The weather is cooling down and that means only one thing: it’s time for the American football season to kick off. All across the country, fans are getting ready to root for their teams and brands are gearing up for high visibility opportunities to get in front of them.
In the past, marketing around football games skewed towards its male fans, but in recent years the gender gap has shrunk. According to the NFL, football tops the list of sports that women pledge their fandom to, and 68% of all women and girls in the country are fans of the league. That’s not even counting the college football and flag football fans.
It’s easy to see how overlooking football activations as a part of your marketing strategy is indeed a miss. So how can brands — especially brands who may not have a direct tie-in with the sport — capitalize on this growing and diversifying fanbase?
Sports offer brands the unique opportunity to connect with people on an emotional level. Fans are passionate about their teams and they attend games to make memories with their families and friends. When football activations are done well, companies are able to seamlessly integrate themselves into that experience and build awareness that lasts long after the final play.
The Super Bowl is a great example of this. It’s a moment where savvy marketers can break through the noise, especially since everyone is already on the lookout for stellar ads on game day. The event is as much about effective advertising as it is the product on the field. Here’s how some brands stood out last year with their NFL activations:
- Marriott sponsored a “Super Bowl Sleepover” where they transformed a stadium suite into a luxury hotel room, and offered other VIP experiences.
- Ulta Beauty got in on the Super Bowl action and had pop-ups catered towards the ever-growing female fanbase, offering beauty services, personalized jerseys, and other giveaways.
Some brands aren’t waiting for the Super Bowl though, and have already started their season-long football activations:
- DUDE Wipes capitalized on the Philadelphia Eagles’ “tush push” goal-line play with product sampling at Eagles games and post-game radio segments.
- DirecTV partnered with six major university athletic programs for an entire season of Fan Zone activations for college football in order to create community engagement, NIL partnerships, and other influencer campaign opportunities.
It takes a special mix of ingredients to nail a football activation. Blending formats between the physical and digital worlds helps build on brand awareness. For example, attendees may see DUDE Wipes on the field and then hear about them on the radio after the game, doubling down on the brand’s presence. It’s also a good idea to leverage emotional touchpoints through humor, exclusivity, and shared rituals. Finally, thinking past the game is what will leave an impression in fans’ minds.
That’s a lot to combine into one event. Where to start? T Palmer Agency has a long history of live-event partnerships. So whether you’re looking for an in-stadium activation or something that appeals to fans beyond the box office, we provide the expertise to make your activation a success.
To see how you can build a winning campaign this football season, email info@tpalmeragency.com.
