May 16, 2008 6:04 AM, PROMO Xtra, By Richard Tedesco

Boston office workers vie for most valuable fan status.

Zoom Media and Marketing is aiming to fuel pro basketball playoff fever and National Basketball Association merchandise sales through a series of office pep rallies in Detroit and Boston this week.

Its game plan: run a two-hour fast break with catered eats for workers who are round ball fans in companies with local NBA team sponsorship connections. Detroit Pistons fans and Boston Celtics supporters are encouraged to don their best NBA finery and compete for recognition as “MVP of the Office” to win a laser-engraved NBA basketball.

The NBA’s merchandising division was looking to drive sales of jerseys and other apparel during the playoffs. Zoom devised the office rallies to excite captive office audiences eager to take some time off and dress up to show their support for their favorite teams.

“They thought it would be a neat way of creating buzz and driving NBA merchandise sales,” said Patrick West, vice president of experiential marketing for Zoom Media and Marketing. “The way it’s positioned to the offices is that it’s a great break in the day.”

Agency teams dress in NBA jerseys and conduct the rallies, with advance notice provided in the offices through signage and e-mail blasts from office managers.

The big draw, apart from free food, is giveaways in the form of official NBA T-shirts and a “care package” of basketballs and official jerseys that office staff can either donate or divvy up among employees. The Office MVP is selected by a vote of the aroused fanatics.

Rallies were staged on Monday at the National City Bank and Fox Sports Detroit in metro Motor City, and at Arbella Insurance Group and the New England Eye Center in the Boston area. Six more rallies were slated for the Detroit area this week.

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