By Courtney McKlveen, Head of US Field Sales, Oath
Whether it’s on the field, court or rink, sports fans never miss a beat when it comes to keeping up with their favorite teams. From catching the latest game, to watching highlight clips, to reading analysis from their favorite experts, dedicated fans have an unrivaled passion that keeps them glued to their screens. As a result, sports has become a huge playing field for marketers looking to increase awareness, capture brand loyalty, and ultimately drive purchases. Not to mention, with sports fans constantly engaged on mobile devices, there is a massive opportunity to reach these always-on consumers in the moment. For marketers, investing in this passionate audience is a great way to maximize marketing dollars and ensure you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck.
But with so much content directed at sports fans, they have higher expectations than ever. Marketers must navigate these three key trends to succeed with consumers.
Live Video
For marketers, aligning their ads with live video can be a powerful way to boost brand awareness and consideration; not to mention, it can reach massive audiences at scale, especially hard to engage and create action with cord-cutters and cord-nevers. Marketers can capitalize on this trend by creating experiences that are deeply integrated and authentic as part of the live event, such as a branded halftime show, or running seamless video ads alongside it, to drive positive emotions for the viewer.
Branded Content
Take Pizza Hut, who scored with football fans leading up to and during the Big Game last year. Their custom mobile and desktop game, Squares Pick’Em, capitalized on sports fans’ love of friendly competition, providing a fun and interactive experience. Pizza Hut was able to build a strong connection with fans, and is betting big on this strategy again in 2018.
From the Big Game to everyday fandom highlights, sports fans have proven to be one of the most passionate groups of consumers. By meeting fans where they are, and delivering content that doesn’t disrupt their experience and actually adds intrinsic value, marketers can turn sports fans’ team love into brand love.
