sports Archives - Social 'n Sport

Sports Biz Videos that Prove the Power of Emotion

By Jessica Smith On January 28, 2015 In Video Content

As most of you know by now, I’m a big believer in the power of video to tell a story. I love anything that taps into emotion, whether it is humor, nostalgia, thrill, happiness, empathy or awe. And video helps to convey emotion because it shows, not tells. Content that evokes emotion connects the consumer/fan in a way that compels them to pay attention and share. Emotion is, in my opinion, one of the most powerful marketing tools.

To serve as some inspiration for your content, I’ve rounded up another list of sports-related videos you need to watch now. I’m sure something will inspire you in your work, so enjoy:

Under Armour: How It Ends

This video is clearly speaking to Under Armour’s younger consumer who is still playing the game. The concept is simple, but the script is strong and inspiring. It’s a great example of how an inspirational video does not have to be too complex. Well done from Under Armour!

Speedo USA: Fueled by Water

Speedo is trying to change the perception of their brand to appeal to a wider range of athlete, not just the competitive one. This video, “Fueled by Water”, kicked off their campaign. It’s for anyone and everyone who loves the water. It’s for the young and old and everyone in between. I think Speedo nailed their big idea here: As they say in the video, it’s about finding your forever pace. Speedo and their agency tapped into how swimming makes you feel. And the emotion here makes me want to get back into the pool and start swimming laps.

In addition to the video, Speedo has launched a much larger campaign. You can check out the microsite and other initiatives here.

Binghamton Athletics- No. 1 Fan

Binghamton Athletics shows how you can create something special without a large production budget. They tapped into emotion, focusing on the special bond between parents and student-athletes. This “surprise and delight” video stunt captures what it means to be a student-athlete at Binghamton and the powerful journey both parents and athletes go on. The end result is a wonderful and delightful video that leaves you tearful. After watching, you will want to thank those in your life who have helped you along the way.

Chicago Blackhawks-#WhatsYourGoal Christina

Meet Christina. She is a #Blackhawks fan. She is blind. Her goal? Experience a game at the UC. #WhatsYourGoal https://t.co/sdq9hNuiPS

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 15, 2015

Grab some tissues for this one. This is what sports are all about. This is the story of how Patrick Sharp helps a fan’s dream come true. It’s a great reminder that the power of sports transcends far beyond the scoreboard.

UGA- We Belong to the G

UGA has found a way to tell a powerful story of their team, their fans and the passion of the UGA community. Just watch and listen to the powerful words. I promise it will make you remember why we all love sports.

Together- Washington DC

This is the video Washington DC put together for their Olympic Bid. And, in my opinion, the video taps into the emotion and energy of their city and people perfectly.

NBA- Breaking Barriers

I’m not always a fan of brands jumping on holidays, but the NBA has a rich history of firsts when it comes to breaking down racial barriers and proverbial glass ceilings. This connection to the holiday makes sense for their brand and their history, and the spot was tastefully done.

GoPro- On the Ice with the NHL

The National Hockey League (NHL) and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) created this video to announce a new partnership with GoPro. The series will allow fans to “step on the ice” and catch a rare glimpse into the players’ unique skill sets. This video does a great job tapping into the excitement and anticipation of the partnership.

Duke Basketball- The Next Chapter

This video from Duke Athletics is really well done. It taps into the rich history of their program and the dreams of their current players. It’s a great balance between the present and the future, and a great example of how hype videos can tap into emotion.

Colts- Two Claps

This video is a great example of how fans crave behind-the-scenes content. It’s raw and unedited, but has had more than 5 million views on Facebook. It brings the passion of the team to the fans.

Minnesota Gophers- Through the Lens

I already featured this video series on the blog, but it’s worth another plug. Minnesota Wrestling’s “Through the Lens” series is a great example of how teams can tell the personal stories of their team and take fans along the emotional journey. I love how the Gophers have found several different angles to tap into. The whole series is worth nothing.

Georgetown- Jack Meets Blue III

This video doesn’t have a huge emotional play, but it’s fun and brings two fanbases together. Plus, who doesn’t like dogs? I think this is a great example of thinking creatively about the stories you can tell. It’s fresh, fun and fans loved it.

So there you have it: 12 great sport-centric videos to serve as inspiration to you. I hope you enjoyed them all.

Have you see any videos lately from teams, leagues or others in the sports industry that caught your attention? Be sure to share them below.

As always, thanks for reading!

Four Perks of Student-Athlete Generated Content

By Guest On March 3, 2013 In Social Media

We all talk about the idea of using fan-generated content to help tell our story, but what about using student-athlete generated content to help tell the story of teams, athletic departments, etc.? I think it has leverage. Here’s why:

1. Humanizes
If anyone can capture the personality of the teams, it’s student-athletes themselves.

With the rise of social media, there is a greater demand for content beyond the stats, wins and losses. Social media isn’t about spitting off stats or the next game time; it’s about giving fans an inside look into the athletic department, the teams and what it’s like to be a student-athlete. Social media is about the people; it’s about humanizing your brand.

Student-athletes can tell an athletic department story better than anyone else. It’s time to empower them to share a story idea, give them an outlet to blog or allow them to submit photos from practice, on the road, etc. to be shared on social platforms.

Pac 12 + Instagram

By Guest On April 15, 2015 In Best Practices, Social Media

The secret is out with Instagram… it’s a place where brands should play. The recent numbers, according to Simply Measured, validate the need to have a presence in the space:

90 million monthly active users.
40 million photos being posted per day.
8,500 likes per second.
1,000 comments per second.

Why Instagram?
Instagram is a visual tool that uses photos to tell the story. The rise of brand engagement on Instagram proves that using social media as a branding tool– not a hard sell– is a powerful, powerful punch. In addition, Instagram is easy to use and requires little resources (except for the access to photos).

Instagram + Sports
In regards to teams and athletics departments, using Instagram should be a no-brainer. The access to behind the scenes photos, action shots, venues, student-athletes, players, etc. makes it extremely easy to generate draculalespectacle.com content on the platform. The content is literally right at your fingertips. While some athletic departments are taking advantage of Instagram, there’s still a lot of room for schools to engage and elevate their presence in the space.

I decided to take a look at the Pac 12 to see which schools have a presence on Instagram– and also– what they are doing well. I found that out of the 12 member schools, only four are engaging on the platform: Cal, Washington, Arizona State and Oregon (if the others are, it’s buried somewhere on their website where I can’t find it and that’s another issue).

With that in mind, below are a few examples of how the athletic departments are using Instagram successfully:

Quote Tiles
Social media tiles work great across multiple platforms– Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.– to evoke emotion, emphasize a point, etc. Washington Athletics does a good job of adding them to their content mix (as seen below).

Selling Campus
I think athletic departments have a great opportunity to showcase their campus– it’s a chance to draw in admission applications and prospective student-athletes. If athletic departments want to get really creative, they can have student-athletes and coaches showcase their favorite spots on campus through Instagram.

Behind the Scenes
This is a broken record we hear over and over again: give people content they can’t get anywhere else. Just like other visual platforms, behind the scenes photos do extremely well on Instagram.

Results
I love how Cal is using a photo ands text to highlight final scores / results. Simple, easy and effective. Really, there isn’t commentary that’s needed here.

These examples only scratch the surface of how athletic departments can use Instagram– user generated content, campaigns, etc. also present huge opportunities for those who want to take their Instagram presence to the next level. In the future, I will explore that more.

What other athletic departments have a great presence on Instagram? Please share your thoughts below!

Thanks for reading!

Warning: Everyone Has the Harlem Shakes

By Guest On February 13, 2013 In Social Media

We have seen it before… those video crazes that take teams, athletic departments and universities by storm. It happen with Call Me Maybe, Gangnam Style and now the latest, the Harlem Shakes.

So far the UGA swim team steals the show with their underwater rendition that has garnered more than 2 million views. But lets’ face it, we are probably just getting started. If these video crazes prove one thing, it’s that people and fans love a little personality and humor. In fact, they don’t seem to mind when teams push the boundaries a little bit.

This post is strictly for your entertainment. Yes, I’ve compiled a list of the latest Harlem Shake videos floating around. Be sure to let me know of other Harlem Shake videos by teams, leagues or athletic departments and I will add them. Enjoy!
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Twitter Handles on Jerseys

By Guest On February 11, 2013 In Social Media, Twitter

Bringing social media into the physical world. Yes, it’s one of the social trends in the sports industry— hashtags on football fields, Twitter handles on the basketball courts and Twitter handles on jerseys.

But the truth is, you can’t slap social on everything and call it brilliant. When promoting social media at a sporting event it should enhance the game (not detract), serve a unique purpose and engage.

Let’s take a look at why I don’t like the idea of replacing names on jerseys with Twitter handles: