6 Brands Who Use Sports to Crush Experiential Marketing
Being relevant is a key factor in all forms of marketing, a customer who believes they’re on your wavelength is one who will listen to what you have to say. Bearing this in mind, there is no bigger common ground than sports.
Last year over 115M people watched the Super Bowl according to CNN whilst 3.6bn (that’s around half the people in the world) watched the 2012 summer Olympics in London according to Hollywood Reporter.
It is therefore important that experiential marketers seek to capitalise on this universal popularity of sports in the same way the 6 brands below have. We chose these examples because each of these truly unique sports campaigns demonstrates key experiential competencies in a different way. Those who are looking for inspiration need look no further.
6 Truly Unique Sports Campaigns
Stratos – Red Bull
What was the aim?
To quote their website, “The purpose of the Red Bull Stratos mission is to transcend human limits.” To add to this, it was also Red Bull’s intent to make the experience accessible around the world.
What they did.
Red Bull brought in Austrian skydiver, daredevil and BASE jumper Felix Baumgartner to perform the most extreme skydive ever attempted. Protected in a 260 lbs pressurised space suit, Baumgartner ascended 120,000 ft into the stratosphere attached to a helium balloon.
Once there, the Austrian jumped, allowing himself to fallback to earth, reaching a speed of 843.6 mph, or Mach 1.25 before his parachute opened, carrying him back to earth safely and cementing his place in the annals of history.
Why we like it!
This experience was truly out of this world (I couldn’t help myself), breaking pushing boundaries across the board! The jump was live-streamed from the point of take-off, an astute choice which allowed an air of tension to build for the whopping eight million viewers worldwide, breaking another record.
In addition to this, approximately 3.1m tweets were sent relating to the event, according to Campaign. It’s safe to say Red Bull stratos achieved its goal, transcending the limits of those before them.
Jump With D Rose – Adidas
What was the aim?
Adidas gave creative agency TBWA 24 hours to solidify then Chicago Bulls NBA all-star Derrick Rose as an Adidas brand icon, particularly within the urban teenage audience.
What they did.
Adidas built the D Rose Jump Store, a two-hour pop up store in East London’s Geffrye Estate. The store was stocked full of D Rose 3.5 footwear and manned by Derrick Rose himself. The shoes themselves were free, however in order to get them participants had to jump the height of a basketball rim to grab them from the shelf circling the store.
Adidas invited fans down through a combination of social channels and guerrilla promotion, handing out fliers at local outdoor courts and sports centres. Of the 2,500 people who attended, 120 jumped for the shoes leaving with a serious goodie bag full of Adidas stash.
Why we like it!
In addition to the experience, TBWA produced video content documenting the story of the jump store. With no media promotion, the video reached over 370,000 views in the first five days, attracting viewers from over 30 countries over the coming weeks.
This campaign demonstrates a solid understanding of the synergies between experiential marketing and content creation, that’s why we like it!
Puppy Bowl – Animal Planet
What was the aim?
To find an innovative way to promote the adoption homeless dogs both young and old from 44 shelters in 25 states across the USA.
What they did.
Animal Planet created the Puppy Bowl, “the world’s cutest sporting event” described as “two hours of fuzzy faces, sloppy kisses and puppy penalties.” The event, which is reaching its 13th anniversary this February, features a ‘pre-game show’ before the game kicks off, with a total of 49 puppies attempting to score touchdowns for #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff.
Why we like it!
Whilst doesn’t come under the same umbrella as our other sports campaigns in the traditional sense, Animal Planet have shown great ingenuity. By piggybacking the format of “the greatest show on earth” they have helped raise awareness for our four legged companions, by providing a platform to them do it themselves.
In the ‘off season’ Animal Planet took the Puppy Bowl on tour with ‘Road to the Puppy Bowl’ events, which led to more than 3,000 adoptions with Animal Planet helping cover the cost. For these reasons, we believe the Puppy Bowl has earned its place on the list.
Shirt Amnesty – Carling
What was the aim?
In the words of Carling brand director Jim Shearer, the Carling shirt amnesty aimed to show, “how the brand is reenergising the familiar favourite lager category and adding value for consumers at key moments throughout the year.”
What they did.
Carling recognised that the fickle nature of footballers meant that fans were often left holding shirts with the names of transferred players (or traitors as they’re more commonly known) emblazoned on the backs.
In response to this, Carling hit the road in a nationwide tour. The Shirt Amnesty van allowed supporters to swap their shirts featuring recently sold players for brand new ones, for free! The campaign was heavily supported on social media and also by ex-footballer and “I’m a Celebrity” star Jimmy Bullard.
Why we like it!
Carling has picked the perfect match in football. Since many avid football fans are also avid larger drinkers (so I’ve heard), Carling developed a unique opportunity to differentiate themselves from the competition by providing a service of unique value to the consumer base. As experiential sports campaigns go, a job well done!
You vs. Sharapova – American Express
What was the aim?
To immerse and engage fans at the U.S. Open through the use of new and exciting technology, whilst tapping into the competitive intensity of the tournament and the energy of New York.
What they did.
Amex developed “You vs. Sharapova,” the first VR experience to feature live action, where users, equipped with a real tennis racket, tried to return the serve of tennis pro Maria Sharapova, or at least her CGI representation. The experience took place over a month at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, using a combination of the HTC Vive and Steam VR technology.
Why we like it!
This pioneering project in live-action VR gets our attention because again it displays an unconventional twist on consumer engagement, bringing the fans closer to participation in the sport they love. The active nature of the experience provides a deeper level engagement in comparison to traditional VR experiences, which again makes this one of the unique sports campaigns, which stand out from the crowd.
Unlimited You – Nike
What was the aim?
To create a unique workout experience for both men and women combining aspects of training and running in a completely immersive environment, pushing participants further than they ever thought possible.
What they did.
For three days, Nike collaborated with London fitness moguls Barry’s Bootcamp and Kobox to create the ultimate high-intensity training experience. Customers could choose between a boxing session with Kobox, followed by a Nike Run Club session, or a Barry’s treadmill workout, Nike Training Club tandem. This is by far the most mentally and physically demanding of our sports campaigns
To compliment the experience, a unique soundtrack, created by Hot Chip, was played throughout by a live orchestra. Whilst lighting and video installations were provided by Artisan, a studio established by United Visual Artists.
Why we like it!
This campaign shows a full range of competencies; effective use of influencers, collaborating with experts in their field and the creation of a truly unique setting all come together to create an experience as expertly targeted as it is physically challenging (I’ve been to Barry’s, challenging is an understatement).
If you’re running an experiential marketing campaign and need help with promotional staffing, experiential support or just fancy a chat, don’t hesitate to contact us.