Minor League Team’s ‘Typo’ Leads to Fun Name-Change Promotion, Merch

If we had our way, there would be no offseason for minor league baseball, so that we could write about its promotional campaigns year-round. For the second time since June, we find ourselves chronicling the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, who, due to a “typo,” will play as the IronPugs in 10 days’ time, giving fans a chance to own some special pug-centric merch.

The name-change promotion will not serve as the first for Minor League Baseball, or even the initial one that we have covered. In making the “gaffe,” general manager Kurt Landes, who had hoped to order typical T-shirts for his club, “accidentally” typed a “u” instead of an “i.” Many great ideas have come from mistakes, so even though it’s pretty clear this was a planned promotion that’s all in good fun, we’ll praise Landes nonetheless for the new name.

In honor of it, when the IronPigs execute their name-change promotion on August 19, those who hope to see them down the Syracuse Mets could also walk away with an IronPugs T-shirt, as 3,000 of them will become giveaways. Add an IronPugs signed and game-worn cap raffle to the proceedings, and those who live in or are interested in venturing to Allentown, Pennsylvania could oink in delight over the marketing error.

The name-change promotion serves as a great example of appealing to a brand’s fans in a neat way. Here’s hoping the IronPigs continue to live high on the hog as an attraction for fans of minor-league action.

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