Digital and Social Media Sports

Social Media ROI in sports is so much more than someone clicking on a Buy Tickets link or a sponsor paying for ‘x’ number of posts.

But when a team can integrate a partner into content they’d be posting anyway and content their fans would want regardless – that’s the sweet spot. Partners pay for content, fans enjoy content.

And there is no greater opportunity for NFL teams than activating their enormous social and digital audiences around game day. It’s when more fans are following, more fans are engaged, and are more thirsty for content.

For every week of the 2018 season, I picked a NFL team and checked out their sponsored content. That’s 17 weeks of learning (woo!) and picked out a few from each team to share here. I hope you are intrigued and inspired by the following list of ~ 52 pieces of sponsored content from NFL teams on or around game day:

New York Jets

• The Jets exhorted fans to share their ‘Gameday Green pics, which is sponsored by Miller Lite (as tagged on the image). I noticed Miller Lite doing something similar with multiple teams.
• This was unique – the Jets have a ‘Fan Hall of Fame,’ in partnership with IdentoGO
• The third example is cool – the Jets are among many sports teams that offer a ‘pass’ to their game (usually a monthly subscription for guaranteed general admission / last-minute assigned seat for all home games); the Jets’s version is the ‘Jets Boarding Pass,’ sponsored by jetBlue.

 

 

 

San Francisco 49ers

• Gotta love interviews with players in cars — the Niners have a 1-on-1 interview segment presented by Toyota, and it takes place — while driving in a Toyota!
• Pregame live hits on social/mobile do pretty well with fans, and the 49ers have Ticketmaster sponsor the ‘Keys To Victory.’
• Not a content piece here, but a great illustration of integrating partners in their app (they also have Uber, Lyft, and local transit in their app) with In-Seat Concessions presented by BevMo and a Bud Light Quick Pay feature that allows fans to pay for beer at the stadium with their device

 

 

 

Los Angeles Rams

• A handful of teams will put out a post on social to mark 24 hours until their game; the Rams did so while drawing attention to partner 24 Hour Fitness.
• The Rams created an ‘asset’ for a partner by sharing ‘Halftime Notes,’ presented by Cornerstone
• Not as many NFL teams as teams in other sports activate a food partner for an in-game achievement, but when the Rams score two touchdowns, fans get a free Jumbo Jack from Jack In The Box.

 

 

Detroit Lions

• Multiple teams will do a gameday recipe of sorts and the Lions do a Tasty-style video showcasing their own recipe recommendations, from Henry Ford Health Systems.
• Cool mobile game in the Lions app that drives awareness and engagement around the Quick Lane Bowl.
• Wanted to call out an easy, engaging post prior to the game with a Bob’s Big Boy Matchup to Watch, done via the easy-to-engage Twitter poll (and easily duplicated in IG Story).

 

 

 

 

Minnesota Vikings

• Not sure if they replicate this every week, but a solid piece of content in partnership with Sleep Number is their ‘Inside Look,’ featuring a player talking about rest and recovery.
• UPS presented a Player Spotlight across digital/social.
• The third sample is a fun ‘vIQ,’ which is a crossfire-style video in which a player answers some fun quick-hitting questions, as host and player follow along on their clearly visible Microsoft Surface tablets.

 

 

 

 

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Teams will often provide fans How To Watch info and the Bucs throw in some analysis, too for ‘how to watch,’ all sponsored by Bud Light. Good pregame content.
• Another mobile app game activated on game day – Bucs Bingo, inside their app, easy and fun to play, sponsored by Coca-Cola.
• On an off-day leading up to the game, we get to see some player personality and something fans may enjoy on its own merit – a cooking show with a player guest chef, sponsored by Teco People’s Gas.

 

 

 

Indianapolis Colts

• Several teams run sweepstakes on behalf of partners and here they tie a ‘Road Trip’ sweepstakes with a relevant partner, Speedway, run via web and includes an opt-in.
• An infographic branded with a relevant sponsor as the Teachers Credit Union presents By The Numbers
• During the game, the Colts posted action photos in their Instagram Story (that were actually linked to highlights if a fan tried to swipe up) branded with sponsor Allegiant.

 

 

Kansas City Chiefs

• It was hard to pick just a few to share from the Chiefs, who do a lot of good content and other activations with sponsors on and around game day. First, take a look at a ‘Chiefs History’ Twitter poll [enhanced by a video!], in conjunction with an education partner, Park University
• The Chiefs get their fans to have ‘Big Macs for Sacks’ on their minds, as a BOGO offer is activated by a #BigMacSack for the Chiefs
• Nice way to draw relevant attention to a partner within their gameday photos, including Missouri Lottery in line with a celebration pic (just you celebrating winning the lottery) and a Protein House ‘strong’ pic of a player making a strong play

 

 

Dallas Cowboys

• The Cowboys teamed up with a couple partners – Sleep Number and Blue Star Families to help out a military family, with an assist from Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper. Good content as a result, too.
• Another team highlighting a relevant partner tie-in 24 hours out from kickoff, in this case luxury watchmaker Hublot.
• Throughout the week and on game day – the Cowboys review the ‘Blueprint’ for success in the matchup, along with sponsor Xerox.
• Wanted to also highlight a unique partner integrated with the oh-so-common travel shots, with Jack Black men’s skin care.

 

 

 

 

Miami Dolphins

• The Dolphins brand almost all of their press conference / presser recap posts with “I Said It,” presented by Verizon, including the branding on the photos and tagged in the post.
• Miami activates a relevant partner, music streaming platform Deezer, as fans learn what pregame pump-up songs players prefer on their playlists. (Yay alliteration)
• Lastly, some cool content and nice activation as a couple old-timers talk about a past game in a barber shop setting, sponsored by Capilla Therapy and Hair Club, both businesses dealing with hair restoration.

 

Chicago Bears

• Easy and fun to interview coaches over a meal/drink, bringing a partner into the content – here the Bears have Coffee With Coach, from Dunkin’ Donuts, and Lunch With Larry, thanks to a pizza partner.
• Dunkin’ also sponsors an incredible ‘Game Face’ feature on their mobile app, with an extensive selection of AR lenses fans can wear and share.
• An easy sponsor integration as the Bears make note of Montway Auto Transport for their transactions, in this case activating a previously injured player.

 

Buffalo Bills

• The Bills draw attention to bus / rideshare partner Rally with a discount for fans coming to the game and a sweepstakes to amplify the reach, for tickets to a game.
• The Bills have an activation for scoring two touchdowns, with fans winning Tim Hortons coffee.
• Just about all of the Bills live content – for pregame and postgame – is presented with ECMC, hammering home their brand association with the Bills.

 

Cleveland Browns

• All fans have to know about Elk & Elk as a Browns sponsor, and their logo is just about every graphic the Browns post on game day.
• Good and organic partner integration with FanDuel for Stats & Facts.
• As many do, Cleveland shouts out airline sponsor United Airlines for their travel photos.

 

Green Bay Packers

• Many teams tag Bose with photos of their players warming up or entering the stadium sporting headphones, but the Packers do that and more – making Bose the sponsor of all-access content.
• Nice ‘Drive Summary’ graphic branded for Chevrolet.
• Cenex is the sponsor of every Packers ‘Inbox,’ and related content, including such content posted on game day.

 

Baltimore Ravens

• Similar to the Jets (See above), the Ravens have a neat ticketing option that also activates a partner – as fans can purchase and use their ‘Southwest Boarding Pass’
• When the Ravens win, fans get a free coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts, as long as they’re registered as a DD Perks member.
• Baltimore calls out a personal injury lawyer partner for their injury report / Who’s In, Who’s Out

 

Washington Redskins

• Nice way to brand a game preview story with a relevant sponsor – as Pest Management Services is the sponsor of ‘Defending Our Turf.’
• Invoking one getting an insurance ‘quote,’ the Redskins present Top 10 Quotes with Geico.
• Tough but impressive mobile app game, sponsored by Bud Light.

 

New Orleans Saints

• Miller Lite is featured prominently in the Saints’s ephemeral social media, with the Miller Lite Fan of the Game shown on their Instagram Story and a Miller Lite can on their Snapchat geofilter.
• ABC Insurance Agencies sponsors ‘Xtra Downs,’ a game for fans to play on game day inside the Saints mobile app.
•  A lot of ways to brand keys to the game, et al., and the Saints have ‘Key Ingredients’ for a win, presented by pizza partner Papa John’s.

 

No, not every sponsored social media campaign in sports starts with a catchy pun (but it doesn’t hurt), and as this creative collection shows, there are ample opportunities to tie in relevant partners into content that would be posted anyways. Content that fans are happy to see and consume. Content that brings in sponsors in a way that make sense. We’re still in the early days of sponsored social media content in sports, but it has already come a long way from years ago. The best is yet to come, and the winners should end up being the fans.

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