While third-party targeting no longer has one foot in the grave, advertisers comfortable with using a 20-year-old technology available to everyone in the market as their primary method of accurately targeting potential customers should take a long, hard look in the mirror. In the age of AI, insights, ever-increasing addressability and attribution – those savouring the crumbs of cookies stand to miss out on the feast of alternative targeting and measurement available.
While the world of digital media and cookie alternatives is advancing faster than most can keep up, two of the foundations of advertising are still as relevant as ever. Campaigns that prioritise contextually relevant advertising to engaged audiences are proving their value and, with two in three people in the UK claiming they are sports fans, the opportunity to engage fans across the sporting landscape is huge.
As well as access to engaged fans in sporting environments, brands that can tap into these properties through sponsorship are uniquely positioned to take even better advantage of alternative targeting through contracted rights, IP-access and the global reach of rights holders.
IP-Inclusivity and Contextual Relevance
Most ads are remarkably forgettable. Exclusive access to the IP offered by premium rights holders to sponsors can change this.
System1 and Fuse’s The Sports Dividend research explains that among sports fans, brand ads that feature sports in the creative are more likely to contribute to long-term brand health, drive short-term sales performance and viewers are more likely to feel emotions like happiness more strongly.
With creative that achieves stronger results and makes consumers feel happier, contextual alignment is the next step. Research shows that ads get twice as much attention when placed in top rated / the most relevant contexts.
This means when compared to a standard ad in a standard context, IP-inclusive ads in relevant contextual environments can be twice as effective at long term brand building among relevant sport loving audiences. For example, an ad starring Tom Daley aligned with Olympics content or one with Virgil van Dijk aligned to football news will double its effectiveness compared to ads without IP in irrelevant contexts.
While leaning on contextual placements in an age of data and tracking might seem counterintuitive, for sponsors who have IP-access, content amplified with a media partner, or with AI-powered contextual targeting, produces results that are clear.
All of this is done without using any audience targeting at all. Imagine what could be achieved when privacy compliant first-party audiences are overlayed.
Privacy compliant first-party data sharing
Gone are the days when sponsors are content with simply placing a logo on a shirt or LED board and calling it a day. As well as the key role that sponsorship plays in shifting brand metrics, the ability to identify current or potential customers and serve them IP-inclusive, contextually relevant creative can improve performance further.
The most accurate way to do this is using a data clean room, a tool used to match datasets from different parties in a secure and privacy compliant way. Using a data clean room, first-party data from the rights holder can be overlayed with first or second-party data from the sponsor, meaning brands can securely identify current or potential customers who are already engaged with a rights holder and therefore are more likely to engage with branded sponsorship content.
While many rights holders are still in the early stages of developing a project that requires significant investment and a mature data strategy, Manchester City is showing it is not just ahead on the pitch, but also when it comes to driving value for its sponsors.
Following the launch of the Nissan Ariya, Nissan released its ‘Be More Pep’ campaign, encouraging people to follow in the steps of City’s iconic manager, from fashion to haircuts and ultimately, to the electric Nissan he’s seen driving around Manchester.
Using a data clean room, Manchester City’s first-party data segments were matched with second-party signals, creating an audience of “Man City fans who are environmentally conscious and interested in electric vehicles”. The segment was then tested against the “Ad Platform ‘EV Intender’ Audience” with the matched dataset resulting in significantly higher engagement for Nissan, recording 52% higher VCR and 43% longer average watch time.
While engagement metrics in a nondescript ad buying platform are not necessarily an indicator of bottom-line success, they do suggest that this relatively new strategy in the sponsorship industry has massive potential.
The next challenge for the world of sponsorship will be to reach data sharing standards expected by the rest of the industry. These are twofold – on the one hand, rights holders need to highlight the value their data can bring to sponsors, building clear audience segments and data sharing projects that sponsors can confidently buy into and activate. On the other, sponsors need to ensure their internal data-strategy includes an acknowledgement of the possibility of activating the sponsors’ data.
As these products evolve, there will be more pressure on rights holders to define and identify signals more accurately. This will help sponsors use their rights for more middle and lower-funnel tactics, highlighting sponsorship as a truly through-the-line channel able to drive more than just impressions and 30 second equivalents.
The case for better metrics
Across digital media, the success of sponsorship properties has largely sat with vanity media metrics like impressions, engagement or clicks, often driving to irrelevant landing pages too focused on the sponsor and not linked to the sponsorship. But, with opportunities to analyse more signals than ever with AI, using legacy digital metrics like impressions or viewability cannot show the real value of sponsorship.
Playground xyz’s Attention Time is a human-led, AI scaled metric measuring the length of time that an ad is looked at – it is 7.5x more important in determining awareness, and 5.9x more important in determining recall than viewability. While clicks can be sparse and conversions even more so, Attention Time is proving to be one of the most reliable metrics that we have to measure the effectiveness of sponsorship ads.
While Playground xyz is only one example of an ever-growing list of companies measuring attention and similar metrics (all with varying methodologies), exploring and testing new metrics is going to be vital in accurately optimising properties over the course of a campaign, season or cycle.
While the sunset of the third-party cookie is further away than ever, privacy savvy consumers and increasingly unreliable targeting suggest that reliance on this outdated technology is leading to less efficient advertising and losses for brands.
However, brands that have invested in sponsorship are increasingly finding value goes beyond impressions and time on screen. Access to IP inclusive assets, when served in relevant contexts, can result in significant boosts to long- and short-term brand metrics, and access to first-party rights holder data can then further help to reach efficiencies in campaigns. When complemented by more advanced performance metrics, the strength of alternative targeting solutions speak for themselves.
All without the crumb of a cookie in sight.
When Bet365 announced its sponsorship of pan-European soccer’s UEFA Champions League for the 2024-27 cycle, was it a surprise? Not really. The sports betting sector is dominating the global sporting scene, with recent research revealing 26 out of 100 competitions around the world are sponsored by companies in the industry.
Sponsorship of England’s top soccer clubs by betting companies has grown over 1,000% in two decades, with at least 42 different betting companies sponsoring English Premier League teams over the years. And still, nearly half of clubs in the league have front-of-shirt sponsorships from gambling brands, despite a very public ban on those deals coming into effect in 2026-27.
While many other industries are pivoting their business and partnership strategies away from sectors like betting, soccer is still scoring big. With a need to drive bottom-line revenue and rights holders looking to sell increased commercial inventory resulting from new competition formats and additional matches, it’s hard to ignore the millions in revenue these companies generate every year.
But as regulatory changes loom, it is time for brands and rights holders to “hedge their bets” when it comes to how and with whom they do business, as they pave the way for a new era of football sponsorship.
What’s changing in sport sponsorship
Change is already underway, having impacted the esports/gaming field, where digital and online safety regulations are coming to the fore. There is a greater emphasis on and regulations around targeting younger people. For example, if more than 70% of an audience is under 18, betting brands can’t use social media influencers or footballers as ambassadors.
And, most significantly for the EPL, there is the forthcoming voluntary ban on front-of-shirt sponsors from the 2026-27 season.
Not surprisingly, rights holders are pushing to maximize revenue ahead of major changes to gambling regulations in the UK and across Europe. And why wouldn’t they?
Major football tournaments attract huge global audiences which means significant global brand exposure and media value – a reason why Bet365 has signed as the global partner for the UEFA Champions League and Betano for the UEFA Europa League, and this summer’s Euros.
While the front-of-shirt sponsorship ban for Premier League clubs is a definite blow, there are still many lucrative options on the table. Betting brands are rushing to sign deals now to capitalize on the opportunity in the last couple of seasons of being a front-of-shirt sponsor.
However, the ban only applies to front-of-shirt sponsorships so other premium sponsorships such as sleeve and training wear will still be available. This is a good time to lock in a sleeve or other primary partnership packages before they start to rise in price as betting brands look to spend their sponsorship budgets on alternative assets once the ban comes into place. It’s also worth noting that the ban only applies to the Premier League clubs, not those in the second-tier Championship, which is still home to teams with loyal fanbases and a storied history.
How the industry is responding to change: The role of tech and data
It’s not just IRL shirts and merchandise where gambling brands and rights holders are responding to change. Increasingly, the role of tech will ensure that rights holders can maximize their assets while still staying on the right side of regulations. There will be more pitch-side virtual advertising to address pan-European or global betting regulations.
Currently, Bet365 perimeter boards still appear on TV in the UK, even when the match is being played in a market where gambling advertising is banned. This tech advancement is benefiting other sponsors too who are looking to geo-target the promotion of distinct products or services in specific markets.
Rights holders who continue to invest in better targeting capabilities to ensure they are compliant with regulations can be sure of their assets selling.
Tapping into other advertising inventory
With greater regulation and scrutiny of the industry, we will see a continuing increase in spending for other advertising inventory around football.
Where the promotion of a betting brand is prohibited, surrogate brands and advertising will continue to flourish. These can either retarget fans with betting messages in line with regulation, such as Bet365scores in Italy, or Entain Foundation when BWIN was the official sponsor of the UEFA Europa League can be used to reinforce brand messages without explicitly saying ‘buy me’ or ‘bet now.’
Likely as a result of regulatory changes, there is still significant investment being put behind responsible gambling messaging, with the likes of Sky Bet using playoff inventory to promote grassroots activation and responsible gambling.
For rights holders concerned about the sponsorship tap being turned off around betting, there are emerging and growing new categories to plug any gaps in their sponsorship portfolio.
One of those sectors is crypto, with the likes of Kraken sponsoring Spurs among others, and fan token platform Socios signing a $20 million deal with Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi to be their brand ambassador and offering token holders matchday tickets and merchandise. Deals, such as that with Messi, open up new opportunities with older talent and are becoming more prevalent in the legends’ space.
There will also be a continuing upsurge of interest in brands from the Middle East (Qatar hosted the 2022 World Cup) and China as we saw with the 2024 Euros where five of the 13 global sponsors were Chinese companies.
So, while brands and rights holders need to get match fit for regulatory changes, they can be confident that for any gaps in their sponsorship line-up, there is a squad of super subs on the bench warming up and ready to score lucrative and imaginative deals.
Max Goodbourn, senior PR manager at Fuse states: “Given the focus on darts players’ hands during matches, there is also ample opportunity for jewellery and watch brands to become sponsors of players in future tournaments. For example, Adrian Lewis was spotted wearing a Rolex.
“On a more strategic footing, darts is now attracting a younger crowd but the longevity of player careers, compared to footballers for instance, means darts makes way for different generations of fans, as well as the potential for long-term player partnerships that can be very effective at driving association (think Lineker and Walkers).
“With 2.62 million tuning in for the Cross vs Littler match, surpassing major sporting events like The Ashes and Ryder Cup, the sponsorship potential for the sport could be on a remarkable trajectory.”
Despite the sensational recent rise of women’s football, there are still a number of barriers holding back the growth of the game, with the scheduling of matches currently front and centre.
Understandably, there is a strong desire from those at the top of the game to avoid clashes with Premier League fixtures, given the obvious impact this would have on both attendances and TV viewership.
However, the side product of this is that Women’s Super League fixtures are often shunted to the fringes, impacting not just viewership numbers, but matchday attendances as well.
The 6.45pm Sunday slot is particularly unsociable, an issue exacerbated by the out-of-the-way stadiums in which many WSL games are still played. Borehamwood, Kingsmeadow and Leigh Sports Village are all far less accessible than their male equivalents, meaning fans may often not return home until after 10pm on a Sunday, a big ask for young families in particular.
With all this in mind, taking the hallowed Saturday 3pm slot can appear a no-brainer for the women’s game: it’s an available, lucrative window for broadcast, with no competition for TV viewership, and is much more sociable for the match-going crowd.
Yet dive a little deeper and a few concerns arise, particularly for smaller clubs. The 3pm slot is protected for a reason, with real concerns that match-going attendances across the rest of the pyramid would be impacted by a readily available alternative in your living room.
Despite its upwards trajectory, driving attendance is still a key challenge for the majority of women’s clubs, and the prospect of competing not just with the broadcasted WSL fixture, but the other men’s games taking place at the same time, is not one that many clubs would relish.
Arsenal may well be confident enough in its ability to continuously fill out Meadow Park, but what about Reading, Leicester and even Liverpool? These are clubs that still fall below capacity at most of their games.
At a time when the WSL is finally making great strides in growing matchday crowds, to immediately force clubs to compete with their Premier League equivalents would feel a massive own goal – particularly when a significant proportion of the smaller sides’ commercial revenue is driven by ticket sales.
Not only would this drop in attendance impact the fixtures themselves, it would also dilute the broadcast product that this switch is meant to champion. Any realistic women’s football fan is aware of the stereotypes that still exist around the game from less educated fans, and TV screens full of empty stadiums would only perpetuate that, and undo the great work the Euros did to change those perceptions.
A possibly significant increase in broadcast revenue and TV viewership is a natural counterpoint to these arguments of course, and that resulting investment could provide a huge boost to the development of the domestic game.
Yet it is hard not to think that this shift would benefit broadcasters most, the big clubs who can take the hit to attendances (and whose games will be televised the most) second, and the rest of the pyramid least of all.
At a time when women’s football is facing a significant crossroads in its development, with a new company set to take on the running of the top two divisions, any decision that seems to prioritise broadcast revenue and super clubs, over matchday attendances and the pyramid, should be interrogated closely before it takes place. Not quite the no brainer it might seem.
Sport and entertainment’s unique ability to deliver meaningful, scalable, brand-safe experiences is
reframing the role of sponsorships and partnerships in the modern marketing mix.
From a renewed emphasis on brand-building to a growing appetite for savvy media alternatives along with the exploding creator economy, the sport and entertainment opportunity has never been greater for brands.
As we look ahead to the macro trends shaping the 2024 marketing landscape, the importance of cultural strategies will be omnipresent. From a renewed emphasis on brand-building to a growing appetite for savvy media alternatives along with the exploding creator economy, the sport and entertainment opportunity has never been greater for brands.
However, while the conditions are ripe, the dynamics of this increasingly nuanced space are evolving at
breakneck speed. Understanding and adapting to the ever-changing relationship between fans, rights holders and influencers (in their many forms) will only become more paramount into 2024 and beyond.
Following a decade or so of increasingly short-term marketing, the industry finally appears to be experiencing a renewed commitment to brand as a growth driver. Creative effectiveness is once again positively trending, with brands striking a more optimal balance of the long and the short.
For example, Marks & Spencer attributes much of its recent commercial success to finding the right ratio of brand and performance. And while the importance of a ‘two-speed’ approach shouldn’t be new news, the integration of M&S’s partnership with The FA and England national teams highlights a unique role for sponsorships in connecting brand-building and sales activation through one unified platform. Through their Eat Well, Play Well initiative, M&S have been able to elevate the brand’s cultural standing and ‘purpose’ while seamlessly linking to product and retail, all connected through England Football.
There is also increasing evidence of sponsorship’s disproportionate role in driving cultural relevance and subsequent brand and commercial growth. According to Kantar’s Cultural Vibrancy report, brands that manage to embed themselves in culture are reported to grow six times faster than their counterparts. And as the AI revolution draws ever closer, ‘brand’, creativity and culture can only become more important as the rest is taken care of for us.
We will see innovative new avenues emerge which will redefine the way businesses establish and grow their brand equity. While the power of sponsorships is evident, brands are also exploring more cost-effective ways into culture through smarter exchanges of audiences and assets. Savvy alternatives to traditional investment driven strategies are evident in partnerships such as Pepsi’s collaboration with EA Sports. The partnership has seen Pepsi support the launch of EA’s hotly anticipated EA FC through its advertising and on-pack promotions allowing players to unlock in-game rewards. In return, Pepsi are positioned at the heart of one of the biggest gaming re-brands in history.
The rapid ascension of women’s sports is also providing more economical openings for brands, perhaps best exemplified by Ally in the United States. Unable to compete with the price-tags paid by other financial services brands in mainstream sport, Ally have instead doubled-down on women’s properties, athletes and media, with a clear mission in the form of their 50/50 Pledge to close the visibility gap with men’s sport.
What’s more, in the face of economic uncertainty, sponsorships can also provide equally efficient and effective ways to remain present and relevant amidst the inevitable cost-cutting by many into 2024. Learning from the
gains made by those who kept the marketing taps running during COVID-19, the unique reach, resonance, and frequency afforded through sponsorships – namely season-long sports campaigns – could prove to be a stand-out source of excess share of voice (ESOV) as the noise dials down.
3 | Partnerships as an enabler of brand-building fundamentals
Sport and entertainment are increasingly breathing new life into the unwavering foundations of any successful brand. Complementary to traditional advertising, sponsorships and partnerships allow brands to showcase themselves in new, more immersive contexts helping to keep their identity fresh over the long term.
Since 2009, Aleksander the Meerkat has graced our screens as Compare the Market’s brand mascot, with his role extending throughout the brand and product eco-system over time, from the Meerkat app to Meerkat Movies. However, in 2023, as a play to again refresh Aleksander’s role and relevance – CTM placed their long-standing talisman at the heart of their recently announced partnership with The Hundred. Positioned alongside the brand’s new character, Carl the Wombat, the new brand narrative of ‘don’t wombat it, meerkat it’ was seamlessly extended to a sports context, bringing a whole new dimension to the 14-year-old (and counting) brand platform.
Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot also starred in the brand’s unofficial 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup ad as a savvy
substitute for the brand’s string of hit Christmas campaigns since 2016. With the Paris Olympics set to take centre stage in 2024, marketers have an ideal platform to reinvigorate long-standing brand cues in more modern, emotive environments.
As brand’s look to establish a more consistent and meaningful role in culture, we can expect to see more
creation of new and ownable cultural assets in 2024. From Budweiser’s BudX platform weaving a red thread throughout its extensive sport and music portfolio, to the continued roll-out of Coke Studio, proprietary platforms will be a key strategy for distinction in an increasingly saturated landscape.
In response to shortening campaign lead times, 2023 has produced a flurry of data to support the case for multi-year strategies, suggesting creative ‘wear out’ could be less of a factor than the industry has been led to believe. Through multiyear commitments, sponsorships can provide brands with clear guardrails to stay on course over the long-term while maximising impact and ROI, spanning brand, business and fan communities.
As the industry increasingly prioritises attention over impressions, the prominence of creators will continue into 2024, with influencer spend now outpacing traditional social ad spend. eMarketer research shows that influencer marketing spending growth was 14% throughout 2023, compared with only 4.1% growth for social ad spending. This key area of marketing has remained resilient despite economic instability and spending on social media brand sponsorships is predicted to remain ahead throughout 2024, as marketers continue to shift budget in favour of quality audience connections.
What’s more, some creators have single-handedly sparked shifts in audience passions, like the remarkable influence of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce on NFL audiences, as explored in NPR’s report on the “Taylor
Swift effect”. Celebrities have also expanded their reach, becoming influential investors. For example, notable figures such as Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Rory Mcllroy are part of a group that has invested $200m in the Alpine Formula One team.
Fuse’s own research – ‘The Sport Dividend’ in partnership with the creative effectiveness agency System1 also found that campaigns featuring a celebrity (that felt a natural fit for the brand) scored higher with regard to emotional intensity and brand-building potential.
As influencers become household names, investor/owners, and media companies in their own right, the lines between platforms, properties and personalities will only continue to blur while evolving brands’ decision-making criteria for future cultural partnerships and strategies more broadly.
Culture’s influential force remains a steadfast presence among these trends. Whether it involves the
establishment of cultural platforms, active and authentic engagement with celebrity culture or a strategic
immersion into cultural nuances, it becomes clear that brands must wholeheartedly embrace culture as a pivotal element in the landscape of trends, both in 2024 and beyond.
As anticipation builds for the BRIT Awards 2024 on Saturday, all eyes are on the nominees. For me, it’s newcomers like Olivia Dean, Kenya Grace, and Venbee who are nominated for their first BRIT Award that I find myself fascinated by. Beyond their exceptional musical talents, the allure of their rapidly growing audience is not to be over-looked.
In today’s fast-paced music landscape, I have seen the journey from emerging artist to global sensation significantly accelerating, now taking months compared to the years it once required (pre-social media and streaming). An MRC Data study shows that 5% of TikTok users say they use the platform to discover new artists and 63% claim they find exciting new music on the platform. And this rapidly growing connection between an emerging artist and their audience extends beyond music – it’s a fanbase deeply invested in following their journey. Through strategic partnerships, aligning with these artists and their audience has the potential to infuse a brand’s culture with something invaluable: cultural relevance and authenticity.
I am intrigued by the brands that are already making strides working with these emerging artists. Take Olivia Dean, whose recent collaborations with Clarks positively shifted my own perspective of the brand, which I personally now perceive as contemporary and relevant. As of 2023, Olivia Dean also has a Chanel ambassadorship which I believe has elevated her global presence and association. Similarly, we’ve seen Shygirl partner with Dr. Martens and Cat Burns’ with New Balance – both offering a resounding commitment to authenticity.
At its core, this is an opportunity to participate in something new, and undeniably authentic. These artists offer a gateway into the heart of youth culture, a group known by their unwavering devotion to individuality. In today’s social media landscape, which is overflowing with influencer partnerships, this is the chance to tell a different story, to resonate with consumers on a deeper level. Partnering with grassroots artists presents a unique opportunity for brands to cultivate deeper connections, to engage, and ultimately inspire their consumers. Take American Express’ truly groundbreaking Gold Unsigned initiative. It offers undiscovered artists a life-changing opportunity of a record deal and their first big break in the industry.
Within this diverse pool of talent lie the future stars of tomorrow, offering brands the chance to grow alongside the artists they support. However, this isn’t about chasing the next global icon, the real value for a brand comes from engaging with niche hyper-engaged audiences.
As we look ahead to the BRIT Awards 2024 and beyond, the synergy between brands and emerging artists continues to hold immense potential. But investing in emerging artists isn’t just about chasing the next big thing. It’s about fostering a connection that rises above our current fast-paced trend cycle, resonating with audiences on a deeper, more engaged level.
Olympic Worldwide Partners are highly coveted sponsorship deals – the very top tier. Only the world’s leading global brands would be considered – or can afford – this level of sports sponsorship. They are rarely available – and even more rarely re-defined – which is why the news that AB InBev has signed as the Olympics’ worldwide partner has garnered such attention.
First up, there are two things to note: the category name itself encompasses no alcohol for the first time and – possibly more pertinent – it leads with no alcohol, with Corona Cero named as the global beer sponsor of the Olympic Games.
This may be tactical because the first games where this sponsorship will kick in is Paris 2024 – and France is a ‘dark market.’ Alcohol advertising around sports is highly regulated in France through ‘Loi Evin,’ their French alcohol policy law. Among other things, this law restricts the association and advertising of alcohol brands directly with sporting events. This will, therefore impact AB InBev’s marketing strategy around the event in France itself.
While the Olympics is a clean event – there is no perimeter or brand advertising in the stadia – it will impact the ability of AB InBev to capitalize on its sponsorship in the host market. But with the company already navigating a dry Qatar World Cup, it will manage.
But leading with its no-alcohol Corona Cero brand will certainly reduce some of these challenges and limitations. And the Loi Evin law doesn’t prohibit straight product-led alcohol advertising, just when the brand or product is displayed or associated with the sporting event specifically.
Having worked recently with Asahi Super Dry on its Rugby World Cup 2023 sponsorship across France, there are smart ways to navigate this to ensure the sponsorship provides the required ROI. For Asahi, this involved a combination of clever use of Masterbrand typography and alibi branding on perimeter boards in France, use of their 0.0% product, as well as significant investment in point of sale within retailers and distributors for those watching and attending the events.
However, we must remember this is a worldwide deal, so while needing to flex their strategy in the host market for 2024, the truly global scale of the Olympics will provide AB InBev huge opportunities to leverage the Olympic IP and sponsorship rights across global markets to promote their brand and both alcohol and no-alcohol products. It also supports AB InBev’s ‘smart drinking’ strategy, which has seen it increasingly invest in no and low alcohol brands and launch Corona Cero across Europe in 2022. And, as we know, all good sports sponsorship complements and builds on the broader brand strategy.
From AB InBev’s point of view, ensuring the category is defined across both alcohol and non-alcoholic beers means competitors likely can’t enter the fray, and all its brand territory is protected within this deal. Otherwise, there would be a potential risk of another subcategory being created and a rival also gaining access to the sought-after Olympics fold, even if via an LOC (Local organising committee) deal in the host country, for example.
This announcement marks a significant moment for the role of no and low-alcohol brands in sports sponsorship. The nature of deals on the scale of the Olympic partnerships is that they are not always very responsive, and rights holders can be cautious – but they are influential. This will make other no and low-alcohol players think about this space in a way that they may not have previously. In sports sponsorship, when one brand starts to get involved, others in the category invariably follow – and that can result in new revenue streams and investment for rightsholders.
The incongruity of alcohol-sponsoring sports also makes this an interesting adaption for brewing businesses wanting to associate with sports. As rights holders move to be more inclusive, it makes sense for the non-alcoholic brands in these businesses’ portfolios to start leading the way. The market for no/low products now is growing significantly, so it’s a great opportunity to launch these products using sports sponsorship as a vehicle.
We’ve already seen this with F1 where it has the added factor of driving being part of the messaging mix. Heineken moved to lead with its responsible consumption and promote the Heineken 0.0% product with their global F1 and Uefa Champions League sponsorships. Peroni Libera 0.0% has also used its sponsorship of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One team to launch the premium 0.0% product in a number of markets.
However, what could be most interesting, and perhaps we’re on the cusp of a significant commercial trend in sponsorship, is exclusive no/low brands entering into the industry in their own right given the significant growth of the category, as we’ve seen with the likes of Seedlip sponsoring Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport and Formula E team, Mercedes-EQ.
The Super Bowl may be a sporting fixture based in America, but it is an advertising moment heard across the world. For brands, taking centre stage on this night requires a heavy investment and creative prowess to drive results. And with CBS having sold out its Super Bowl commercials earlier than expected, competition for audience attention will be fierce.
Priority for brands is know your audience so you invest in creative and placement that is sure to score a touchdown – a 2024 survey shows that a majority (69%) of respondents favour funny ads while 40% of Gen Z say a firm ‘yes’ to casting influencers; however, brands must leverage the data and insights they have about their audience to maximise the opportunity and ultimately drive business back.
They must create a 360 plan and supplement the main ad with social touch points as the Super Bowl appeals to a broad church and additional digital activation adds momentum and keeps the conversation going. Take PepsiCo, for instance. With its newest brand Starry, they have solidified brand awareness through digital creative on their TikTok channel. Or DoorDash, which has developed a genius way to hack the event and remain relevant across every commercial.
5th December 2024, Mumbai, India: Leading global sport and entertainment agency Fuse, part of Omnicom Media Group (OMG), has today announced the opening of its new office in Mumbai, India, led by Jigar Rambhia. Through Fuse, OMG will capitalise on the burgeoning potential for sports marketing in India, offering a full suite of services to support brands with their end-to-end partnership needs.
Rambhia previously held the position of Chief Operating Officer of Sporjo – a sports industry consultancy – where he was pivotal in driving growth for the business. Prior to this, he spent 16 years at Wavemaker and worked across agencies including TME (Rediffusion Y&R) and Madison Communications.
Kartik Sharma, Group CEO, Omnicom Media Group India said: “Sport and culture are increasingly seen to be significant growth drivers for brands and so we are excited to bring Fuse’s expertise into the market – it further underpins our commitment to create transformational experiences for our clients.”
Echoing Sharma’s sentiment, Rambhia added: “The momentum in sports in India is at an exciting juncture and we’re fully equipped to capitalise on this to drive effective partnerships for brands. Sport has increasingly become a vital part of India’s cultural fabric, and with Fuse, we are strategically positioned to help brands harness the power of this medium to drive deeper connections with audiences across the market.”
The new office officially launches with Shriram Finance and Uni League Cricket as clients and will have a particular focus on supporting brands with strategic planning and activation of effective sports partnerships.
While cricket continues to dominate the market, India’s sports landscape has been further bolstered by the popularity of sports like Kabaddi, Football and Badminton, and the country’s recent performance at the Olympics and Paralympics. India’s sporting ecosystem is currently valued upwards of USD 1.8 Billion, and with continued tech innovation, the rise of OTTs redefining the viewing experience, and immersive experiences taking centre stage, growth is expected to continue at pace. As India evolves into a multi-sport nation, not only is it paving the way for emerging talent across various sports but it is also experiencing heightened brand interest and investment in sports marketing.
The fast-expanding agency network of Fuse is already home to a wealth of sports and entertainment specialists working across strategic markets across the globe. Most recently, Fuse launched in Spain, with Juli Ferre heading the business and in Brazil led by Luiz Fiorese. Fuse’s current international clients include PepsiCo, Nissan and Philips.
Commenting on India office launch, Louise Johnson, Global CEO at Fuse, said: “Fuse’s expansion and launch in India marks yet another critical milestone for us, underscoring our commitment to driving growth for brands through the power of sports and entertainment. With Fuse’s specialist sports marketing expertise combined with Omnicom Media Group’s data and technology offering, we are exceptionally positioned to capitalise on the sports market in India.
Through our extensive network and under the leadership of Jigar we can offer brands the chance to create memorable experiences for their audiences and integrate themselves into the heart of India’s sporting culture.”
If you have Instagram, it is highly likely that you follow one of the top 50 accounts on the platform, given that they collectively account for over 107.34 billion followers.
Of course, the usual suspects Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian have a strong showing but, after the official Instagram account, the two most followed accounts on the platform are Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi with 617 million and 496 million followers respectively.
These two aren’t only showing up with the most followers either. The two footballers each have seven of the top twenty most liked Instagram posts of all time, topped by Messi lifting the World Cup in December 2022 with 75.6 million likes.
When we turn our attention to similar metrics on TikTok, however, we see a very different story for sports accounts. While eight of the top 50 most followed accounts on Instagram are athletes or former athletes, Dwayne Johnson is the only athlete or former athlete in the equivalent list for TikTok.
On top of these athletes, another five sports related accounts, including Nike, Real Madrid, and the NBA, are featured in Instagram’s 50 most followed. However, the only sporting brands to keep The Rock company on TikTok’s most followed are the official accounts of Paris Saint Germain (45th) and ESPN (34th).
With the average user estimated to be spending an hour on TikTok every day in 20241, there is massive potential on the platform for brands to make the most of their existing partnerships and sponsorships to simultaneously engage with their current fanbase and reach new audiences.
With rights holders struggling to amass TikTok followers in the same way they do on Instagram, how do brands make better use of their rights as sponsors on one of the fastest growing social media platforms?
While followers may be a vital piece of the puzzle when choosing an athlete or brand to partner with on Instagram, number of followers becomes less important in TikTok’s out-of-network algorithmic feeds. Despite not having a place in the top 50 most followed accounts, Barstool Sports has amassed the fourth most likes of any account on the platform. Similarly, ESPN jumps to the seventh most liked account despite its ranking as 34th most followed.
Moreso than other platforms before it, the rise of TikTok has marked the distinction between in-network feeds (like Facebook and Instagram), where users nominate who they want to see in their feeds, and out-of-network feeds, where users are algorithmically served content based on their behavior.
As such, while the rise of out-of-network feeds appear to have left rights holders with fewer followers and more problems on digital platforms, the reality is that perhaps there is too much focus on the wrong metrics. By looking at likes, comments, and quality engagements instead of followers, new strategies can be developed in a way that leads to exciting and unique ways to activate exclusive rights.
On out-of-network platforms, a creative-first strategy is the best way forward. If a fan can watch the game on TV and a press conference on YouTube, the challenge for a brand is to give users content that they wouldn’t have access to anywhere else.
With more content and more creators than ever before, brands need to use their access to sponsorships and make better use of highlighting the exclusive elements that are written into their rights. Exactly what this means will vary between brands and partnerships.
A recent example of a brand using these exclusive rights to incredible effect was when Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk took fans into team celebrations following Darwin Nunez’s winner against Nottingham Forest, courtesy of Google Pixel.
As the official mobile phone partner of Liverpool, Google Pixel brings fans closer to the team they love, putting players at the forefront of the content while natively integrating their product. While millions of fans were likely watching the game on TV, the right of Google Pixel to share pitch side footage meant that fans could only gain exclusive access by engaging with the brand. While Liverpool fans are most likely to engage with the content, the unbelievable access to a pivotal moment, posted on out-of-network feeds will also put the Google Pixel brand in front of audiences outside of those immediately connected to the Liverpool sponsorship.
This content doesn’t always have to be focused on access to players, however. Using their Wimbledon sponsorship rights, Vodafone’s partnership with Give Vision gave visually impaired tennis fans enhanced Wimbledon footage suited to their individual vision profile. Sharing this experience on algorithmic feeds opens exposure of Vodafone’s Wimbledon partnership up to people outside of tennis fans and those who are already engaged with Vodafone brand.
While the above activations are very different, they are perfect examples of brands using their rights to integrate their brand into their sponsorships, creating opportunities to connect with new audiences.
In summary, with the rise of out of-network feeds, brands who have access to sponsorships and exclusive IP rights have the potential to make a greater impact than ever. Creative-first strategies that offer exclusive content put brands in a position to appeal to the current follower base and simultaneously build familiarity and affinity by engaging with new audiences.
