NBC takes the field with Thursday Night Football tonight, lining up Saints/Panthers at 7:30p on the channel, NFL Network and Twitter. To drive awareness and viewership, the company is launching a comprehensive social media and marketing plan to promote its newest property, with content that will include a NBCUniversal GIF relay using the hashtag #TNFHandoff that will see a football emoji will be incorporated into GIFs posted on social media accounts from networks and shows. Twitter will also see a different celebrity Twitter ambassador live-tweet the game each week beginning with Chef Emeril Lagasse live-tweeting tonight. NBC Sports also created custom TNF Snapchat filters that will be available for fans.
Of course, NBCUniversal will also surround its coverage of TNF with its Big Event Strategy, drumming up promotion and content that will include properties such as TODAY, Tonight Show, Weather Channel, MSNBC, Telemundo, Golf Channel, the Universal Theme Parks and more.