If you’re ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, who just nailed 66 of the 68 teams appearing in this year’s NCAA March Madness tournament, you probably want to trust your intellect when it comes to filling out your bracket. For the rest of us part-timers, there’s other tried and true methods…like picking based on the team wearing your favorite color letting your dog paw-print his way through your bracket.

With that in mind, Turner and CBS Sports are holding events in three major markets this week to help fans make their tournament selections and get up close to the madness of March.

In Times Square on Monday, fans and celebrities took part in National Bracket Day, sponsored by Dove Men+Care, where they more or less admitted their ignorance and let instabracket machines randomly select their bracket for them.

Among those who got in on the act were Turner talent such as comedian Rob Corddry, the creator of Adult Swim’s Childrens Hospital, which premieres a new season Friday night. He was joined by cast members, producers and writers of truTV sketch series Friends of the People, which returns later this year.

The Times Square installation featured an outdoor basketball court, video boards and social media updates. Turner Sports also took over billboards around the square with stories-high promos.

The activation expanded beyond the glitz of Midtown as Turner filled double-decker buses with brand ambassadors who traveled the city handing out brackets and info on live-streaming tournament coverage, highlights and updates via social media. Similar installations are ongoing this week in Los Angeles and Chicago.

March Madness has grown into the most high-profile month-long sporting event in North America, and not surprisingly, advertisers are responding in kind. More than 95% of linear TV and digital streaming ad time has already been bought up, according to Ad Age and the tourney has earned more than $4 billion since the Turner/CBS rights acquisition in 2011. A 30-second spot for this year’s championship game is reportedly going for about $1.5 million.

Big-name sponsors such as Coca-Cola, Capital One and AT&T are back this year, along with official partners such as Burger King and Allstate. A number of companies will be introducing ads produced by Turner Sports’ in-house ad department.

There’s also no shortage of zany competitions, befitting a month-long spectacle of American sport and commercialism. Oberto beef jerky is hosting a Dick Vitale impression contest, with the winner getting a meet-and-greet with the affable mic-man. Pizza Hut is sponsoring a half-court shot worth $1 million if made. The catch? You’ve got to hit it backwards.

And if your bracket has just about as much chance of winning your own tournament as Robert Morris does knocking off Duke, don’t feel too bad. Even Lunardi admitted he once lost his bracket contest to the family cocker spaniel.

Image courtesy of Turner Sports.

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