First Friday Interview: Phillies Director of Marketing and Special Projects

Marketing Director for the Phillies

If you’re a true Philadelphian, the start of Spring brings about visions of red, Miller Lite, and Dollar Dogs. The Phillies’ first week of the season was a mixed bag, with one win and two losses against the Rangers since Wednesday’s opening; but we aren’t concerned over scores just yet. This month’s First Friday interview, we’re catching a glimpse at life at Citizen’s Bank Park beyond the diamond, where Michael Harris has risen in the ranks from ticketing to the Director of Marketing and Special Projects, a position which he has headed throughout two decades of no-hitters, Hall of Fame inductions, the demolition of the Vet, two trips to and one win at the World Series.  With the Phils’ home opener on Monday we couldn’t have  been any more exited to interview Michael.

Philly PR Girl: What were your favorite sports teams growing up? Are you a Philadelphia “Phillie,” born and raised?

Michael Harris: Proudly born & raised in Center City! My allegiance has been, and will always be, to all Philadelphia teams but obviously the Phillies are #1.

Philly PR Girl: How did you become the Marketing Director for the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports?

Michael Harris: I’m about to start my 21st year with the organization, which is very hard to believe. After initially starting in ticket sales, I moved into finance during the transition from Veterans Stadium into Citizens Bank Park before joining the Marketing Department. Having a chance to learn all aspects of our business over the years has provided invaluable training for my current position. We are a special organization that is filled with so many amazing and talented people. I’m honored to be a small part of it!

Philly PR Girl: How busy are you throughout Spring Training? Do you do any traveling with the team or other executives?

Michael Harris: Spring Training is an incredibly hectic time simply because it means the regular season is fast approaching. We do an enormous amount of planning and execution well in advance of Opening Day, which keeps us all incredibly busy. I will travel with the team on occasion or when necessary, but the 81 home games throughout the year are generally demanding enough so it’s nice to enjoy a small bit of downtime when the rare opportunity presents itself!

Philly PR Girl: We know every day at your position must bring something new, but what does a typical day look like for you?

Michael Harris: My particular job responsibilities are spread pretty wide – marketing, advertising, digital media, special projects, sales efforts – so it truly varies from day-to-day. Scheduling is also somewhat dependent on whether it’s during the season or off-season, and game days or non-game days. But the variety is part of what makes my job so enjoyable. The hours are very long throughout the entire year, but you understand that’s part of the package and I love what I do. How can you not when your office is a beautiful ballpark!

Philly PR Girl: Congrats on the Opening Day win!  What are your predictions for the season?

Michael Harris: I wisely try and stay out of the prediction business, but do believe we have a great chance to compete for the postseason. We’re a veteran led team with one of the best starting rotations in the league. I’m also excited about some of our younger players such as Ben Revere, Cody Asche and Domonic Brown. We have the best fans in the world and their support has been truly beyond belief in recent years. Hopefully we’ll make another run this season and give everyone a lot to cheer about.

Philly PR Girl: We loved the 2013 opening day balloon promotion and how you used Twitter to promote it.  Anything special planned for this season?

Michael Harris: So glad you loved our “Balloon Platoon”! We’re definitely bringing it back again this season. Later this summer, we’ll unveil our new “Social Media Deck” on the Budweiser Rooftop which should become a new and trendy destination spot within Citizens Bank Park. A streaming display of our social media activity, mobile phone chargers and specialty concessions will all be key elements. Keep an eye out for it.

Philly PR Girl: How has social media changed sports marketing and your day-to-day job?

Michael Harris: Social media stormed onto the scene a few years ago and has definitely been a game changer in many respects. We primarily utilize social media as an organization to create awareness and for various forms of fan engagement. The amount of followers we currently have is staggering – almost 1.5 million on Facebook and over 800,000 on Twitter. It has also become a fantastic way to intensify the connection between our players and fans. From a marketing perspective, it’s only one of the many aspects of our overall strategy but obviously an increasingly important one.

Philly PR Girl: With so many classic Philadelphia restaurants and celebrity chef outposts in the stadium now, where is your favorite place to grab a bite in Citizens Bank Park?

Michael Harris: I’m a vegetarian, and Citizens Bank Park has been named the most vegetarian friendly ballpark in the country by PETA for 4 years so I have plenty of options! But my favorite is the vegetarian hoagie from Planet Hoagie. I probably eat between 15-20 every season!

Philly PR Girl: What is your favorite annual Phillies event to plan?

Michael Harris: There are so many throughout the entire year so it’s hard to choose! We’ve had a lot of fun with our “Paint the Town Red” activities for many years. Each season brings new ideas, events and initiatives. The Phillies Charities 5k race has become such a popular event since it began in 2011. The event sells out in 24 hours and runners get an opportunity to walk around the playing field after the race, all for a great cause!

Thanks to Michael Harris for a great interview and go Phils!