St. Paul's iPig proves Saints are still promotional geniuses

The Dugout is constantly being asked which organization puts together the best promotions.

While there are plenty of teams to chose from, every once in a while St. Paul, the originator of wacky promotions, steps up to remind the up-and-comers it is still lord god of minor league promotions.

St. Paul had enough with the hype surrounding today’s launch of Apple’s iPhone – their new multipurpose phone/music player/remote control/blender. Last night they beat Apple to the proverbial media punch by launching their entry into the multitasking portable electronic devise – the iPig.

For years the Saints have used a trained pig to deliver baseballs to umpires. Last night they gave their pig (named Garrison Squeeler) a futuristic makeover. For the most part, the iPig functions like a traditional pig. However, with speakers mounted on its sides and a pouch for a MP3 player, the iPig allows owners to listen to their favorite music. The iPig also contains a pouch for telephone storage, allowing the user “complete wireless functionality.”

The iPig will retail for $299 – half the cost of a new iPhone. While some will see the iPig’s size as a drawback, the Saints website notes that it’s almost impossible to misplace the iPig.

“Taking on a major player like Apple is daunting, but our sense is that Apple has exposed a niche that these pigs fill,” Saints general manager/executive vice president Derek Sharrer said on the team’s Web site. “Our critics will say there’s no market for trying to reinvent the pig. We’ll see.”

Only one iPig has been produced thus far, but the Saints would like to create more to meet demand.

The iPig promotion, while fantastic, only served to dwarf another St. Paul announcement from earlier in the week. On July 7, the Saints will host Being Jason Giambi Night, where fans will have the opportunity to confess their misdeeds to Bud Selig or George Mitchell.

Check back with The Dugout in coming days for more on this one.