Victory was on the mind of Michael Weinzierl, CDC, as he and his 5-member team gathered Oct. 10 in a parking lot at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. Before the president of Professional Graphic Communications and his employees saw the Pittsburgh Steelers battle the Cleveland Browns, they prepared for an American pastime almost as important as NFL football--tailgating. Members of the Pittsburgh area printing and direct mail firm took on 50 other tailgaters at the Fourth Annual Jack Daniel's Great American Tailgate.
Judges from the whisky company travel to the parking lots of the country's busiest football stadiums. The winning tailgate team from each city is crowned "local tailgate champs" and receives a trophy made from a Jack Daniel's whiskey barrel. At the end of the NFL season, winning tailgate teams from cities whose teams play in Super Bowl XXXIX get tickets to the game, which will be held Feb. 6 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Judges award tailgate teams on their mouthwatering ribs, chicken and burgers, and also on their team spirit and creative use of Jack Daniel's promotional material. Professional Graphic Communications' team purchased as many promotional pieces as it could find, Weinzierl says. "We even called the Jack Daniel's company to ask what kind of music we should play," says Weinzierl, who is a 15-year Pittsburgh Steelers tailgate veteran. Employees at Jack Daniel's assured him that only Merle Haggard tunes would do.
Clothing also was an important part of the Professional Graphic Communications' creativity and spirit. Female employees wore Steelers shirts and gear, and males wore shirts and items displaying Jack Daniel's logo. The team also carefully considered barbeque sauces for its ribs and chicken wings. Team member Joe Monte Cello, who owns a local Italian restaurant and pizzeria, used Jack Daniel's barbeque sauce and whisky along with other spices to create tastes that Weinzierl says were flavorful but not too hot. "We had mild, strong, and extra-strong sauces to try to accommodate the spectrum of taste buds," he says, adding that he invited clients to sample the barbequed masterpieces.
Professional Graphic Communications won second place in the contest, and the Steelers beat the Browns, 34-23. Weinzierl blames his team's sound system for loss of the top prize. He says he laments over the loss because the Steelers have a serious shot at playing in the Super Bowl. (The team won the AFC North division and will be one of six AFC teams in the playoffs.) Next year, "We are going to bring out bigger speakers, and we will win," Weinzierl says.
--Sheree Callahan
Professional Graphic Communications, a printing and direct mail firm in Pittsburgh, wins second place at the Fourth Annual Jack Daniel's Great American Tailgate, held Oct. 10 at a parking lot at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
