Catgory: Best Practices

Approach Each Season Like A Campaign

By Jessica Smith On November 12, 2017 In Best Practices, Brand Campaign with 1 Comment

The power to connect brands with people is what attracted me to marketing. Iconic brands from Nike to Starbucks understand the power of authenticity, values and strong messaging. And, even more, the power of human emotion.

Good ads are an art. They don’t sell; they move people to stop, pay attention, share and (hopefully) convert. Good ads entertain and connect on more than a superficial level.

This idea of emotion in marketing has been a personal point of interest for me. Years ago I interviewed at Nike (before my time at UA). When I stepped onto campus I cried. Yes, literally. Not because I was a sneakerhead. Because as a marketer, this was the brand that had paved the way in making an emotional connection with consumers, especially in sport. They bought into the idea of entertaining and storytelling above selling. I felt a personal connection.

An quote article in FastCo said it best:

Popular brands had multifaceted personalities. They could make you laugh, or cheer, or lean forward and take notes. They’d stopped hammering away at a share of mind, and were expanding to achieve a share of emotion.

Enough with the personal and embarrassing anecdotes though. My point is that as marketers — and as marketers in sport — emotion is one of the most underrated tools we have. It makes the subject relatable for the consumer and connects at a deeper level. We all laugh, cry, smile and cheer. That’s how we connect as people. And, that’s how people connect with brands.

The idea of storytelling is daunting though. It’s too vague, too big, too vast. Sure, teams and leagues can tell a lot of different stories, but how do you make it impactful? They key is to hone in and focus.

If you want to tap into more emotion, consider taking a page out of how consumer goods (especially sporting) approach their marketing. Product launches and company priorities come with campaign roll outs. A strong message, a reason, a rally cry that’s consistent across all channels.

To do this, think about every new season as a brand campaign. That doesn’t mean every season comes with a new tagline (although that could be a component). It means creating a compelling narrative through which content and creative filters across all channels. Below are two examples:

 

South Carolina’s Here

The campaign was not just about football and the gameday experience. It was bigger than that. The campaign was about the culture of the school and town, a retreat from the grind, the commonality that ties all Gamecocks together and the passion of the team and fans. Instead of just selling football tickets, South Carolina told their story.

 

MLB’s This

Back in 2018, MLB launched a creative campaign called “This is Baseball”. Focused on the word THIS, it was ode to the great things in baseball that need no explanation (exactly how THIS is used in social media). The campaign’s strengths was in its simplicity and ability to integrate across teams. THIS campaign was relatable to every fan, no matter which team they root for.

As you can see from above, creating a campaign helped the Gamecocks and MLB rally around a common theme. It made their message clear and strong. And, it helped them move beyond the scores to the emotional side of sport.

Campaigns like this have a revenue purpose too. They might not be a hard ticket push, but they sell an emotion and an experience. And that is more likely to get people to click and convert than screaming “buy this”. A great brand campaign paired with a smart paid plan has the potential to be a big win.

The process for creating a true brand campaign is long, tedious and collaborative. But, here a few thoughts to get going:

 

Know your brand pillars.

Even if you think about each new season as a brand campaign, the DNA of your brand should not change. A great campaign has a clear message hierarchy. One that starts at the core of what your brand stands for and cascades off of that.

 

Find the idea.

A brand campaign isn’t about a new hashtag. It’s about a thematic that brings to life the brand’s story. The best campaigns come from an insight. Pull insights from the current team’s personality and nuances, fan chatter or something rooted much deeper in the brand’s DNA. Find that big idea to rally around.

 

Simplify.

Too often as marketers we try to get fancy and lose our consumer. It’s important to talk with them, not above them. Go through the process of fine tuning and simplifying your message. Simple is powerful.

 

Create a visual identity.

Today’s world is increasingly visual, which means your visual identity plays an important factor in convey the message. A great brand campaign should come with a strong visual identity.

 

Think through tactical and creative executions.

Once you have nailed the idea, it’s important to think through how the campaign can come to life across all channels and executions. A brand campaign is about a cohesive story across all channels. Nail your idea and then execute well.

 
Teams and leagues have never competed with more attention than they are now. Every space is cluttered and it takes something special to stand out. If you can think of every season is an opportunity rally behind something more, then that’s a good place to start. Emotion matters. And in sport, there’s plenty of it.

What examples of a brand campaign have you seen from team or leagues?

Bleacher Report, The King Of Original Content

By Jessica Smith On October 25, 2017 In Best Practices

It’s crowded in the online sports world. Today, fans have a multitude of options for conversation, content and information. Teams, leagues, publishers, brands, bloggers – and even fans – all share content across channels.

This crowded space makes it even more important for brands to understand their why. Sure, it’s tempting to resort to gimmicks — but gimmicks don’t last. Instead, focus on building something that is different from everything else. It’s about original content that entertains and adds value.

If you want an example of a brand that has cracked the original content code in sport, it’s Bleacher Report. They have defined an audience, voice and creative approach that delivers on social.

It wasn’t that long ago that Bleacher Report was a blogging site trying to gain credibility. But over time – and with buy in from Turner – they became an industry leader in sports, culture and content. Here are some highlights:

As seen above, again and again they produce content that outshines everyone. So, what’s their key to success? A few takeaways below:

 

Define & own your POV.

Bleacher Report starting seeing success when they defined their sharp point and owned it. For them, it’s not about being the next ESPN. Forget the x’s and o’s – there are plenty of people covering that. For Bleacher Report to stand out, they found their sweet spot at the intersection of sports and culture.

As CEO Dan Finocchio put it in this article from Recode, they are building the next MTV (just without the whole TV thing).

 

Invest in creative.

In 2016 Turner invested $100M to build a 35 person social content team at Bleacher Report. This move has been the key. Investing in a strong creative department has allowed Bleacher Report to go well beyond highlights. With the team, they’ve been able to create original content series unlike anything else in the industry.

Bleacher Report took a risk by investing so much money in creative. But through it they built an engaged audience, credibility and a brand– all things advertisers want to associate with.

There’s no such thing as a great social presence without a great content strategy — and the resources to execute against. Bleacher Repot is proof of that.

 

Know the pulse.

Bleacher Report has a pulse on the sports and culture space. And, it’s allowed them to create creative that has a shelf life well beyond the play of a game. With content series like “Game of Zones“, they have found a way to brilliantly merge sports and culture. The content resonated with their audience, making it both engaging and shareable.

If you work in the content business, you must have a pulse on what’s going on – in culture, in sports, in entertainment and your fans. That doesn’t mean every team, league or brand must merge culture and sports with their content like Bleacher Report does. But, having a pulse on the conversations helps you understand what fans capture. Spend time studying the internet.

 

Plan, even when it seems like you can’t.

Good content does not come out of thin air. Period. Even in sports, you have to plan for the unexpected. For every great illustration from Bleacher Report after a game, there are probably five that don’t get pushed out. That’s because they have to predict scenarios ahead of time to produce content that is original. This quote from James Grigg, international operations director at Bleacher Report, sums it up best:

“We plan creative concepts so that when something does happen, it looks very spontaneous. People may think we’ve produced 30 pieces of content around these moments within 12 hours, but really, they have taken a lot of careful planning.” (via Digiday)

Sports are all about the now. Yes, you might end up producing pieces that aren’t published– but the use of resources is worth elevating the game. You have to prepare for the moments when the most eyes online… and in sports, it’s real time.

 

Vary your content.

There is no offseason in social media and sports. As such, it’s important to mix it up. Bleacher Report does a great job of varying their content, from animated videos, infographics to inspirational features. Below is a small example of the mix of content you will see.

 

Distribute where your audience is.

If you want to win in sports today, you have to meet your fans where they are. Long gone are the days where every single post can drive fans to a website to read more or consume a video. No one has the attention span for that extra click over and over again. A strong social presence requires a smart distribution strategy, and Bleacher Report has done that.

Bleacher Report has taken a platform agnostic approach to content distribution. Meaning, they don’t care where a fan consumes their content as long as they engage and build brand affinity. The publisher has adapted their content with the platforms and the changing trends – and they’ll content to evolve as the space does. They’ve made it easy for their target to discover, consume and share their content. That’s key for any team, brand or league.

 
This post only scratches the surface of what we can learn from Bleacher Report, the king of original content. What lessons have you taken away from their approach to social media and content? Share them below.

Sponsored Content: Partnership Not Ad Space

By Jessica Smith On October 17, 2017 In Best Practices

Years ago the idea of sponsored content was forward thinking. But today, leveraging a team or league’s social audience to bring in revenue through a partnership is commonplace. Everywhere you look there is a logo slapped onto social content as part of an agreement. So much, that sometimes the internet feels like a live billboard.

It’s time to take a step back and evaluate this sponsored content thing. Because slapping a logo on a score graphic doesn’t move the needle for your brand, your sponsor or your fans. Instead, the focus should be on integrating sponsor’s message with your brand in a natural way.

Here are a few examples of sponsored content done right:

 

 

 

 

 

https://twitter.com/packers/status/919634623180795904

 

 

Of course, this is no easy task. It takes creative thinking, the right partners around the table and collaboration. When done right though, you can elevate your content, add value to your sponsors (and fans) and bring in even more revenue.

So, how do you create sponsored content that actually works and goes beyond a logo like the examples above? Below are a few tips to think about:

 

Know the value.

Your team has worked hard to build an engaged community, so don’t take it lightly. Sponsored posts on social shouldn’t automatically be part of every deal or pitched as x number of posts a year. The audience you’ve built is worth so much more than that! Don’t sell the worth of your channels short. Activating on social should come with a price tag – and a commitment to doing it right. Know the value of your channels and push back when something isn’t right.

 

Ban the word sponsored.

The word sponsored content automatically makes a partnership transactional. And when we have in our head that something is transactional, it’s much easier to slap a logo on a photo. It’s important to combat the idea that you’re just selling sponsor space on your digital channels. In order to actually move the needle for sponsors, fans and the brand, it has to be so much more than that.

When creating content with sponsors, go into it as a partnership. What is your team/league’s goals on social? What are your sponsors trying to accomplish? Why does this make sense? How can we make this the best together? Make it a thoughtful partnership, not an ad space.

 

Find common values and themes.

The best sponsored content is one that has a natural tie to the sponsor. It will take some creative exploration, but it’s so important to find where the synergy is between the sponsor and your team/league. What is a message or value that you can both rally around?

In the examples above, the content and message aligns with the sponsor. FedEx Air & Ground plays, Gatorade’s Path to the Splash and Chevrolet’s Drive Summary are all great examples of strong content that has a natural to the sponsor.

 

Take a content –first approach.

Like everything that goes out across channels, good sponsored content must add value. How is content useful or engaging for fans? Create a series that peaks interest, evokes emotion and is something you would share with our without sponsor money behind it.

Quality content means fans will pay attention. And when fans pay attention, it means more eyeballs for your sponsors and probably more revenue in future years. That’s a win, win, win.

 

Do not disrupt your feed.

It’s important to have brand guidelines and share them when working with sponsors. What’s the box to play in? What are the brand guides that the content should follow? Sponsored content shouldn’t disrupt your feed in a negative way. Instad, the content should flow very naturally with the rest of your feed.

 

Sometimes, you have to walk away.

The worst thing you can do is try to force a sponsor play on social that does not work. Do the due diligence to find partners that align with your message, creative vision and goals. Don’t dilute what you’ve built by cluttering it with noisy ads. If it starts to feel forced, phony and of no value, it simply might not work.

And at the end of the day, sponsored content has huge upside for teams / leagues, partners and fans – if done right. Go into every deal as a partnership, not ad space, and you’ll start adding value all the way around.

Why You Need a Platform Strategy

By Jessica Smith On July 19, 2017 In Best Practices

Social media moves in a frenzy. And if you work in the industry, it’s easy to feel the pressure to “do, do, do”. This pressure can result in a firehouse approach to push out whatever you can, whenever you can.

The firehouse eventually (and often quickly) results in a cluttered space. Consumers have to shift through a lot of uninteresting content to unearth any gems. This cluttered space doesn’t affect the consumer alone—it also hurts brands, teams, leagues.

Everyone in the industry must work to fight the frenzy. We have to pull ourselves out the weeds and think about how we’re distributing, where and why. Social media content shouldn’t be an all-out blanketed approach. Instead, it’s imperative as marketers that we play to each platform’s strength. There should be synergy to your channels, yes, but the content on channels should also be different.

So, what’s the key to maximize each channel effectively to tell your story? It all starts with defining a strong platform approach—and sticking to it.

Defining a platform strategy ensures several things:

 

Reason for being.

When you define a reason for being with each channel it helps to differentiate content across platforms. It’s not about telling a different story across all channels; it’s about molding the content to the platforms.

 

Forces you to think consumer first.

Hopefully when you define a platform approach, the consumer is at the center of your thinking. And, since you have defined a reason for being on each channel, your approach will make for a great consumer experience. across each channel. This way the consumer won’t be bombarded with the exact same content across every single channel and it will feel more authentic the platform.

 

Helps push creativity.

Finally, when you put yourself in a box creativity is unleashed. You and your team will end up with a stronger presence and stronger creative if you stick to a POV and understand what makes each platform unique.

 

So, what does a platform strategy look like? Every brand and team will have a different approach based on audience and goals. But for inspiration, here’s a high level look at how you might differentiate each platform.

 

Facebook

Facebook platform is about mass reach. Video and live are key here, so take the time to think through how to elevate and innovate the experience of live. Facebook also presents a huge opportunity to drive direct ROI. Their robust ad options and targeting capabilities can help you drive ticket sales, merchandise, etc. if you’re strategic about it.

 

Twitter

Twitter is where moments happen. It’s a place for real time. One-to-one engagement with fans is also important, as well as letting your brand personality shine. From a content perspective, GIFS, moving image and short soundbites are key.

 

Instagram

Instagram is the best visual expression of the brand. Period. The creative must be visually eye-catching to get people to stop in their feeds. Think of in-feed posts as more evergreen; Stories more real-time.

 

Snapchat

Snapchat is about real, raw access. The people and personalities behind brands shine. Think about your programming like reality TV; create consistent programming, faces and give people a reason to come back and tune it. And the biggest key? Have fun, doodles and all.

As mentioned, this is just a high level example of how you could define a platform approach. Take the time to put yourself in your consumer’s shoes, brainstorm and create a POV. Sticking to the POV won’t always be easy, but in the end you will have a stronger community, stronger engagement and stronger overall presence.

Focus On Substance + Execution Over The Tools

By Jessica Smith On March 26, 2017 In Best Practices, Lessons Learned

Every year without fail there’s a bright and shiny tool that takes the social world by storm, from Google Glass to live streaming and Spectacles. It’s easy to get caught up in the bright and shiny in this industry of instant gratification. Early adoption could mean an article as the “first brand or team to use x”. But being the first on a platform or the first to leverage a tool doesn’t equate to success or value for your consumer. As with anything, it’s critical to understand the why and value add behind it.

Yes, working in social/digital means it’s important to keep up with new and emerging trends. But success doesn’t mean you have to jump on to each new thing. Like any tool, from Spectacles to Google Glass, it’s about providing unique access + point of view and creating good content (period).

When Spectacles came out, there was a content dump from anyone who had access to them. The content often felt like the same thing over and over again. Even though we get excited about the new in the industry, there’s a good chance fans don’t care unless it’s new AND interesting. It’s important to understand how you can use the tools to elevate your storytelling, get the right access and provide something new. A few strong examples below (and a great curated list of examples from Blair Hughes here):

 


 

As teams and leagues look to leverage Spectacles and other new tools, it should be about substance and execution over anything else. When it comes to mapping out a strategy and plan, here are a few high-level things to keep in mind.

 

Don’t oversaturate it.

Spectacles or FB live stream can be phenomenal tools in taking fans behind-the-scenes without being obtrusive. But because you have the tool, doesn’t mean you should throw it on a player at every practice. Access quickly loses an interesting angle when it’s the same video over and over again. Resist the urge to use too often.

 

Right time, right place, right context.

In line with the first point, it’s important to understand how live, Spectacles, etc. can play into big moments. Behind-the-scenes access is more valuable when emotions are high. It’s important to understand that holding tools for big moments can be more powerful than abusing them over and over again. Don’t be afraid to wait to leverage something new and interesting when the brand and team has a moment that feels right and big.

 

Find what’s fresh, different.

The examples above stand out because they are a fresh and different take on content. The @ncaawrestling one, for example, makes fans feel like they are actually warming up with the No. 1 seeded wrestler. It’s a unique POV and different from anything else we’ve seen from that account. As a marketer you have to be able to define your sharp point. How can you leverage the tool to provide something that is different, unique from anything else you’ve ever done? If you can answer that, then you should activate with the tool.

 

Don’t force it.

Because it’s new, doesn’t mean you have to use it. If you can’t figure out a unique angle or a way to incorporate a new tool into your content capture flow, don’t force it. If produced video makes more sense than live, stick to the produced video. If your team can execute behind-the-scenes storytelling more powerfully than raw Spectacles, stick to that game plan. Being able to execute right is key, so focus on what works for the brand, the fans, your team.

At the end of the day, social is about testing and learning, but not at the sacrifice of good coverage. If you focus on substance and strong execution over forcing the tools, then you’ll find the right ways to elevate and add a unique POV for fans.

 

 

How have you seen teams and leagues use new and emerging tools in ways in ways that have stood out? Share your examples below.