Creative technology is revolutionizing the Sports Marketing game. Here’s how to dial up both real and digital results – both for fans in the stadiums and at home.
Sport offers a shared experience that conquers all. It weaves gripping storylines of underdog victories against all odds, of hard-fought wins, losses and homegrown pride. Sport is live entertainment, uniting the masses, at its best. It’s an emotional investment of weekly rituals and quality time with family and friends. And savvy sports marketers understand that that’s what underpins solid partnerships.
This year I got to watch the 2021 Olympics with my eight-year-old son, sharing memories that will last a lifetime, ones filled with triumph and national pride.
However, not all heroic moments are paved the same way. Who can forget the feel-good plotlines of Steve Bradbury in 2002 at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, or Eric “The Eel” Moussambani’s struggles at the Sydney Olympics? It’s moments like these that stick inside our minds alongside the superhuman feats of this global event, it’s the emotion we crave.
The changing world has meant an evolution in Sports Marketing and how we engage with our heroes. Thanks to the impact of digital strategies and virtual technologies, the experience is getting even closer. The biggest shift has been the turn towards creative technology for improved engagement, using tools like Virtual Atoms (a form of NFTs), Augmented Reality (AR), blockchain, VR, and user-generated content to unlock gamification and fan interaction in real time. Authentic Sports Marketing harnesses these innovations, helping partners connect with supporters like never before.
I have over 15 years of sports marketing behind me. I’ve been privileged to work with some of the country’s biggest sporting clubs such as Collingwood, Richmond, and Hawthorn; and have helped companies invest in partnership rights, such as Asahi, Lion Nathan, and United Petroleum. I’ve also worked alongside some of the highest-profile names in sports and I’ve sat on both sides of the boardroom table, from negotiating deals and maximising returns for rights holders, to supporting athletes and commercial obligations. Throughout all of this, I’ve had a home ground advantage: Melbourne.
In my opinion it’s one of the greatest sporting cities in the world, and competition is deeply intertwined within the city’s DNA. Supremely talented athletes fill some of the world’s most iconic stadiums on a regular basis, from the MCG through to Rod Laver Arena. Melbourne hosts everything from the F1 Grand Prix to the world’s most prestigious horse races. Even with a modest population of 5.5 million, there are major events almost every week with masses filling the stands from football and cricket to rugby and basketball. Melbourne is an entertainment mecca, and it’s the ideal playground for Sports Marketing.
Here are my five lessons I’ve learnt from creating sports partnership deals that reward athletes, teams, brands, and fans, delivering impressive ROI for rights-holders.
1. Start by defining the endgame
To unlock real value, you need to define the true commercial goal and ideal brand positioning, then align them with the right Sports Marketing option. I learned this lesson while working in motorsport, as one of my client’s goals was to increase fuel volumes. They used a traditional sponsorship approach as the official fuel supplier for the V8 supercar series. However, we found the association value alone wasn’t getting cut through. By then shifting focus towards a more over-arching approach encompassing course activations and engagement with unique experiences, we built a stronger consumer affinity, improving what the client really wanted: which was to increase fuel volumes aka sales.
2. Use the 5 ‘M’ strategy: Marketing, Media, Members, Money and More
I typically use these planning stages for everything from a single activation to larger deals:
- Marketing – covers brand alignment, signage, and merchandise.
- Media – covers the digital content, social channels, EDMs, and sign-up pages.
- Members – focuses on growing the connected network.
- Money – is about unlocking the ROI and sales potential.
For example, ‘media’ is the glue for all things analytical and emphasises engagement with your fans. It includes digital retargeting and bespoke messaging to help continue the meaningful conversation beyond the sports moment itself.
3. Brands that put authentic engagement first, win the long game
Focusing purely on ticket holders, branding in situ, and physical stadium activations collectively only targets a small portion of the audience and is thus a missed opportunity. To maximise impact, brands also naturally need to focus on the entire fan experience across all engagement channels. The mobile digital channel and customised, first-party conversations are critical to engaging fans wherever they are, at pubs, homes, or venues. The brands who have adapted swiftly and engaged creatively, connecting authentically with their fans through digital channels, have seen a much stronger ROI, particularly during the last 18 months. There are plenty of new and innovative methods to consider – if you need inspiration, check out eSports: they’re offering brilliant new digital sponsorship and advertising techniques
4. Sponsorship is a partnership, not a donation
Long-term sponsorships are ultimately the result of both sides being genuinely invested in each other’s growth and success, not just a financial trade for signage. A short-term tactical deal often isn’t the answer. Strong partnerships solve commercial goals and help brands evolve with a dedicated fan base. Relationships are built on authenticity and trust between the brand, club, and member. Combine these relationships with the effective use of digital tools and the data-driven insights you’ve gained, and the winning formula in sponsorship begins to take shape.
5. Augmented reality, gamification and virtual reality are now MVP’s
We live in a digital world, and our customers are no longer strangers to QR codes and app-like experiences. Digital literacy is now much higher, and brands which bring something innovative to the market are the brands that are rewarded. For example, bespoke digital techniques engage fans effectively and seamlessly offer new They can also place fans in the action virtually: when F1 racing was cancelled due to Covid; the races became digital. Fans worldwide could drive in a Virtual Grand Prix against the biggest racing names. There’s a brave new hybrid world of digital and physical sporting experiences which is already happening, and those who nail both are headed for the podium.
WRAPPING THINGS UP…
Sports spectatorship has evolved, but so too has our marketing line-up. We’ve now got MVP marketing tools that allow you to be where your fans are engaging them on all channels and immersing them in the action no matter where they’re watching from. It’s an exciting arena to be playing in, and it’s set to get even better. Watch this space!
If you need a coach to help you play a better sports marketing game, contact us here, and we’ll host a free Sports Marketing masterclass for you and your team.
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