein smoothie, and after the first sip, I was hooked. I've been going there two or three times a week ever since. I feel great after drinking their smoothies, and it gives me more energy to finish out my workdays without feeling sluggish.

What's even more clever is that when I redeemed the football, the cashier dropped it into a basket behind the counter and said, "Thanks, these go back to the cheerleaders to throw out again." That's brilliant marketing if you ask me. The smoothie place gets new customers like me, the cheerleaders get to keep throwing mini footballs at every game, and fans get to feel like they caught a piece of the action (and a free smoothie).

If you're looking for a smart way to get your business name out there and actually bring customers through your door, custom mini footballs are a winning play. I'm proof of that!

Perfect Imprints has many options for custom mini footballs that can be printed with your team mascot on one side and a sponsor logo with a special offer on the other side, ensuring your brand gets noticed. You can see our full selection of custom mini footballs here, or see some of the most popular picks below.