Although the majority of those who read of this story may not be among Gen Z (i.e. born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s), this story will thank them for being the generation that is driving the ways that other generations can now consume sports content (e.g. MASN recently announcing its launch of in-market mobile streaming for Orioles and Nationals games). We, Gen X in my case, my not have asked for or needed other ways to engage with sports, but we can certainly enjoy in the benefits of Gen Z’s needs.
Take this Sunday’s Super Bowl. Want to end up on the field for the postgame celebration, when either Tom Brady is lifting up the Lombardi Trophy for a record sixth time or Patrick Mahomes becomes the youngest ever to win his second? Well, thanks to the NFL’s continued strategic focus on winning over Gen Z, you can be there in-text thanks to the league’s Twitter Confetti campaign. By using one of two hashtags – #Runitback if you are pulling for KC or #GoBucs if you are rooting for the home team – your tweet can wind up printed on a piece of confetti that then drops during the trophy celebration, with a chance of winding up in a social post. Chances are that at least one player will attract attention by doing a snow angel in the confetti, right?! Expect this trend to continue into March Madness and possibly supplant the One Shining Moment montage.
(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)
Yesterday, at the “Brand Innovators Sports Marketing Upfront during Super Bowl LV” online event, NFL Chief Marketing Officer Tim Ellis spoke about how the league has a strong focus on bringing in younger generations after a 7-year decline. To combat that trend, the league has focused on “rejuvenating and injecting vitality into the brand” with an emphasis on a youthful and emotional approach to its content.
Anyone who watched this year’s unique NFL Draft, with Commissioner Roger Goodell announcing the picks from his basement, saw this approach first-hand. For example, the NFL gave each prospect a draft kit which included a phone for them to capture footage. Prospects were also asked to have a family member record them opening the kit which included a tripod and camera to ensure quality footage during draft night. Further, content was captured in vertical format to utilize more of the phone for optimal viewing and engagement. The end result was a focus on authentic storytelling from the family of the prospect. Ellis credited this approach with helping to make the draft a big cultural moment. “True environment and authentic selves resonate with Gen Z.” Post-draft research showed that Gen Z was 19% more likely to follow an NFL Draft.
The NFL’s overall content strategy to use “emotional and youthful storytelling” will be strengthened by what Ellis emphasized as its Helmets Off campaign to facilitate “a more human connection when we can see our player’s faces.” “That’s the secret sauce – get their helmets off, people want to know who these guys are. People want to get to know the players.”
Overall, the guiding principles include: Bridge generations, Celebrate the joy of the game, Create water cooler moments and using the Player as Influencer. A subsequent presentation slide presented the NFL brand ambition: “Become sport’s most passionate & modern storyteller.”
One additional focal point on Gen Z was “NFL Votes” an awareness-driven campaign which Ellis presented as its first ever league level voting campaign leading up to the November election.
The campaign was credited with achieving a 41% awareness among those under 21. Last week’s virtual Pro Bowl was also targeted at engaging younger viewers.
Perhaps the most visible digital content all season long was thanks to the #Showtimecam – interactive big screens that were mounted in each stadium’s end zones to provide a place where players could celebrate directly in front of fans watching remotely. Espn’s Chris Berman once proclaimed, “No one circles the wagons like the….Buffalo Bills.” In 2020, it could be said that “No one circled the #Showtimecam like the….Buffalo Bills.” Hint – Numerous defensive scores. And while we’re at it, check out the Bills on TikTok. A pump video for the water boy? Yes, they did that.
Sports Business Analyst
Scott Lewis is currently the Director of Strategic Initiatives & Business Intelligence for Zoomph, an online social media analytics platform used by over 200 sports/esports teams. He was previously the Vice President, Strategy & Analytics for the Baltimore Orioles. He has also served as the Vice President of Marketing for D.C. United from 2015-2018 as the club closed out historic RFK Stadium and opened Audi Field. Prior to that, he spent 6 seasons in marketing and analytics with the Washington Nationals and 3 years at the National Basketball League Office in New York. For the past decade, Scott has been an Adjunct Professor at George Washington University where he founded a class on sports analytics. Prior to GW, he taught sports digital media at the Georgetown Sports Information Management program.