Sports marketing and corporate events related to sport are one of the most effective means of making an impact on the public, and where brands can get the maximum out of their creative potential.
Sport is one of the most popular and cross sectional activities in the world. It embraces a wide range of the public , from the most active in a minority sport with a very exclusive social component, almost tribal , to a generalist public watching the World Cup or the Euro Cup on televisión.
What is sports events marketing?
The marketing of sports events is that of staging activities related to the sport where a brand presents an action in a real scenario for spectators who attend the live event. This confers on it a special singularity which transcends the conventional message and which contains these key premises.
- The physical presence of the target public: The public to whom the action is directed are physically present , in time and space. Currently, with the new forms of digital communication, the public can also have a digital presence, the space being a social network. We will see subsequently some examples of this.
- Immediate feedback: People form an active part of the celebration and therefore may interact with what happens in the event.
- A golden opportunity to educate: Generally speaking , people do not like the feeling that they are being treated didactically when the aim is to sell them something. Corporate events are however, one of the few contexts where the public is willing to learn.
What benefits do these types of sports marketing events provide ?
An event is a unique opportunity to make an indelible impact on the memory of a group.It establishes an emotional connection which goes far beyond a marketing campaign or conventional publicity as it transcends the limits of what is commonly held to be a comercial relationship.
- Establishment of a direct connection with a user or potential user of your brand.
- Generates the opportunity to have direct and lasting communication with the user.
- With a face to face event , we presuppose a pior willingness on the part of the receiver to receive the message
- It implies taking on an active role in the reception of the message and therefore the capacity of subsequent memory is far greater.
- It generates a now permanent link of having lived a common experience
Examples of sports marketing you can use with your brand
We present below some examples of sports marketing events a brand can stage.
Some of them may be costly but others can be held with a smaller or larger budget, depending on necessities.
A press conference with a sportsperson
Many brands have opted for the presence of a sportsperson at their events.Generally, a conventional press conference with that sportsperson attracts numerous media and fans who wish to hear their words.The setting, as opposed to the conventional press room of the team, is a corporate scenario prepared with the complete presence of the brand.
A competition or sporting event
The organization of tournaments, competitions or fun days associated with some type of sport are also common. A basketball game in the street, a fun run …
A Fun Day
Our attendees may not be high level sportspeople. So we can also put on fun days with simple games requiring a moderate physical activity. This option is ideal for staging in large private enclosures.
An unusual challenge
A common thing is to achieve notoriety through some type of individual or collective challenge which represents a milestone . Getting together a number of people in a large enclosure carrying out some kind of activity usually provides very enticing images for the media connected with the leisure activity or sport.
Real examples of sports marketing events
All through the modern history of sports events marketing, there have been many examples where brands have managed to connect with the user on a far superior level than that of conventional publicity, creating experiences in unique scenarios which have remained in our memory.
Consequently, we are going to make a brief review of these kinds of events , with examples of marketing in sports events , which have made a mark on the public and can serve as inspiration for managing your brand or your clients.
Kipchoge´s challenge with Nike
In 2019 , the runner Eliud Kipchoge tried to go below 2 hours in a marathon run. He did it through a Nike event , wearing of course , the latest model of Nike shoes : Nike ZoomX Vaporfly. All the fans could see him run through the streets
Red Bull Stratos
In 2012, Félix Baumgartner made the highest parachute jump in history.He did it by jumping into the void from an aerostatic capsule from Earth´s stratosphere.Falling from a height of 39,000 metres and without air resistance before entering the atmosphere,this Austrian parachutist broke the sound barrier during his fall, being the only man to achieve this without motorised equipment.The brand Red Bull sponsored this parachuting event which had a worldwide impact.
Even though this event did not have the physical presence of the attendees, it did obtain tremendous attention on social networks, where the whole world followed and commented on this great feat.
Adidas Tango League
Two events held in Barcelona and Madrid with more than 500 exclusive attendees provided the starting gun for the Adidas Tango League, an amateur indoor football league organised by the German brand.
This event also included the presence of Leo Messi to present his new Adidas boots and it brought together several of the most famous Youtubers of the moment to play an exhibition match which was broadcast live on social networks.
Usain Bolt runs against a taxi in Peru
The brand Puma put on a large scale event in the streets of Peru where the fastest sprinter of all time, Usain Bolt, faced off against a taxi.
The event was followed by a crowd of people who turned up at the site of the race to attend the showdown.They all recorded it with their mobile phones.
Transform and surprise to engrave on the memory
As you can see, although sports marketing events of huge magnitude can be staged, imagination is what makes the attendees remember your event as something exciting.
Good examples of sports marketing events must know their audience.With precise information about tastes, preferences and aspirations, the event has all the ingredients to be a resounding success.If we know exactly who it is directed to, we will also know how to surprise them.
Picture: Kym Ellis on Unsplash
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