FIGHT UPDATE:
Cal Ellenor’s opponent James Gallagher has been forced to pull out of the upcoming Bellator Dublin main event due to injury. This has brought a premature end to Project11’s sponsorship of Cal Ellenor, which was set to be activated in the build-up and throughout Bellator Dublin on February 22.
We have teamed up with IMG to deliver Digital Overlay Advertising at Real Madrid home matches.
Earlier this year, global restaurant chain Pizza Hut quietly made history as the first brand to bag naming rights to a virtual football stadium, when it scored a deal with EA Sports for the Madden NFL 20 Championship Series.
The Madden Championship Series, an esports event where fans of the popular video game compete throughout the season for a chance to win nearly $200,000, has proven a hit for EA Sports. The Madden NFL 20 Classic held from 30th August to 1st September saw players descend on North America’s largest esports-dedicated facility, Esports Stadium Arlington. Boasting the largest competitor pool in the history of the event, it was the perfect time for the Pizza Hut Stadium to make its debut as the venue for the in-game encounters.
Who knew that tucked away in the world of virtual football lay a partnership with the potential to have a long-lasting impact on sponsorship as we know it.
It arrived at a time when brands are increasingly marketing their products through competitive online video games, with hopes of getting their message across to an audience that many say is difficult to reach.
“The NFL and Pizza Hut have partnered since 2018 and with that, there’s a natural progression of finding a new way to reach a really unique audience in the gaming space,” explains Vida Mylson, senior director of global brand partnerships at EA Sports. “The NFL is trying to reach young males playing Madden, and our discussions were about reaching that new audience.”
What we can recognise with this deal is the want for EA Sports to further mirror the experience a player, and viewers get at an actual NFL venue. There is also the mirroring of sponsorship opportunities in the real world of sport; what works there is now a viable option in esports.
“Gamers used to be seen as the guys in the basement sitting alone, eating pizza and crushing Mountain Dew,” says Marianne Radley, the chief brand officer at Pizza Hut. “It’s different now. Today, it is about community. It’s modern, high-tech and there’s elite competition. It’s evolved, so who doesn’t want to be a part of that?
In May 2018 Arsenal signed a £30m deal with Visit Rwanda as their official Tourism Partner and first shirt sleeve sponsor.
The three-year partnership, known to be one of the biggest sleeve sponsorship deals in Premier League history, divided opinions when it was announced. Many questioned the intentions of Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, a committed Arsenal fan, in spending such money when his country is one of the poorest countries in the world.
But to Kagame’s supporters and to many in the marketing industry, it was thought of as a smart move to get people thinking about the country’s weakened tourism industry.
As part of the exciting partnership, Rwanda would gain global exposure through branding on Arsenal’s matchday LED boards, interview backdrops and at the club’s stadium tour which attracts more than 250,000 visitors each year. There would also be the opportunity to engage with Arsenal fans around the world through the club’s social media channels.
So one year in and the results on how the partnership is shaping up are out…
The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has said the country has already recouped the £30 million investment, based on analytics provided by sports research and consulting firm Nielsen, social media and sponsorship measurement provider Blinkfire Analytics and research agency Hall and Partners.
Belise Kariza, the RDB chief tourism officer, said: “Before the signing of the partnership, 71 per cent of the millions of Arsenal fans globally did not think of Rwanda as a tourist destination, at the end of the first year of the partnership half of Arsenal fans would consider Rwanda as a destination to visit.
“In terms of overall value, the partnership so far, in year one, is worth £36 million or over Rwf36 billion. This number is based on TV viewership and social media.
“We can definitely say it has paid off.”
Kariza went on to add that the agreement factored into the 1.7 million people tourists that visited Rwanda in 2018 thanks to the brand exposure Arsenal gave to Visit Rwanda. She also said that the content created to promote the country as a holiday destination, aided by a tie-up with National Geographic, had seen at least 4.3 million interactions over social media and other activations.
Furthermore, Visit Rwanda’s YouTube channel saw a 100 percent increase in subscribers, while the brand’s Twitter and Instagram followings enjoyed a boost of 72 per cent and 577 per cent respectively off the back of the deal.
Kariza added: “I think really on the visibility it is paying off. It is also paying off in terms of people visiting from the UK. In 2018 we had a five per cent increase in visitors from the UK market only.”
Are you a brand interested in advertising in the most-watched sports league in the world?
Here at Project11 we have access to multiple clubs in the English Premier League. So if you are a brand interested in seeing for yourself the successes of global exposure through football, then why not head over to our EPL advertising page to find out more at https://p11.tv/epl-advertising/.
Voice search is increasingly becoming a part of everyday life, giving brands major opportunities to win the hearts and minds of their consumers. Just as smartphones and social media have become permanent fixtures in the digital world, so too will voice search. According to comScore, 50 percent of all searches will be voice searches by 2020. Brands who decide not to understand the ways in which they could connect with their audiences via voice search may soon find themselves left behind.
So what is voice search?
Voice search essentially allows users to speak into a device as opposed to typing keywords into a search query to produce results. Voice technology was first designed in the 1950s, but it has progressed massively in the last few years, with the latest devices on the scene—Amazon Echo and Google Home—being the most sophisticated voice assistants that consumers have ever seen.
Voice assistants continue to be integrated with other technology such as cars, wearables, connected TVs, appliances and other smart home devices. The most common tasks performed by voice assistants include getting directions, making phone calls, listening to music and finding nearby stores. According to a study by Google, at least half of the people who own a dedicated voice assistant device have made a purchase through it.
Its set to take over as the dominant search form
Jim Salveson, Exec Producer of the Football Social at independent digital media company Communicorp as well as Director of Hive Content, says that beyond the simple functions which genuinely have an impact on people’s lives, voice technology is still waiting for the moment that transforms the landscape.
That being said, the technology is evolving all the time and as a result consumers are becoming increasingly interested. Voice search isn’t only here to stay, it’s on the rise. In the future a brand without a voice search presence is likely to be as odd as a company without a website or Facebook page.
In the coming years, we are probably going to start asking our devices to do all sorts of things we never would have dreamed of asking Siri back in 2011. And as people increasingly use voice search to ask for products and services, the first businesses to respond will be the ones to stand out.
So how can sport leverage voice technology
As voice technology continues to grow it will become increasingly important for businesses to include a voice search strategy into their overall digital marketing plan. Building a voice search strategy isn’t just about remaining relevant – it is about creating a unique customer experience that will look to develop relationships.
The question now is how can sport channel its success? So far in 2019, the NFL have come up with a novel way to play around with Alexa’s capabilities, using it as a sort of teaching resource for new fans to learn rules and jargon ahead of the playoffs and Super Bowl.
We as a company are excited to see how voice technology will evolve, and we know that we are bound to see plenty more uses of the technology by teams and leagues before the end of the year and into 2020. In the meantime, we would love to know if you are using voice search within sports… do you use a voice assistant device to find out about sports updates, your team and sports scores etc. or possibly even book tickets. Get in touch and let us know at https://p11.tv/contact/
As they undertake their first season back in the Premier League since 2006-07, Sheffield United announce Al Wefaq Rent a Car as their official Car Rental Partner.
It’s been a long journey for ‘the blades’ to make it back to English topflight, but now they have achieved that goal, they are in a fantastic position facilitate international partnerships.
This new partnership, which will see Al Wefaq branding across the first team players and management training, travel and bench wear kit was planned and brokered by Project11, an international sports marketing agency that offers unrivalled access to advertising opportunities at the world’s top sporting events.
Mr. Nasser Al Qahtani chairman at Al Wefaq Rent A Car expressed his great pride in this sponsorship saying:
“We are confident of the success of this partnership, which is one of our future plans aligned with the vision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2030 to support Saudi sports in general through the sponsorship program that we started last year locally, and we are expanding today globally with Sheffield United Football club part owned by Saudi Arabia’s HRH Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.”
AL Qahtani continued this is one of the main reasons for us to be part of the English Premier League, the strongest football league world wide.
“We wish Sheffield United “The Blades” all the best during the season and looking forward to long lasting partnership with the team and management.”
ABOUT AL WEFAQ RENT A CAR
Founded in 2000, Al Wefaq Rent a Car has more than 80 branches inside the Saudi Kingdom cities domestic and international airports in addition to regional international airports including UAE and Egypt.
ABOUT SHEFFIELD UNITED
Sheffield United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The club competes in the Premier League, the top division of English football.
AS SEEN IN THE NEWS
SportsPro Media: http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/premier-league-sheffield-united-al-wefaq-rent-a-car-partnership
Sport Business: https://sponsorship.sportbusiness.com/news/sheffield-united-partners-with-al-wefaq-rent-a-car/
Sheffield United FC: https://www.sufc.co.uk/news/2019/august/al-wefaq/
Off The Pitch: https://offthepitch.com/a/blades-announce-partnership-saudi-based-car-rental
Insider Media: https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/yorkshire/walker-morris-advises-on-blades-commercial-deal
Many brands continuously raise expectations around efficiency, accessibility and convenience, but fail to create long term loyalty from customers. Emotional marketing enables them to form engaging, meaningful connections that humanize the brand and establish deeper relationships that set the business apart in such an over-saturated market.
Advertising in this way resonates with customers, leaving lasting impressions that serves brands well in the long run. Studies show that people invest money in businesses that have an emotional relevance to them, and heavily favor brands that are able to successfully demonstrate their humanity. It was found that 57% of consumers would be more loyal to a human brand.
Advertising within sport is an excellent example of how brands can create an emotional connection with their customers. By aligning themselves within sports that their target market is passionate about, it allows the brand to form positive associations between the sport and their product.
It was found that while watching football adverts, men are on average twice as likely to feel intense feelings of exhilaration and laughter and 67% more likely to feel a sense of pride. This highlights how well sport can help to form emotional connections with its audience and in turn trust and loyalty to the brands advertising.
There have been some excellent examples over the years where brands have created emotional campaigns surrounding sport. From Nike’s viral advert featuring Colin Kaepernick, to P&G’s ‘Thank you mum’ campaign for the Winter Olympics, it is clear to see the natural fit between emotive campaigns and sport.
The key to creating a successful emotive campaign requires brands to gain an insight into the thoughts and feelings of their target market, and in turn design a campaign that will hit home with this audience.
Contact us to see how we can help your brand create an emotional advertising campaign within sport.
Perimeter advertising captures the audience’s attention, putting brands in sporting moments which make history. This creates a positive relationship between viewers and the companies advertised, and in turn increases the likelihood of those viewers becoming loyal customers.
But how can you use perimeter advertising to meet objectives? A successful advert is needed to ensure that an achievable call to action reaches the brand’s target market, generating interaction and creating sales. Perimeter advertising boards are uniquely positioned to allow brands to achieve different or multiple objectives than ordinary advertising, while being consumer friendly.
Including your website in a perimeter advert is the ultimate way to sell any kind of product. Whether you’re looking to increase website traffic, raise brand awareness or sell to more clients online, the benefits of featuring your website in advertising are endless.
Promotions and discounts showcased on perimeter boards are able to reach those watching the game easily and get them to act upon the call to action presented to them immediately. Many brands use call to actions to encourage sales during and after certain fixtures featuring their perimeter advertising, while also utilizing social channels to promote these offers simultaneously.
Promoting social platforms through perimeter advertising is an incredible tool in increasing interaction. With 50% of those watching games at home following on social media at the same time, there is no better audience’s attention to capture than those watching football.
The use of hashtags can form the foundation of a fully inclusive marketing campaign. Brands are able to push a particular service, product of campaign message with the use of hashtags, linking perimeter advertising to social and digital content while sparking conversation online.
Giving audiences the opportunity to win prizes not only creates engagement with brands but forms a positive image while introducing specific products to an enormous audience. Interaction works brilliantly, especially when brands use social platforms to approach competition entries which assist with growing their reach.
From pre-launch promotions, product placement, app promotion and fan interactions, the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating a perimeter advert that will capture the attention of football audiences. If you are a brand interested in perimeter advertising, make sure to get in touch at https://p11.tv/contact/
It is extremely important for brands to make the most out of their marketing budget and ensure that the benefits of a campaign outweigh the costs. But reaching the correct decision isn’t always easy when faced with so many different forms of advertising methods.
The use of mediums like newspaper ads, direct mail and billboards are all traditional marketing methods, while strategies in website development and social media advertising are examples of digital marketing. Both strategies offer different benefits which should all be considered when choosing how to present your advertising campaign.
If you are a brand interested in running a digital or traditional marketing campaign, head here to get in touch.
Influencer marketing has grown in popularity over recent years, with many claiming it as an effective way to boost brand awareness as well as increase sales and likability for your brand.
54% of people saying they would purchase a product following an influencer recommendation, and 45% of people saying they would follow a brand after reading an influencer’s sponsored post, it is clear to see that consumers place a lot of trust in influencers. So much so that 70% of teenagers trust influencers more than traditional celebrities.
However, like with all marketing strategy, appropriate planning is required to ensure that both your brand and the influencer benefit from the partnership. So here goes.
Selecting the right influencer to represent your brand is key to a successful campaign. In order to choose correctly, it is important that you know your target audience inside-out. This will guide you when selecting an influencer that is able to reach this demographic. Beyond this, in order to deliver an authentic campaign, it is essential to choose an influencer with a personality that reflects your brand identity.
Once you have selected an influencer, it is important that you tailor your content across specific platforms in order to get the best possible engagement on each. The four best performing platforms for influencers are Instagram, Youtube, Snapchat and Facebook.
Each of these platforms deliver different audience demographics and so different content works better on specific platforms. While Instagram is heavily used to build a loyal following through imagery, Youtube penetrates a deeper connection with audiences through long form video content. Snapchat is most effective at reaching younger audiences in the moment, and Facebook is utilized for widespread sharing of posts.
With the emergence of video app TikTok in recent years, it has become a new way for influencers to market products or promote brands through short video clips that mostly target the Gen Z audience demographic.
No matter which platforms are used, the key is striking the correct balance between your brand and your influencer so that you both understand each other’s values and can create posts that reflect that.
With a well-designed and well managed campaign, the exposure gained through your influencer can be marketed to an even wider audience. This can be achieved through promoting your campaign, synchronizing influencer content with your own to boost activity, and by tracking and measuring your performance to develop insights into what is successful and what isn’t.
Are you looking to include an influencer in your next campaign? We boast an extensive list of sports stars, YouTubers and social media icons that could be perfect for your next campaign. Get in touch for more info.
