When we care, we share. This from Jonah Berger, author of Contagious, is one of my favorite lines when it comes to content. In his book, Berger outlines the six reasons why content catches on. And, one of the main prompts to get people to share is emotion.
Emotion is one of the most powerful tools we have as marketers. Whether it’s thrill, awe, empathy or humor, content that evokes emotions connects with the fan in a way that compels them to pay attention. It’s the most important component in creating valuable content.
There is a lot of discussion in the industry about the pivot to video. Some have seen success while others haven’t seen the return. Yes, teams need resources and good talent to create video content that stands out. It’s a more expensive and time-consuming format for sure.
Investing in video content is important. It simply has to be approached the right way. Video content should not be about quantity but about quality. During every pitch, creative briefing or ideation, we have to ask ourselves why the fan would care? It’s imperative we understand why certain things catch on and what evokes human emotion.
During this year’s NFL playoffs, we have seen some great examples of content that evokes emotion. From chill-inducing hype videos to fantastic UGC, below are a few of the pieces that stood out.
Panthers – A Powerful Rallying Cry
This video from the Panthers is a fantastic example of storytelling. The thematic “Fight As One” makes their fans feel part of the journey. The video proves a powerful script and strong editing are everything.
We fight as one. #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/fUjhCjzf0a
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) January 5, 2018
Bills – UGC With All The Feeling
UGC is hard to do right. It often feels like more of a reward for the fans being featured than the entire audience. But every once in awhile, you come across a gem that shows the true power of UGC. This video from the Bills is one of those. It’s beautifully edited, features powerful voiceover and taps into the sentiments of their team.
One team.
One community.
One goal.
One belief.
One family.
It starts with ONE playoff game.
And this is just the beginning.#GoBills pic.twitter.com/6uR52SmcGq— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 6, 2018
Jaguars – Creating Good Tension
One thing the Jaguars did really well throughout the playoffs was to tap into the sentiment of the players, team and fans. They weren’t afraid to walk up the fact that the team had a lot of haters and non-believers. And, the tension made for powerful scrips over and over again.
We are Duval.
Duval Til We Die.#DTWD pic.twitter.com/poVmvqcK7T
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 6, 2018
The impossible awaits.#JAXvsNE #DTWD pic.twitter.com/jlciKsCrbh
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 21, 2018
Tell us how things are suppose to go and we'll remind you who we are.#DTWD pic.twitter.com/1xtD7Pkl9l
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 20, 2018
Vikings – Capitalizing On The Moment
The Vikings did an incredible job leveraging the emotion of the Minneapolis Miracle to create emotional content. From a raw video of the play to a fantastic montage of fan reactions, the Vikings took advantage of the moment and during the process garnered millions and millions of views.
The #MinneapolisMiracle was incredible.
Your reactions? Priceless. #BringItHome https://t.co/sydPiQUdLY
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 17, 2018
🎥 #MinneapolisMiracle Sideline Cam#BringItHome pic.twitter.com/fRe9CZTlwt
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 15, 2018
Eagles – They Get Hype
The Eagles have hype down. Period. There’s swagger in every single hype video they put out.
So the journey continues…#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/byfjzylvmH
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 21, 2018
All we got is all we need
…and all we want is everything.#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/X9slOReKTr— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 18, 2018
"It all comes down to this."#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/JtNElYp7B9
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 15, 2018
These five teams proved throughout the playoffs that the power of emotion is very, very real. As you go about creating content, remember that when fans care they will share. Tap into the emotion of sports. It’s a winning approach.
